Open Doors

Every morning I get out of bed, open my blinds and look down at the city street. The city that never sleeps, the big apple, also known as my new home. To some the idea of living in the city is only a dream, it used to be like that for me too, but I was able to make that a reality. Every day I walk the city streets with people of all kinds, people with different race, religious backgrounds, jobs, schools, and origins. But in some kind of fateful way, we're all in the same place, at the same time, and yet so different. It is amazing to see how many people are in one city, all out to accomplish different goals, for all sorts of reasons. I pass tourists with their excited smiles and flashing cameras. I pass business men and women with their briefcases and coffees at hand, briskly walking to make it to work on time. I pass joggers who look so focused on their running, seemingly not noticing anyone around them. And here I am amongst so many different people. My goal is to come a stronger person than when I came in. I plan to learn from other people's experiences as well as teach others my own. I hope to grow as a person, both spiritually and mentally. I plan to try new things and open my mind to anything and everything. I am allowing the city's doors to welcome me and open me up to things I never could have imagined in my small, New Jersey town. I am ready to break free from my high school mentality and finally become a woman.

-Erica Cavaliere