Everyone has something they are passionate about. It is hard to go about life aimlessly without something that gives you purpose and invigorates your soul. I know people who have immersed themselves completely in things such as creating music to helping others to even eating. I believe it is of absolute importance to do what it takes to keep your soul on fire. For me I find purpose in investing in people. Let me reiterate; I don't mean investing in people as an employer to gain as much business leverage possible. I think it is crucial to know that you have somebody on your side who is cheering you on in your ventures and will do what it takes to get you out of your depths when you've hit a low point.

As a person who notices everything sometimes it gets extremely overwhelming being as empathetic as I am. Over the years I have learned that at the end of the day, no matter how many lunch or coffee dates I go on with people I have invested in, it is their life and their choices are not up to me. I remember getting upset in high school when I would spend all night texting a friend about what they should do in a situation just to have them do the exact opposite. I would feel so worthless and as if I had wasted my time advising my friend for no reason just to have them come running back to me.

But you know what? Caring for others does not make you any less important or miserable but it gives you an opportunity to love on others through the good times and the bad. The victories that I see my friends achieve in their lives, whether it be seemingly minuscule or their Goliaths, my heart swells up with pride seeing people I love grow and strive in their journeys because I know what it took to get there.

I am able to breathe fresh air and type this out today because so many people have invested their time and love in me. I would not be here if it were not so. The type of people who have lavished me with love in my life are the kinds that could put men on the moon based entirely on their faith and selflessness.

In a sermon I heard a few weeks ago, the pastor briefly gave us a lesson on soil, tilling and growth. I'm not a huge fan of nature and bugs, so I was ready to daydream about what lunch was going to be like, but something he said caught my attention. He explained how preparing the soil for growth and taking care of the soil was the key factor for growth in plants. I had always thought growth was entirely dependent on the seed but he gave us a lesson on why taking care of the soil was far more important.

You see, I believe we are all capable of amazing and incredible things. If we are the seed and all capable of marvelous things, then the strenuous process of growth is what we should be pouring our time into rather than choosing which 'seed' is probably going to come to fruition and which aren't. I believe that not a blind eye should be turned to anyone who those have labeled as 'worthless' or 'good for nothing' who look upon the mountain in front of them with a feeling of hopelessness.

I think it's important to serve as a clan of comrades who will climb alongside one another and be a reminder that yes, a mountain definitely stands in front of you, but the man on top of the mountain did not fall there. He climbed, he fell, he sometimes rested, but he persisted step by step and finally stood on top of the mountain having conquered it.