As Aladdin brings Princess Jasmine on the magic carpet ride it shifts the entire movie, much like this weekend has done with my life. This weekend I had the unique opportunity to facilitate the 360 Conference for the members of the Minnesota FFA. As I went through this weekend I could not help but think of how I had entered in to my very own new world.
As many of you know a few weeks ago I took off my FFA jacket for the last time. I thought this was going to be devastated and I certainly expected a large amount of tears to come along with it. However, it was more a time of understanding within myself. I realized that although I had not served as a state officer for the Minnesota FFA Association, my life was not over. I know this seems simple to most, but I assure you it comes through heavy words.
When we go through life we chase after unimaginable things, but once we get close to them they become this vivid reality. Much like in Aladdin, when Jafar initially thought he had obtained the magic lamp, I too thought I had reached my end destination. However, life took me on another path and it was as though Abu had stolen my very own lamp.
This brought me down, deeper than I would like to admit, but the reality of the situation is that it happened. When we chase after something with everything we have, and then we fail, we have nothing left to support ourselves. I became ashamed of who I was and what I had done. I wanted to hide my past, much like Aladdin wanted to hide his from Princess Jasmine. However, we cannot run away from who we are, because if we hide that what do we have left to show to others?
Now back to this shift to a whole new world. This weekend was the official shift in my life from that feeling of defeat and ending of my FFA career to my life outside of my Sibley East FFA jacket. This weekend I was able to realize the power I had was inside of myself the whole time; it could not be turned on and off by a jacket. I realized I still had a role within FFA even if I was not serving as a state officer.
A dazzling place it is indeed to know where I am meant to be. As we go through life we will face events that will shake our foundation, but please do not let them overpower you. A line that always jumps out to me from A Whole New World is "Don't you dare close your eyes!". That is exactly what I did, I closed my eyes and hoped it would all pass. But in reality nothing will change unless we act as the catalyst to allow that change to happen.
As I had the opportunity to work with some powerful individuals this weekend, I reflected on the past but I realized that none of it mattered while I was facilitating. It did not matter what titles I had or had not held, it only mattered how I was doing at that very moment. The only thing others looked at me based upon were my actions, not my titles.
As I was facilitating I finally felt at home after months of wandering. I was filled with an energy unlike any other. I know now my new world is right around me, as I live out my life as a college student and as I pursue greater opportunities to facilitate for others. I have always known I wanted to make a difference in the lives of others, but after FFA I did not know where to find those opportunities. I thought they had all been stolen from me, but that was because I was not pursuing them. I was not actively seeking them and that was my downfall. But now within my new world I know I have to be the change and chase after those opportunities. Facilitating is just my first outlet, who knows what other chances await me within this new world as I reflect on all 360° that encompass who I am!
This weekend I was finally able to close one chapter of my life. Although it was rough chapter, it is certainly one I would not live without. We will face things in life that we do not agree with, or do not like, but they are there to teach us valuable lessons. I will take those lessons and remember who I am and where I come from as I enter into my whole new world.
Now as the song calls for, let me share my whole new world with you. Whether it be running for state office or having our lamp stolen from us, do not let it shake your foundation. Know that you are stronger than any obstacle if you truly give it your all. If you do not learn it from my story, then pay attention to Aladdin because he is far more credible than I am! As Princess Jasmine says in the song, "I can't go back to where I used to be". We have to keep moving forward no matter the obstacle. We do not all need a genie to shift into a whole new world, all we need is a belief in ourselves and the determination to keep moving forward.
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