“Life is not about the destination, but the journey”

One of the greatest parts of my job is meeting new people and listening to their story.

Just recently I was fortunate enough to meet two young women who are in high school. At such a young age they are making such an impact. Both are from Depew, but go to different high schools. It must be something in Depew’s water that makes these teenagers want to save the world one action at a time.

They are the most ambitious young people I have ever met. I can remember myself at that age. It’s not that I didn’t want to save the world, or even the community, I had the idea in my head that it took more than one person, and certainly not a teenager, but more like an adult to accomplish the task.

I met Emma last January. I was assigned an impromptu story. She was one of the few who was chosen to attend the inauguration in Washington, D.C. I had spoken with her about what she was to do there and how she got in that favorable position.

In August I met with her again. This time, Emma was trying to raise $5,000 to embark on a journey to Ghana, Africa. While there her and her mother would help teach the orphans at Sankofa Children’s Home and School. If she raised an additional $1,000 she could build a school. For $70,000 she could build a campus, complete with the necessary books and computers and get the school registered under the Ghana government, in turn having the opportunity to obtain the proper funds from the government, thus securing a future for the school and children.

Emma, now a junior at Buffalo Academy of the Sacred Heart, had done her research, convinced her mom to accompany her, since she was under 18 years old and volunteer organizations would not accept minors, and conspired several ways to get the word out and fundraise the money. She contacted business and asked for donations. She held a theme basket event.

MTV has a show called My Sweet Sixteen. In lieu of throwing an elaborate party like a spoiled 16-year-old who just thinks about themselves would, and those highlighted on the show do, Emma decided to dedicate her party to raising money for her trip to Ghana, asking for donations to her cause.

She needed to obtain the proper funds by Nov. 30. Sadly, Emma informed me this morning that she has given up her fight, for now. Her trip was scheduled for this Christmas break as this was the best possible time for Emma to go, as she is extremely involved with various extracurricular activities. This was her only down time. She will continue again, and won’t give up until she gets enough money someday to reach her destination.

Although Emma may think she did not obtain her goal of helping children in Africa, she completed a different aspect. She raised hope for her generation.

Cassiey, a junior at Depew High School, recently finished her second campaign of collecting goods for military overseas.
She was successful in her attempt. The first year she collected lip balm. She sent it overseas to various military bases and to the local veterans hospital. In her second year, Cassiey collected VHS tapes, DVDs and CDs for military overseas. Duplicates were sent to the veterans hospital.

Both Cassiey and Emma taught me something. After meeting with them I found two young women who will be going places in life. They are the hope of the future, as cliché as that sounds. Even small things like donating food and clothes, or helping out at a shelter, makes a difference in someone’s life. But these girls looked at the whole picture and stepped out of their realm. They were committed in making a bigger difference.

Small steps lead to bigger steps.

Generosity and perseverance can and will pay off in the end. It is contagious. Good will can heal the world and these two individuals have already started the peace process.

I thought this was apropos considering Thanksgiving is in a few days and it is the season for giving.

http://emmahelpsghanaorphans.blogspot.com/

This past Saturday I asked a friend a hypothetical question. Although I won’t state the details to my questions, his answer played into my romantic connotations that I have been inundated with all of my life.

These suggestions of what love should be are implemented through chick flicks and chick lit, both of which I am a fan of, to an extent. Even fairy tales and Disney animations are curtailed into the main message reverberating through all actions. One single subject is always conveyed and that subject surrounds love. This has created an allure to the word love and also expansive idea on what it entails, some thoughts causing you to be dillusional in various situations.

Four simple letters make up such a powerful word. A word where most don’t know the meaning and only the lucky ones truly find it and embrace it for what it is worth.

Going back to my friend, in essence I asked him what he would do for love. He responded that he would do whatever it took. Essentially, he was playing into almost every girl’s fantasy about the knight in shining armor. Is there really a so-called knight in shining armor?

But with him, he truly meant it. He was not afraid of taking that leap of faith, or leaving everything behind for something that could be the most wonderful adventure in the world, or something that could crumble within a few days. The risk factor for him was simply nonexistent.
That sort of bravery and fearlessness are two things that are never discussed in media forms if they follow the path opposite of happiness. The media stays away from romance gone wrong, which in essence is horrible and ridiculous, setting up women and girls alike to view relationships as cut and dry and happy go lucky.

Recently, I watched Love Story, the 1970 movie starring Ryan O’Neal and Ali MacGraw. Although I was not a fan at first, thinking about the concept further fueled the romantic connotations that have been a popular theme in regards to my thinking.

In the movie, Oliver Barrett, played by O’Neal, risks everything to be with Jennifer Cavalleri, played by MacGraw. Although coming from a wealthy background, Oliver shuns that to be with Jennifer. They are broke and poor but marry, struggling with paying the bills and finding happiness through it all, but they manage. That to me is the greatest form of love. Being able to not think about the consequences of their actions, but just doing something that they know is right without fear.

My boss recently brought to my attention Gary Chapman’s five love languages. The five languages include quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service, words of affirmation and physical touch.

For me, I am a mixture of words of affirmation and acts of service. I think the greatest form of knowing that the other person is in love with you would be for that person to risk it all.

Yes, I know that is a pretty intense statement to make. I also know that by stating it, many will tell me to get off my cloud and stop dreaming. But by making some sacrifice, it shows that you really do care and really do mean the things that you speak.

I must admit that I too am still waiting for someone to take a chance and risk on something that could be the greatest love story on our generation. A calculated risk would even work. Some sort of a risk that would affirm his stated words, but I realize that reality is not made up of fairy tale promises. I am not Rapunzel, Aurora or Belle. He will not move to another state with me, show up at my door and declare his everlasting love for me, or give up everything that he knows and is comfortable to be with me.

Many know that I am a combination of being anxious and impatient. Generally that is considered to be one of the worst combinations to be. I agree that it is. I know not everything comes immediately, but in certain life situations I have learned to be exceptionally patient, something that I have taught myself how to be. My parents always told me that patience was a virtue and good things come to those who wait. But how long must one wait for the good things to happen and when does one know when a “good thing” just isn’t worth the wait any longer?

Sometimes one must just step back and take a moment to look at the whole picture and really decide what they truly want. In saying the word “love,” it implies that that other person is worth the risk that comes with it. If you aren’t willing to take that leap of faith, then the L word should not be said.

With my lofty romantic perceptions I can only hope that I could be someone's "dream" girl.

Most people wouldn’t risk it all for love. Some just don’t have the means, but by some ray of sunshine find it on a Hail Mary pass. Until that day comes for me, I will be forever searching for that one person who deems me worthy of taking a chance on me, like ABBA's I want someone to be there when times on rough and to recognize when a chance was taken on me.