When we met for our Founders' Day brunch on the lake, I had no idea what to expect, but I definitely didn't expect it to change me the way it did. We arrived, said grace, and ate, and then we gave out our founder's day awards, honoring those sisters who embody the full meaning of our values each and every day. Afterward, we took pictures, mingled, and got to share with each other the true value that Alpha Omicron Pi holds to each of us, and it was then that I was changed.
It's weird, I know. There are very few times in life when you can distinctly identify the moment you undergo a change in life, but trust me, this was one. Somewhere during all the laughs, and sharing stories of how our sorority has impacted our lives, I realized that this group, with these women, was where I was meant to be. I'll be honest, I haven't always felt like I belong in my sorority, and sometimes it honestly feels like I don't, but after spending that beautiful Sunday morning on the lake with the women I call my sisters, I realized that I couldn't be more wrong.
I belong with the sisters who founded our chapter, and now go on to help other chapters colonize, just as I belong with the sisters of the future that have yet to grace our chapter with their presence. I belong with the sisters that are loud and bubbly, and the sisters that are shy and reserved. I belong with the sisters who take effortlessly flawless photos on the first try and those who (like me) are lucky if one in 50 is Instagram worthy. I belong with the sisters that like to party and the ones that would rather be in the library (although admittedly I always knew I belonged with the latter). But most importantly, after a day of talking about the history of our organization and appreciating all the progress we've made since our founding, I learned that I belong with Stella, Jessie, Elizabeth, and Helen, who nearly 119 years ago came together to create the incredible organization that brought me to all these women, all these friendships, and all these memories.
These women I'm lucky enough to call my sisters are perfect. Each and every one of them. They're brilliant and gorgeous, goofy and loyal, honest and kind, and so much more, and the best part is that not only do I belong with them. I am one of them, and they chose me for a reason. It may have taken me until Founders' Day to realize it, but I do. I belong here, with them. Alpha Omicron Pi is my home, and with my sisters by my side there's nothing I can't do.
