A nudge in the right direction

If it weren't for my mom, I'd probably be sitting in a cubicle right now in Kansas City, arguing with a customer about whether or not he deserves a free replacement part for his Garmin. I'd be browsing the same pages online for the hundredth time this week, counting the hours, then the minutes, and finally punching out, driven close to insanity by another monotonous day in corporate America but retaining enough mental functioning to realize how miserable I was.

I had turned in my application for Peace Corps but hadn't completed my medical evaluation. My mom encouraged me to finish it up, to keep my options open. Insurance didn't cover everything that the medical evaluation required, and she loaned me money to pay for what was leftover. Without her encouragement, I probably never would have finished the application process. Once the invitation came, I was thinking it over but wasn't sure. She advised me to give it a chance, that it could be a once-in a lifetime opportunity, that I might not be able to do something like this 10 years down the road. I gave it a shot, here I am, and I couldn't be happier with my decision.

So thanks, Mom! I love you!