It's funny, isn't it?

It's funny, isn't it? How one moment... one person... one teacher... can change your life?

Life is a series of interactions, of choices, of decisions, of circumstances that build and shape every part of who you are.

20 years ago my parents let me decide whether or not to skip the 2nd grade. A life changing decision left in the hands of a 7 year old.

12 years ago I got to do a job shadow, and if you'd asked me what I'd be as a "grown up," I would have told you I'd be a doctor - a surgeon, to be exact.

11 years ago I took a Chemistry class that ended my dream of becoming a doctor. I left the class feeling like I could never be good enough at any of it to accomplish my dream. Now I wanted to be a lawyer.

9 years ago I headed off to Luther College and discovered Law was maybe not my thing, though I loved history and politics, and changed my life plan to include Social Studies teacher.

8 years ago I restarted my college journey at Iowa State, following the death of my father, only to find that they didn't offer Social Studies certification. Back to Law School!

7 years ago Iowa State changed their minds. Now I can teach!

5 years ago Northeast Hamilton took a chance on an idealistic kid.

1 year ago Prairie Lakes AEA decided to create 4 new tech integration positions.

Here I am. Do I make my decisions and way in this world, or do the decisions of others create the path that is before me?

Who are you? Are you helping others find their way? Are you shaping lives in positive ways?

Ultimately it's a combinations of the positives and negatives and my actions and your actions that brought me to where I am. It could be divine intervention, it could be random chance.

But it's funny, isn't it? How all the pieces come together? It's funny how we find our way in life. Be a positive force. Be a role model. Create. Make. Do. Your actions and inactions don't impact your life alone - you shape and impact and change the world around you with every move you make. Or don't make.

So if everything you do and don't do impacts everything around you, you might as well make it count. Make it matter.