This I Believe by Keelee Burkhardt

Every day I experience the success of independence and the capability to support myself, and this has led me to believe that everybody has a predestined path in life; it is whether you decide to take it or make your own path that changes your future. Christians believe that God has chosen your path and he knows what your future holds. I believe that you choose your own future and God decides life and death.

I can not say I have had the easiest life, but I have dealt with my hurdles and I am still succeeding tremendously. I love my life and wonder what my life would be like now if everything in my past had not happened. It is hard to know what the future holds, but I am on the path I choose and I have the capability to change my path at any given time. I have experienced that change many times and will never regret one move.

Many people were involved in my upbringing due to my parents divorce. My grandparents took my siblings and me into their home and raised us like their own children. I, of course, was the rebellious child. My youngest brother was just born when we made the move to my grandparents. I was always the center of attention with my mother and things seemed to change so quickly when she was not around. I learned to do things independently most of the time. This independence however, led to many time-outs and spankings. This major obstacle in my life at an early age is when I first discovered that my actions determine the path I take for the rest of my life.

As I grew older and was exposed to the demented society we live in today, I was fortunate enough to avoid drugs and alcohol. This also was an obstacle that I hurdled at a young age. I had seen the effects of drugs and alcohol on many of my family members, and I made the decision to avoid all of it. This kept me on the path I am currently on. Sometimes life gets rough but it is how you chose to handle the situation when it comes upon you.

I believe that I have succeeded in my life so far. I am almost done with high school and am living on my own without the support of my family. I chose to take a separate path than my family wanted me to, and I believe that I chose the right one. Love took over my heart and has guided me to be the person I am today. I have a job while attending school full-time, and I am also taking two college level courses. I purchased my own vehicle and am proud to call it mine. The many accomplishments in my life have driven me to want to exceed even further.

I have based some of my decisions in life off of my parent's lack of actions. I have very strong opinions about how life should be and even though I can not go back in time, I still think I deserved a better childhood. The ways my parents chose to handle their life has led me to the path that contradicts every way they raised me. I love my family, I just wish some things could have been different.

My name is Keelee Burkhardt, and I believe that everybody has a path in life; it is whether you decide to make it your own that changes your future.