Five years ago, if someone had asked me where I think I’d be in the future, I probably would have given a very confident answer. However, after reflecting on this question, I have realized my more honest answer is a complicated one. Rarely, does life follow a plan, sometimes the future changes in unpredictable ways. While I don’t know every step ahead of me, I do know the direction I want my life to move toward. In five years, I hope to be working with children. Helping kids has always felt natural to me. As I have gotten older, I’ve realized why it matters to me so personally. When I was younger, the world felt safe, bright, and perfect. For a long time, I was naive enough to believe childhood felt that way for everyone. As I grew up, I grew to understand that my childhood felt secure because of my mom. My mom raised me with strength, and kindness. She worked hard to make sure I felt supported and cared for, even when life was far from easy. She was the person who listened when I needed advice, pushed me to keep going, and reminded me that my life had purpose. Because of her, I grew up believing that I mattered, and that my future did too. I realize now, that not every child grows up feeling stable or supported. Some children grow up with no encouragement, no protection, and no one helping them believe in themselves. This realization has shaped the goals I have for my future. I want to help children feel seen, understood, and supported. This is part of the reason I plan to study psychology. I want to understand how children think, how their experiences shape them, and what I can do to help them grow into healthy people, not only physically, but also mentally. In five years, I hope to be beginning a career, where I can work closely with children. I want to help them navigate their challenges, and remind them that their lives matter. In ten years, I imagine a life filled with both purpose and love. I hope to be married, in love, and thinking about starting a family of my own. I want to build a home that reflects many of the same things I had growing up: joy, kindness, fun, and the feeling that home is always a safe place to be at. However, I hold these goals loosely. Almost four years ago, I made the decision to stop trying to control every detail of my future, and instead, trust God’s plan for my life. That choice changed how I think about my goals. I still have hopes, and dreams, but now I understand that life can unfold differently than I expect. I can describe where I hope to be in five or ten years, but I believe the most important thing is the person I become along the way. I want to continue to grow in my faith, kindness, and purpose, trusting that wherever God leads me is ultimately where I am meant to be. And if the dreams I have today happen to align with His plans for me, then I believe the future will be even more meaningful than anything I could have planned on my own.