"If I could do anything, I would..."

Sometimes, something can move you to a place you haven't been in a long, long time.
A first kiss can send us reeling. A powerful story puts everything in perspective.

Yesterday I had the chance to participate in a unique opportunity.

My company sent me to a K-12 school in Highlands, North Carolina to tell a 16 year old girl that she had been selected as a top 40 finalist for a contest she entered. She was picked out of 33,000 kids across the country who sent in their own drawings.

Next week she'll fly to New York with her Dad to find out if she won. A college scholarship, a computer lab for her school, and a celebrity in her town.

Bringing her up on the stage yesterday and listening to her share her inspiration for her artwork was incredible. She wants to branch out, beyond her small town, and discover everything the world has to offer. She wants to experience things, learn as much as possible, and go where ever the road of life takes her.

At the heart of her journey, she knows that her community, her school, family, and heart will always be in Highlands. She knows that her journey so far has shaped her for what's to come.

And she's only 16.

This girl is wise beyond her years.

Single girl learned yesterday to take a minute once in a while and let the experiences around us shape us. Open ourselves up to others and learn that a lot is happening outside of our own personal world.

After yesterday, my biggest problems seem like minor hiccups.

Be inspired by those around you.

Stop and listen to others stories.

Be inspired.

(And maybe - just maybe - you'll get your fifteen seconds of fame.)

Thanks Highlands, NC for the inspiration!