I used to be positive that I peaked at the ripe age of 16. I flourished in high school, and probably a little too often felt like I, personally, owned the hallways of West High. I was skinny, with extremely long blonde hair and a brand new freshly braces-free smile. I finally lost all my baby-fat, and it was when I started to realize that I was, in fact, a girl. It was at 16 when I finally got a guy to notice me, and ended up snagging my first boyfriend. Yeah, 16 was a beautiful year.
Then I got to college. Why did I ever think that I peaked in high school when I had so many more fun-filled years ahead at Iowa. I guess I didn't really do anything to that would qualify as "peaking", but I finally started to figure out who I was- and I knew I was more than just that skinny blonde girl from high school. Turning 21, I felt on top of the world, and that I was totally invincible- the day after really proved me wrong. My junior year I packed my bags and left for Ireland, where my independence and dumb ideas were at an all-time high. After I studied abroad, and got a little glimpse of what the rest of the world had to offer, I knew then that I definitely hadn't peaked. How could I? I mean, I lived in Iowa, who peaks in Iowa?
That's where I was wrong. I somehow managed to peak in Iowa. I may have had the looks in high school, or the adventures of a wanderlust soul, but I had no idea what was still in store for me. Although (I hope) I have a lifetime ahead of me to continue to hit "peakable" moments, I'm for certain that on February 7th, at 7:00 pm, my 22 years of life had finally hit a climax when I was part of, "a bunch of college kids in the middle of Iowa that raised over $2 million for the kids,"- Erin Larsen (S/o to my girl crush).
It's hard to explain from the inside out, and it's hard to understand from the outside looking in, but being apart Dance Marathon has changed my life. It's sounds like an exaggeration, but I assure you, it most definitely is not. Growing up I was convinced that I needed to travel far and wide to experience things that would shape who I am or what I would become. Turns out, I only needed to travel a few miles away from my childhood-home to find the most amazing, selfless, and charitable organization I will ever have the joy of being apart of. I've been a dancer in previous years, but my senior year I somehow, by a fateful stroke of God, I ended up with 52 obnoxiously amazing humans on Morale.
Morale (Noun): The confidence, enthusiasm, and discipline of a person or group at a particular time. I feel like this definition does injustice to the amount of time and dedication the 52 of us contributed all year. When I tell you that this group of people is the most selfless, heartfelt, hard-working, and passionate group of human-beings I have ever met- that is the absolute truth. Dance Marathon, as an organization is incredible. It provides financial and emotional support for kiddos at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics who are, or who have battled, pediatric cancer. So yeah, the organization is amazing. But it's the people, the people of Dance Marathon who have changed my life. When you join an organization that is truly bigger than yourself, it exposes us for what we really are. You see beyond looks and interests, and suddenly you're looking at the very core of another person. You literally see why their heart beats, and what it beats for. It was when I realized this that everything sort of clicked. It was when I actually began to realize that I was surrounded by not just friends, but family. A family who I could turn to literally any one of them and have a conversation about the most random, stupid, or deep thoughts. All 52 of these individuals have changed my life and shaped my future.
So, I peaked at approximately 7:00pm on a Saturday night in the middle of a flyover state when 13 cardboard squares read the number: $2,001,856.21. Not because we had finally broken the $2 million mark, but because that's a whole lot of money that goes directly to the kiddos we fight for and the anguish we fight against. I peaked when I realized that I'll never encounter another group of people I'd rather spend my days with. I peaked when I finally realized I was involved with something bigger than myself.
Do you think you've peaked yet? I doubt it.
Then I got to college. Why did I ever think that I peaked in high school when I had so many more fun-filled years ahead at Iowa. I guess I didn't really do anything to that would qualify as "peaking", but I finally started to figure out who I was- and I knew I was more than just that skinny blonde girl from high school. Turning 21, I felt on top of the world, and that I was totally invincible- the day after really proved me wrong. My junior year I packed my bags and left for Ireland, where my independence and dumb ideas were at an all-time high. After I studied abroad, and got a little glimpse of what the rest of the world had to offer, I knew then that I definitely hadn't peaked. How could I? I mean, I lived in Iowa, who peaks in Iowa?
That's where I was wrong. I somehow managed to peak in Iowa. I may have had the looks in high school, or the adventures of a wanderlust soul, but I had no idea what was still in store for me. Although (I hope) I have a lifetime ahead of me to continue to hit "peakable" moments, I'm for certain that on February 7th, at 7:00 pm, my 22 years of life had finally hit a climax when I was part of, "a bunch of college kids in the middle of Iowa that raised over $2 million for the kids,"- Erin Larsen (S/o to my girl crush).
It's hard to explain from the inside out, and it's hard to understand from the outside looking in, but being apart Dance Marathon has changed my life. It's sounds like an exaggeration, but I assure you, it most definitely is not. Growing up I was convinced that I needed to travel far and wide to experience things that would shape who I am or what I would become. Turns out, I only needed to travel a few miles away from my childhood-home to find the most amazing, selfless, and charitable organization I will ever have the joy of being apart of. I've been a dancer in previous years, but my senior year I somehow, by a fateful stroke of God, I ended up with 52 obnoxiously amazing humans on Morale.
Morale (Noun): The confidence, enthusiasm, and discipline of a person or group at a particular time. I feel like this definition does injustice to the amount of time and dedication the 52 of us contributed all year. When I tell you that this group of people is the most selfless, heartfelt, hard-working, and passionate group of human-beings I have ever met- that is the absolute truth. Dance Marathon, as an organization is incredible. It provides financial and emotional support for kiddos at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics who are, or who have battled, pediatric cancer. So yeah, the organization is amazing. But it's the people, the people of Dance Marathon who have changed my life. When you join an organization that is truly bigger than yourself, it exposes us for what we really are. You see beyond looks and interests, and suddenly you're looking at the very core of another person. You literally see why their heart beats, and what it beats for. It was when I realized this that everything sort of clicked. It was when I actually began to realize that I was surrounded by not just friends, but family. A family who I could turn to literally any one of them and have a conversation about the most random, stupid, or deep thoughts. All 52 of these individuals have changed my life and shaped my future.
So, I peaked at approximately 7:00pm on a Saturday night in the middle of a flyover state when 13 cardboard squares read the number: $2,001,856.21. Not because we had finally broken the $2 million mark, but because that's a whole lot of money that goes directly to the kiddos we fight for and the anguish we fight against. I peaked when I realized that I'll never encounter another group of people I'd rather spend my days with. I peaked when I finally realized I was involved with something bigger than myself.
Do you think you've peaked yet? I doubt it.
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