Being an RH factor baby in the 1970s left me with a stroke the size of a pin dot that affected the motor control and motor skills on the right side of my body. I survived most of my school years with straight As, and I was headed to Hollywood with stars in my eyes. I wanted to be part of the movie making business in some way, shape or form.
My problem was I didn’t have a plan. I quit college after my sophomore year. I got cold feet in my decision to pursue movie making. It’s highly competitive and I was under a lot of stress, and had been for a long time. Perform, perform, perform and where was the love? So I went looking for it to my demise actually. I’ll do it myself attitude. For many years I was lost and I was self-destructive.
In time, I realized I needed computer skills. When I decided to pick up the pieces and move on, and to close a certain chapter in my life, it brought me to the doorstep of Goodwill Industries of Northwest Texas.
I walked in to sign up for free computer classes, and I was greeted by the friendly staff. For the first time in a very long time I felt like I was in the right place at the right time.
Goodwill Industries adopted me into their family and I’ve been able to gain the necessary skills for an office setting, as well as embrace my uniqueness. They have also encouraged me to grow as a career woman and I’m doing things that I never imagined possible for me like rebuilding my confidence.
Now at 37, I want to help others, no matter what the barrier is, to pass on the gifts that were given to me, things that money cannot buy. I’m finally feeling special and seeing my potential unfold. My past is finally my past. Goodwill Industries has helped me put a period at the end of a very long chapter in my life, and begin a bright new one.
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