Mem'ries Light the Corner of my Mind

I remember the night like a crystal clear video playing in my mind, even though it was ten years ago this month. I was driving home in my car Nellie. It was dark, 10 or 11 at night. I stopped at the mailbox down the street from home, got out my mail key, and like any other night, checked the box on the way home. This time there was a white envelope for me in it. A white envelope with a purple Weber State University emblem in the top left corner. I started to shake, grabbed the rest of the contents from the box and sat back down in my car. I took a deep shaky breath, put everything down except that one envelope. I turned it over and with another tremulous breath slid my finger under the flap. I pulled out the tri-fold letter, took another breath, unfolded it as I closed my eyes. I opened my eyes after another deep breath and read the words, "Miss Toni Lehman, the cooperative nursing program at Utah State and Weber State University is proud to welcome you into the class of nursing to begin this fall on the campus of Utah State University." I gasped, grinned, and shrieked in the same moment and clapped my hands and hit Nellie's steering wheel repeatedly in excitement. I drove around the corner and pulled into the driveway. I gathered my belongings out of my car, went inside, put the rest of the mail on the counter and went in to the front-room where my mother was laying on the couch reading a book and having her nightly bowl of popcorn. I turned the corner, grinned, and proudly proclaimed, "Mom... I got in!!" Then I jumped up and down, gave her a big hug and then sat down almost in shock on the piano bench. I had done it. I was one of the top 24 of the 325 applicants to one of the nation's top nursing programs --and I made it into the program on my first try. I remember the moment so well now, the moment that shaped my destiny and has taken me on such a crazy journey. It's crazy to think and more than just a little surreal to reflect on where my life is now because of that one night. It's just so right. Everything before and every tear and moment of laughter since has brought me to this place where I am in my life now, and it's just... So. Right. What a crazy road, this thing we call life. Can't wait to see what else lies in store!