Even waiting for her at the airport, I was having my doubts.  My stomach was in knots. Did I really make the right decision?  What if I couldn't get her to go back?  I just had to trust that I did the right thing.

When the plane landed, I thought I was going to pass out.  I guess I was so worked up, it just hit me. I waited for her to get off the plane.  I thought for sure she would be the first one off; of course, she was nearly last.

As soon as she stepped off the airplane though, I knew I made the right decision.  I don't know why, but I just knew. Her face was beaming, she was smiling from ear-to-ear.  It was so nice to see her smile.  I could tell she was so happy, so confident, so self-assured.

I knew at that point we were going to have a good visit. She carried herself like a young lady instead of the unhappy punk that left here 4 months ago. She was so excited to show me the gifts she had made everyone. She couldn't wait until we got home she had to show me in the parking lot of the airport.

She didn't notice, I'm sure, but I could not stop staring at her all the way to the car.  Her whole manner was different.  She was so "beautiful".  I always knew she was pretty, but for the first time since she was a baby, I saw her as beautiful.  Her facial features were even different. I couldn't wait to spend time with her.  Before, I couldn't wait for the day to end.
 

Thankful Mom in Concord, California

I just wanted to write you a letter because I was thinking about you the other day. Things are going so well right now. I’m really happy and I’m so optimistic about my future and I just wanted to thank you.

You changed my life so much its crazy. Although I could never say I liked the program, I love my life now because of it.

Thank you so much! I miss you heaps. I miss the other girls and staff too.”

From 8 months post-graduate student

This essay is about vision and what I envision for myself in the future. I have numerous visions for myself in the future. My favorite is that I will be happy, healthy and successful.

In order for me to achieve these things there is a lot for me to do. To be happy, I have to think positive and look at the world in a different way than I have been for the last seven years. I’ve started this already. I envision myself working through my grief and being content with my mother’s death and my father’s drug use which resulted in death. I envision myself seeing my friends with their parents and being happy for them instead of feeling sorry for myself. I envision myself spreading my mom and dad’s ashes with my brother and feeling relieved that I have finally let them go. I envision having a healthy relationship with my brother and helping him reach his goal to be happy. I envision me with a real smile on my face.

To be healthy I have to keep up with the daily regimen of exercise that is required to stay healthy. I envision myself going for a run when I am angry or upset to think and process my feelings. I do not envision myself going on a rampage and yelling and having a "tantrum". I envision myself eating very little fast food and not feeding my emotions with lots and lots of chocolate. I envision myself being a little obsessive with hygiene. Is brushing your teeth constantly a bad thing? I envision myself running a seven or eight minute mile. And that’s really good for me. I envision myself being offered to smoke pot or drink and not having any desire what so ever to put myself back in the place where I was a year ago. Being healthy means more to me now than it ever has.

To be successful I have to go to college and put in my best effort. I have to take school seriously. Well, I have to take school seriously now but I think I’m doing better than I ever have. I envision myself going to college and finding what I really want to do in life because right now I have no idea. I envision myself discovering something that I never would have guessed to be a choice for me. I envision myself being happy with the choices that I make for a career. I know that this is the better road for me to take. After completing this essay I feel better about my future and what may be in store for me. I have so much to look forward to and can’t wait for the experience. So…there ya go!

 Vision Essay by Anna C.