Day 1

"You are never going to be 100% ready and it's never going to be just the right time, but that's the point. It means that every moment is also the right moment. If you want it, you just have to do it."

The day had finally arrived, after prolonging it for such a long time, it was 5:00 am on Tuesday, September 27, 2016. It was time to go the airport and catch my flight for Houston, TX for staging as a part of PC pre-departure training. Talk about stepping into discomfort, I also finally decided to start my natural hair journey the day before. However, this is a discussion for another day. 

Thank goodness for my sister, I don’t know what I would do with out her. She rushed me and my parents out of the house, early morning. She is always so on top of it. Weeks, and months prior to departure days my parents had been so excited, but this particular morning my family seemed at a lost for words. I learned an important lesson here: your family cares more than you think. We got through shuffling all of my items around to meet the weight requirement. I observed the heartbroken sides of my family, I never experience. 

I saw my Dad's eyes get really big as I hugged him at the check-in of American Airlines. My sister as she walked me through check-in and gave me the biggest hug as tears poured down her face... it didn't make this any easier. My heart was aching in sadness. Then there was my mother who stood in silence with her eyes wide open and nothing to say (this almost never happens.) As we stopped to say goodbye people rushed passed us to make to the security line. I didn’t even care, it stopped me in my tracks and it set in that I was leaving my loved ones behind. This was the hardest thing I think I would do in my life. As I got on the plane, I knew I would never be the same. 

 I fought back the tears on my plane ride to Houston, TX for staging where I would then meet 28 strangers who would embark on this journey with me. I sat quietly as I continued to draft messages and emails of my last goodbyes and thank you’s. I felt as if it was just me and the plane with the whole world in front me. I close me eyes, give thanks, and thought "Are You are ready now?!"