Build Your Foundation
It’s 1997. My mom is lying next to me in my bed singing me a sweet song inside the walls of a scary world. I revel in the lyrics. With hope and wonder she sings: “Someday we'll find it. The rainbow connection. The lovers, the dreamers, and me.” From: The Muppets, “The Rainbow Connection" I fall asleep with these words running through my head. I can't wait for the future. The moment when my dreams come true. 19 years later, I look over at my mom and cry out, “Everyone is getting engaged, getting married, having kids, and building beautiful houses. I’m still stuck building the foundation, brick by brick. I just want the house already.” We looked at each other. That’s it. Don’t rush to build the house. With a shaky foundation, no matter how beautiful the house, it will never be on solid ground. My parents gave me the land, but it was up to me to start building the house. And I did. I gave my all to school, to work, and to extra-curricular ac...