I had decided to apply for this program as a spur of the moment kind of thing. Might as well, if I got in I would have a salary job with benefits. So I did it I applied. A few weeks later I received an email saying that I would have a phone interview in a few days. The phone interview came and went. Well, I guess they must have been impressed because they wanted me to come in for a final interview. I had so much I needed to do before then. Submit transcripts, take tests, get recommendations and even create a mini lesson plan. The days went by fast and before I knew it, it was the day before the final interview. I practiced my lesson, picked out a nice professional outfit, and set 2 alarms for the following morning. That night I went to bed at 11:30, hoping to get just less than 8 hours of sleep. Unfortunately my body had different plans; I may have gotten 4 hours of sleep.

At 6:55 a.m. the next morning my alarms went off. I got up, showered, got dressed, did my hair and makeup, and ate a good breakfast. I got in the car at 7:45 and began my journey downtown. I arrived at 8:30 at what I thought was the location of my interview and parked in the lot across the street. $5 dollars for parking, great! As I walked up to the building I realized that this was not the correct address. I asked a few people walking by to help me out, some of which had no clue how to help. A guy dressed in suit and tie offered his assistance. He cleared his throat and said very confidently “Go down this road for 3 blocks and make a right, it’s that big building with glass windows.” I thanked him and began to walk. But if you’ve ever been to Atlanta or any big city for that matter you know that there are many tall buildings with glass windows. When I got to the building with glass windows which he had so confidently told me was my destination, I dropped my head in disbelief. It was not the correct building. By now it was 8:45 and I was beginning to panic; the interview started at 9.

I grabbed my phone and called the organization to ask for help. I spoke to a woman who gave me a set of directions to a building, and if you guessed that it was the wrong building yet again you are right. I glance at the time, 9:05, and I’m late. I call back to get additional assistance in finding this imaginary building. Along the way I ask 2 more businessmen, a hotel concierge, and someone riding a bike. Feeling defeated I call the organization back, they tell me to reschedule. Embarrassed and low I walk back to my car which takes me another 10 minutes. I get in, close the door and begin to cry. I call my mom, looking for some words of wisdom.

“He works in mysterious ways. You’ll have some hard days. Never doubt the plan He has made for you. Trust in Him and He will see you through.” “Maybe this was not the job for you. Maybe God blocked this building from your vision because this was not in His plan,” she said. All the while I’m thinking, “This would have been nice to know before I walked around Atlanta for an hour in 40 degree weather.” My mother wittingly says at least you didn’t wear heels. I laugh and know she’s right. Sometimes it takes getting lost in Atlanta to help you find your way.

Author, Melissa Brown