Dear Mel,
My mom finally said I could go to a camp with the youth group at my church. I was really happy when she said this but at the same time my mom has always been overprotective and I'm not really used to spending the night at people's houses. And the camp involves going away from home for 3 days, about 15 hours away from home! I really want to go and plan to, but there's a part of me that says go for it and the other isn't so sure. I feel it's a good opportunity to test how I do alone but I'm not sure so can you please give me your opinion!
-Not So Sure
Dear Not So Sure,
This past summer, I was getting ready to leave for a mission trip with my youth group. We were going to San Francisco to help the homeless, and I was scared out of my pants. A week before the trip, I woke up every morning seriously considering backing out. I worried about absolutely everything. What if all of my friends on the trip ditch me or get mad at me? What if I miss my mom too much? What if something bad happens? This wasn't my first time leaving home for more than a few days, but it definitely was the hardest. After all, San Fran is all the way across the country. To make a long story short, I ended up going and having an AMAZING time. I miss it whenever I think about how awesome the trip was.
My advice to you is to take a leap of faith and go. Even if you're worrying a ton right now, I can promise you that the trip will exceed your expectations. Just take a deep breath and enjoy yourself. What's the worst thing that can happen?
-Mel
