Just over a year ago, I was sitting in my room at school working on physical therapy school applications. I had taken the classes, written the essays, gotten my recommendations, completed the observations, volunteering, internships, and jobs necessary to make me a desirable candidate. And one fateful day, I hit submit.
And then I realized that I was missing the transcript from a school that I took a winterim class at. And that realization was made the day that applications were due.
So all of that money, time, and effort spent were wasted. I would not even be considered at any of the schools I applied to.
At this point, I knew that I was leaving on the World Race. Had I gotten in to any of the schools, the plan was to defer for a year. But now I wouldn’t get accepted. I was confused. I felt lost. And I didn’t know what I was going to do after the Race.
But I proceeded to do all of the things necessary for the Race, and for physical therapy school. I figured that I would apply to do some sort of schooling upon my return, but who knew what it would be.
I started researching global education programs, nursing programs, physical therapy programs, counseling programs, not wanting to limit what the Lord would have for me.
And when I launched for the Race in July, I had honestly let my dreams of physical therapy school die. I thought that the Lord was going to use this year to reveal to me what He had in store, rather than what I wanted to have in store.
While I was in India, I started getting emails from my mom asking me what I was going to do after the Race. And I had no idea. I had all of the research that I had done on different schools, and I had a month’s worth of experiences to help me along. I have always enjoyed healthcare, and was really looking in to accelerated nursing programs. I had a list of schools where I met the prerequisites, and had started filling out applications. One day, I prayed for clarity on where the Lord was leading me, because I honestly had no idea.
And then the next day I went to Sarah’s Covenant Home. SCH is a home in India for children with disabilities. They get taken in, usually of the side of the road where they were left to die, and cared for. They get medical treatment, they get beds, and they get loved. While I was there getting my sari fitted, a physical therapist came in to work with the kids. I had to leave the room because of the violent way that he was forcing them to move. I could see the pain on their faces, I could see that what he was doing was wrong, but I didn’t have the knowledge to make it right. And that killed me. I had to leave the room.
After that, I decided that I didn’t want to do physical therapy for me. I didn’t want to do it because it’s fulfilling, and fun, and you don’t have to sit behind a desk all day. I wanted to do it for people like those kids. I wanted to help the lives of those who get overlooked. I wanted to be a physical therapist for others.
So that afternoon, I came back to where we were staying and started my applications for physical therapy school. I wrote the essays, got new letters of recommendation, and actually got my transcripts sent in. I double and triple checked to make sure that everything was in, and then I left it in God’s hands.
Because it was no longer about me and my wants, but rather about where the Lord wanted me. Which is why I’m excited to say that after the Race, I will be starting physical therapy school at Columbia University in New York City. After praying, and talking, and thinking, it feels good to know where the Lord is using me, and what He has called me to.
And I have let my dreams of being successful die, and replaced them with dreams of helping others succeed instead.
