Recently, I’ve been having this overwhelming feeling inside my heart. The feeling comes and goes at least once a day. It’s really difficult to explain, but I know it’s a good feeling.
My freshmen year went so well and I was genuinely happy. But my sophomore year didn’t go so great. I was faced with many challenges and I wasn’t enjoying life. There were many days I called my parents crying because I was so unhappy. I loved Saint Mary’s, but the challenges I was encountering seemed impossible to overcome. Everyday I wanted to go home and be with my parents, but I live four hours away, so that was impossible.
Therefore, this past summer my parents and I focused on finding what would bring me happiness again. It wasn’t easy, but I knew I wanted to go back to school in August happy, and ready to take on my junior year.
Thankfully, I have a great support system behind me. My family, friends, my best friend, and my boyfriend stood beside me during the good days and the bad days, and never stopped loving me. My mom always talked about the importance of having a support system, but I didn’t really understand exactly how special my support system is to me until recently.
And today, I realized what that overwhelming feeling I’ve been having is: gratitude. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for my support system. I’m a different person than I was at this time last year, and I am finally happy again.
Sometimes we get so caught up in our own issues, that we don’t recognize the people around us. I truly believe I have the greatest parents in the world, and I will forever be grateful for the experiences and opportunities they have given me. Whenever I’m homesick, I get ‘that feeling’ and my heart feels so full. When I am around my friends, family, best friend, and boyfriend, I get ‘that feeling’ of thankfulness. When I am truly happy, my heart bursts with gratitude.
Saying “thank you” to someone can go a long way. Personally, I’m really trying to focus on being thankful. Thank someone whenever you get the chance to. Smile, be kind, and always have an attitude of gratitude.