I have headed east along the 401 countless times. I have ventured down the 416 and waited in traffic along Ottawa's main vein, the 417, more times than I care to remember…

The trip to Ottawa is a familiar one.

I graduated from Carleton University five years ago, certain that my sentence had been served. I left the city four years ago, certain that I would never return.

I was wrong.

My path is an evolving road that has been shaped by my thoughts, feelings, and beliefs. A path that has traveled through time and pushed through periods of great strength and weakness alike. A path aware of its past but unsure of its future, a path motivated by an inner drive despite the weight of outside forces. A path that has ascended to great heights and fallen great lengths with the dedication of a kamikaze warrior. A path that has had no discernible sense of flow or direction but that remains the only true avenue to and from my self.

And although I have never really questioned who I am as a person, I have often struggled with what it is that I am going to do with that person on a professional level. I went to school and became disillusioned, I competed professionally and lost it all. I have no regrets. My path was guided by my path and I was filled with the warmth that one feels knowing that the possibilities that we are granted in this lifetime are endless. However, I failed to acknowledge the fact that I was closing doors on future opportunities by not making a decision in terms of my professional development and direction, not keeping them open.

In August, I will be moving back to Ottawa. In September, I will be going back to school. In August, I will be forced to greet the eyes of my shadows past and sweep the ashes of bridges burnt aside. In September, I will build anew.