“Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.”
― Terry Pratchett, A Hat Full of Sky
Sometimes, we don’t have to look too far to find what we’re looking for.
Rachel Meadows certainly tried. But not in school, no. She never thought she would find it there. All she wanted in school was to have fun with her friends. That often got her in trouble. So she quit even before finishing.
One thing she found early was love. She married young and by the time she was 26, has had four children. They did what a lot of people would love to do: to live freely. The family travelled across Australia, living in the outback, finding work along the way to sustain their needs. She described it as the best time of her life.
But people are as dynamic as life. After seeing most of Australia, Rachel felt a desire, a pull to do something she used to dislike—to go back to school.
The couple decided to settle in Mansfield where they can be closer to relatives. She went back to school and in just over three years, was able to complete her VCE while working full-time.
She has also worked as a genetic counselor, alcohol and drug clinician, focusing on the youth sector, helping them resolve their issues. At this point, she knew the search was over. She has finally found what she wanted to do: to be a psychologist.
Rachel’s journey was long. But look how far she has come! She was brave enough to live life according to her terms and was ultimately rewarded with the joy of self-discovery and fulfillment.
