New Beginnings
My Spiritual Journey Begins
“but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint”. — Isaiah 40:31
New beginnings…
It was a new beginning for you and your family was sent out to the states, particularly Florida.
You were 11 years old at the time.
You did not what the future holds for you, but you decided to go to a foreign place where you did not know.
The land was vast and wide and it stretched from north to south, east to west.
There were tall trees everywhere and roads stretched to the ends of the earth. The atmosphere was different and excitement filled the air. When you first came there, the atmosphere reminded you of back home.
The tropical palm trees.
The island-feel grocery stores.
Spanish music blasting on the radio.
However, there were busy cities going on. Various cars were driving fast on the highways. Multiple big stores (Walmart) were packed with people. Ironically, this city was in Orlando, where people from all walks of life were everywhere.
Upon moving to the new apartment, the smell of it was very clean and new to you and your family. My family and I were very excited to be a part of Florida and didn’t waste any time exploring our new store, Walmart.
From there, we took our first photo there as a family and got situated with the city life. To be honest, it was a huge cultural adjustment for you to handle.
Florida was busy navigating.
The people are more diverse.
There were more hospitals and schools to attend.
Simply put, you moved to a new world.
As time passed, you and your siblings were adjusting to the states’ life and meeting new friends in school. In middle school, there was peer pressure to fit in and be involved in a girlfriend/boyfriend clique. For you, it was not your main focus.
You were not involved in fights as much compared to back home. The educational learning in classrooms was new to you. There was more Western learning than the Caribbean aspect of learning. Your brain was trying to grasp everything all at once, but couldn’t.
The experience of eating fresh, new cafeteria food and choosing different lunches was very fascinating for you. You had to use an ID to get access to food and go to different classrooms. You would participate in P.E. and in aftercare for fun. In P.E., you learned how to play tennis and run track. You would get good grades and be thrilled to go to school every day.
You met some good friends and some bad ones. You met a few good teachers. You learned how to dissect a frog in science class, which was both disgusting and fun at the same time. You and your brother were involved in field trips, especially to Sea World, which was a lot of fun.
Most of all, you were able to go to ‘Universal Studios’ with your family during summer break. The experience there was out of this world. You were able to go to various rides at “Islands of Adventure,” which was fun. The most fun was getting splashed in ‘Popeyes’ while sitting around the table.
Whenever it was time to eat dinner, you and your family would go to various restaurants, one, in particular, was ‘Ruby Tuesday’. Eventually, you and your family would eat at ‘Golden Coral’, ‘Longhorn Steakhouse’, ‘Shoemakers’, Chick Fil A’, ‘Five Guys’, etc.
At home, you were the life of the party.
There would be birthdays being celebrated with lots of gifts and laughter going around. You and your family would watch your favorite movies and either laugh or cry at them.
Whenever you and your family would dance to your favorite music, you would be at the forefront dancing your heart out with a smile.
Conclusion
Nevertheless, you had a wonderful life as a teenager. Little did you know, there would be upcoming events that would unfold.
Moving to state-to-state.
Going back home and returning to the states.
Finally, settling in a state that you and your family will enjoy.
On the next journey, you will discover why you became disabled and how you overcome it.
The road is not easy, but with God’s help, you will persevere.
Thanks for reading!
Here are the links to my personal story:
The Truth About Overcoming a Learning Disability — https://medium.com/manaa-international-church-redemption-program/the-truth-about-overcoming-a-learning-disability-28dbf005b45
Should Stuttering Be Considered a Disability? — https://medium.com/manaa-international-church-redemption-program/should-stuttering-be-considered-a-disability-dca297ba7cde
Being an Older Sibling with a Disability, an Uphill Climb — https://medium.com/manaa-international-church-redemption-program/being-an-older-bibling-with-a-disability-an-uphill-climb-9344a8a1401c
Have a safe and blessed holiday!
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Michael Reynoso is a blogger who writes daily wisdom devotionals for men everywhere. Furthermore, Michael encourages men to be their best self daily with scriptures and motivation. View all posts by Michael Reynoso
Originally published at https://speaknowministries.wordpress.com on December 16, 2021.
