One year ago I made a leap of faith and decided to move 1,000 miles away from home. Was it my smartest move? Probably not. Did I kick myself in the butt for not realizing how much I’d truly miss my dogs? Absolutely. Did I regret it at all? No, not anymore.
Moving away from home is a right of passage that most 18-year-olds experience. Whether it’s moving into an apartment, heading off to college, or traveling the world, us newly christened “adults” so to speak, take a huge jump into the unknown.
Over the past year, I’ve faced countless moments of regret, self-doubt, and confusion. Most of which regarded my choice to come here. It’s not the fact that Belmont isn’t the right school for me; it’s the fact that I was separated from this world that I was so incredibly comfortable with and a family that knows all my inner quirks.
But then, I met the McDaniels.
If you know me, then you know probably know Haley. She's the red-headed version of myself that is usually attached to my hip.
With time I met Haley’s mom, Ange.
Now let me tell you, Angela McDaniel is a force to be reckoned with, and for that, I am eternally grateful for the love she has shown me, even when I didn’t think I needed it.
To my Southern Mom, Ange,
I have been meaning to share these words with you but never found the place or time to do so. There is so much I have to thank you for, but very few words are adequate enough to truly describe the many thanks, I have towards you and your family.
When Haley and I became best friends I had no idea that God would bring into my life a whole other support system that would guide me and love me the way that you all have. I had no idea that when I became homesick at school, the people I’d often long for was the McDaniels.
One year ago my heart was missing a piece that seemed to have been torn away. I was lost and was a displaced person in a town of people who seemed to know exactly who they were. But God answered my prayers; he filled that void space with the love of the McDaniels, for which I am forever grateful.
I don’t think I can ever stop or will ever stop thanking you for what you’ve done for me. You created a home for me in a place where home felt far-gone; you made something that seemed impossible, possible. Thank you, Ange, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for welcoming me into your family.
Sincerely,
Meg Meg
