Why Alabama?

Everyone at some point in their life, just thinks why they are where they are. Is there something called fate? Does everything depend on your hardwork and integrity? How much influence does God have in making your decisions? I slowly came to realize the answer to all these things is : He has a plan for everything. One such experiences which made me realize this truth is the following narration about how I ended going to school in Alabama.

Someone or the other keeps on asking me "Why Alabama?" and I have to usually give them a long answer about how I applied to very few schools and how some of the applications were declared incomplete by the schools and hence denied, eventhough I was very meticulous. While in the middle of this explanation I used to feel like there must be a reason for all this to happen and often sad that I was here out of all the places that I could be.

When I came here I wasn't a big fan of this place or the university, but still believed there had to be a reason and a purpose. The end of the first semester showed me a roomate who betrayed me badly and left me not to be able to trust anyone. I thought life couldn't get any worse but then I had to have a open heart surgery to recitify my ASD. I had to start my college one month after my operation, otherwise I would lose my funding and could not afford to do that. I could not drive for 2-3 months and the whole summer semster I had to walk to college in the hot Alabama sun.

Midst of all these things, I discovered that God wanted me to get closer to him by all these trials and tribulations. He had given me amazing friends who suported me through all this and made me realize what true friendships are. Got me to trust people because they are made in his image. I got a chance to go to the 'Whatever It Takes' conference in Indianapolis, which literally changed my life and got much much closer to God. This particular conference gave me courage to not only forgive the above said roomate for what she did to me but also forget and say to her 'If you need anything I will be there for you'. I never knew I could change this way, this much and actually take initiative and "Love my enemy".

Since then it has been an uphill travel towards the peak of happiness. I have amazing friends at Church, work and school. I have really caring roomates.Here, I have endless opportunities to learn things that I always wanted to learn. All this happened may be because I changed my attitude towards life or may be because I realized that not even a leaf moves without his will(as my mom says!).

One year in Alabama, now this place seems really nice. Infact, I am in love with each and every season here becasue each season has its own flavour of life. Nowadays if anyone asks me "Why Alabama?" I simply say "Because God wanted me to!"