On the surface, people may think I only have two hobbies: art and golf. But a lesser known interest I have is my love for jigsaw puzzles.

I love how each piece fits perfectly with one another. I love the feeling of completing a puzzle and knowing there will be a perfect picture waiting for me. Most importantly, puzzles reflect my life: my drive for perfection. 

For a while, I felt like I was living life just to search for a missing puzzle piece. I felt lost not knowing what I was passionate about or what I wanted to pursue. But rather than discovering new things, I believed that I was only limited to what was in front of me. 

I always imagined myself following my father’s footsteps into accounting, even though neither of my parents suggested that I should pursue that path. To further convince myself it was the path I wanted to pursue, I took Introduction to Business and joined DECA, our business club, freshman year. No matter how hard I tried, I never felt satisfied. It felt like I was forcing a puzzle piece into a place it didn’t belong. 

That all changed when I gained the courage to try something new. I decided to volunteer in an effort to help others. At first, I was scared of spending time with people I didn’t know and couldn’t tell if my presence was beneficial or bothersome. But after growing closer to the people I helped, I simply loved being next to them. 

It was through volunteering that I found my own passion. I realized I wanted to live a life dedicated to creating meaningful relationships and making positive impacts on people’s lives. I found joy in helping those around me and bringing smiles to their faces. I realized I didn’t want to go into accounting and I wanted to carve my own path. Nursing soon became not just a career I wished to pursue but a life I wished to live. 

The missing puzzle piece I’ve searched for isn’t something I could force into my life. For me, my missing puzzle piece was passion, which brings true happiness into my life. The missing puzzle piece is discovered through courage and a willingness to step outside your comfort zone. Once you do venture out, the piece falls naturally into place.