Chapter 1
“Bad things do happen; how I respond to them defines my character and the quality of my life. I can choose to sit in perpetual sadness, immobilized by the gravity of my loss, or I can choose to rise from the pain and treasure the most precious gift I have - life itself”
- Walter Anderson
Riley
I sat nervously in the waiting room, my leg shaking as I clutched the worn out notebook to my chest. My heart pounded painfully. I couldn’t do this! Just when I was about to give up on this whole endeavor and leave, the receptionist called my name.
“She’s ready for you now”
I didn’t know what to expect when I walked into that office, I wasn’t prepared for anything, I didn’t even know why I was there at all.
“Hello, you must be Riley,” I nodded, reaching across the coffee table to shake her hand. She gestured for me to sit, I did hesitantly, ready to bolt at any moment.
“Where would you like to begin?” She asked. I cleared my throat after a moment of silence.
“This story, like so many others begins with a girl” I replied as I opened the notebook that was resting on my knee.
Hope
Ever since I can remember, my life had revolved around being “perfect” but looking back now, I realize that kind of life can’t be forced. Perfect moments don’t happen in those times you are expecting, but rather in those times that are completely unexpected. I didn’t know what was going to happen when I agreed to go on this trip, but no matter what, I do not regret anything. Living is more than merely surviving, it’s about experiences. Those magical, unforgettable, impossible moments that, despite everything, make you proud to say “I was there.”
And that is where this story begins.
