Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Stepping Stones

Stepping Stones, by definition are an undertaking or event that helps one to make progress toward a specified goal. Now looking at our lives, it is clear that they are filled with Stepping Stones...

As babies, crawling is the stepping stone to walking, and walking is the stepping stone to running. As kids we use kindergarten as our stepping stone into the education system and then each grade there on after is a stepping stone to the next. We then venture into the "professional world" and use each job, each role, each responsibility as a stepping stone to the next in the hope of one day reaching our "dream profession". And in between all these milestones, each friendship, each relationship, each battle, each growing pain is just a stepping stone meant to prepare us for the moments we have dreamed, wished and waited for.

Ironically enough, this little African adventure was meant for me to be a stepping stone into the next phase of my life. The phase where I say goodbye to all the things I thought were once true and venture into a new life with a new perspective, new hope new confidence and new set of goals. I say Ironic because the organization i have been working with is "Stepping Stones International". And while the founder of this organization focuses on providing a foundation (a stepping stone) for orphaned and vulnerable youth, she is also providing a foundation for each and every employee and volunteer that walks through her doors.

It would be impossible to say that this woman is anything short of an inspiration to everyone around her. For me, I walk through her doors everyday and sit at a table where I witness her being a loving mother and wife to her four children and husband, a mentor, friend and advisor to her staff and a believer for the children that she is working so hard to provide a stepping stone for. And its crazy, how she can be all these things at once. Especially when as women we are often told that it is nearly impossible to have it all - the career, the kids, the life you always dreamed of. But if there is anything I walk out of work thinking each day now because of her, its that IT IS POSSIBLE. ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE...and wasn't that the theme song for this little venture - ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN, by Ellie Goulding?

It's all rather ironic, but at the same time all makes sense. And if I didn't admit that there isn't anywhere I would rather be then right here right now, I would be lying. Which would also mean that I have accepted all the stepping stones that led me to this very moment and now through the eyes of this inspirational lady I not only know, but believe that the best is really yet to come....

To learn more about Stepping Stones International and how you can either get involved or help please visit - steppingstonesintl.org/

Til next time
-A

1 comment:

  1. Arti, Thanks for the beautiful blog. Thank you for being with us and helping me grow as a Manager and Finance person!! I wish you could stay for a year so we could see your smile that lights up the room and hear your laugh that is contagious and helps us get through a day when the wires are tangled, the internet is non functional and the promise to come fix it in a half hour turns into five!!

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