It is so amazing how one event, seemingly insignificant at the time, can change your whole perception of a subject. It leaves you wondering: if this event had never occurred, what would your life and your feelings toward this topic be?

I had chosen to volunteer at a school for disabled kids. Most of the kids had speech problems, but there were a few who had physical disabilities. I had decided to go there because I like the thought of helping people. Little did I know it was going to be so much fun.

I went with mixed thoughts. I wasn't too sure about giving therapy; I had heard a lot of negative things about speech and physical therapy. People claimed you had to stick your hands down people's throats to correct their tongues for speech therapy and you had to be really, really smart and go through many years of college to be a physical therapist. Though I heard these intimidating things, I decided to give it a whirl.

When I got to the school, I was assigned to work with a physical therapist and disabled children. I was nervous that I would have to do all these things and I wouldn't know what to do. I guess my brain was exaggerating, because I didn't have to do anything weird. It was so much fun; we did these exercises to get the kids up and moving and their muscles working. They really seemed to enjoy the workout.

Afterwards, I felt great. I was overwhelmed with joy that I had helped these little kids, and had fun doing it.

The greatest part was that the kids enjoyed me, too. They looked up to me and thought I was so great because I was older. They had a fun time and I think we really made a difference.

I am glad I volunteered because I learned you should never judge something before you have tried it and how much fun physical therapy is. I have decided that physical or occupational therapy is what I would like to do when I finish college. fl