Not Afraid

It is 5 days before I leave for Peru and I am trying to mentally prepare myself and pack for the upcoming trip. Since I have received the news that I would be going to Peru I have heard and come up with many "what if's".  "What if I get malaria?" "What if somebody gets hurt while I am abroad?" "What if I meet my future husband?" (Although my dad said that is definitely not allowed.) "What if I get taken?" "What if I get everything stolen from me?" "What if, for some reason, I don't come back to the good ol' U.S. of A?" "What if my little sister grows 4 feet while I am gone?"

All of these "what if's" eventually started to overwhelm me. Then, I remembered the best thing my grandma could have ever said to my family, "Fear just comes from a thought and I am not afraid of a thought."  As I sit here and let her words resonate within me, I know worrying is not going to do anything for me. I am going to have the experience of a lifetime down there and I should not be afraid of the thoughts I am having and allow them to create discomfort for me. That doesn't mean that I am not going to be cautious, it just means that I am not going to let my thoughts control me. I have the opportunity to learn a language and culture that will impact me for the rest of my life. 

I embrace this opportunity!  So Peru, here I come!! I am ready now... I think. :)