an old soul

The other day I was talking to my field instructor about my dreams and desires for my life. We were also talking about my internship and how things were going with that. She made the comment that I have an "old soul". This was the greatest compliment she could give me. She stated that while I am young in years, I am mature, responsible, and caring. I attribute all of this to the experiences of my life. I had different experiences growing up than most kids. For those of you who don't know, my dad is a social worker and my brother and I basically grew up at the children's home he worked at. Only a fence in our backyard seperated us from about 80 children placed at the home ranging from age 5 to 18. These kids were my life--my friends and playmates. I spent countless days playing on the playground, in the gym, and riding bikes with them. When I was young, I saw no difference between them and me. As I grew older and built stronger relationships with these children, I realized the pain and struggles that they were going through. I truly feel blessed that at a young age, I was able to realize that pain and suffering are a part of life. All of my experiences and knowledge helped fuel my passion for helping others. My heart burns to help families and children through hard times. I want to share the hope and joy that God can give them no matter what the situation. This is what excites me about my future. I cannot wait to see what God has in store for me and my family. While I do take pride in being an "old soul"--I know it's only because of my Creator. He has made me who I am today.