The Idea of an Essay, Volume 2

36 I cannot tolerate this. I cannot accept the reality that so any children are living without parents while Americans, myself included, sit in contentment. Baby steps, I decided. Baby steps would take me to those children and lead me to the opportunity of loving them with more than just knowledge of them. I would love them with my hugs and my words, and I would use whatever abilities I could to change their lives, even if that meant adopting them as my own. After a couple of months of investing my time and energy into researching international adoption, I still found myself working for hours at the desk in my home office. The more interested I had become in the topic, the more I longed to act. I was finally writing the persuasive essay, which meant sitting in the desk chair with my face nearly pressed against the screen as I typed carefully, eager to include the most precise words that would support my argument. This was not just any old research project my blonde, middle- aged, intimidatingly strict Advanced Placement Language and Composition teacher assigned. Not anymore. Rather, it grew into an opportunity for me to gain an understanding of the lifestyle I chose to pursue. My desire grew from wanting to make the needs of the poor and fatherless known to wanting to spend much of my future meeting those exact needs. My focus was no longer about the topic of international adoption. It was so much more. Adoption, missions, human trafficking, medical relief, and world hunger filled my thoughts during those final days of essay revision and nit picking. Upon completion of this five-month research assignment, I began taking baby steps toward my future career. I committed to studying cross-cultural Psychology at Cedarville University to develop more awareness of people from other cultures and backgrounds. I also aspired to involve myself in ministry, no matter my age or location. This aspiration would lead to the opportunity for mission involvement. I would take baby steps: first be active in a church and other ministries through college, next keep my ears open for the chance to take part in a trip or project, then go. As a result of taking these ministry baby steps, I have had epiphanies and discoveries while sitting at my desk. However, I have moved on to a desk of my own. I no longer sit at the desk in my parents’ house with my dad observing my research. Now, my desk is my safe place. I make my own decisions while sitting there