My Story

Opal House has changed my life forever.

Travel alone. Travel far and travel with intention. Let yourself become comfortable in your own solitude. Enjoy your own company. Allow new people to come into your life and be yourself, the friendships will find you. Treat everyone you meet like they have the secret to the universe because they all have something to offer. Listen, discuss, and ask questions. Smile bigger and laugh harder. Let yourself be open, raw, and real. Fall in love with the people you meet. Fall in love with YOURSELF. Embrace situations that make you feel uncomfortable. Learn a new language. Try new things, things that scare you, things that you don't think are possible. Don't give up on yourself, or others. Have faith, in someone, or something. Have faith in yourself. Because you are beautiful, and you should live a beautiful life, serving others. Search for true happiness, and don't stop until you find it. Travel to hidden pockets and stand in awe at the beauty you never imagined you would be able to see. Stop spending money on stupid things, save up, quit your job and TRAVEL. 

When is the last time you woke up, and didn't have a day completely filled with things to do? When is the last time you woke up and thought about someone other than yourself? When is the last time you put your own needs aside, and put someone else's ahead of your own?

If you are not truly happy. If you are searching for happiness every day, and can't seem to find it...here is my advice for you. Stop filling every minute of your day. Take time to relax, enjoy the beautiful life you were blessed with. Take a second to think! We are all so busy running around, we don't even allow ourselves time to think sometimes! Take a step back and look at your life. Appreciate the people in your life. Be open to letting new people into your life. And then take a second to realize, if you are not happy, YOU have the power to change that. 

For those of you that know me, I am a pretty happy person. I am known for my smile, and genuine personality. Before Guatemala, I was living a happy life, and I was content. After my time in Guatemala, I have found something new. A new form of happiness. Being a teacher is a very rewarding job, and for that reason, I was loving my life and feeling happy most of the time in the U.S.! But to put my life on hold for three months, and to put these Guatemalan children above all things in my life....is truly an example of serving others. Doing things for someone other than yourself, now that will show you true happiness. Buying a shirt for yourself will make you happy for a week. Getting your nails done might make you happy for a day. But serving others, serving those in need, giving your time/heart/energy to other is something that fills a spot in your heart that you might not know even exists.

I am by no means saying you have to leave the country, go to Guatemala, give money....none of that! You can serve people anywhere in the world. From your family, neighborhood, city, country, and abroad. Serving others is such a broad idea, and a lot of people get stuck in the thought that it means giving money. Until you actually see where that money is going, it means nothing. 

Give your time, give your talents, give your heart.