LIVING
ABBIE ROBERTSON ANYTHING POSSIBLE
by Brooke Romney is
Change is hard. Abbie Robertson learned this lesson first hand when her family moved from Kentucky to Virginia 3 years ago.. “I was so shy,” she said. “At back to school night,
a girl came up to me to introduce herself and I just started crying.” Not the ideal start for a new girl. “It was all just so scary and strange to be new. I had lots of friends before, but I just felt like the odd person out; it was harder than I thought it would be.” Three years later she has a tight-knit group of
friends, and she has had opportunities to develop her talents, learn, and serve. What made the differ- ence? Good people. On Abbie’s first day of school, a teacher asked
Above: Faith Camp summer 2015 at our church, Our Lady of Nazareth. Abbie was leading her small group in discussion.
INVOLVED WAS KEY TO FEELING COMFORTABLE IN A NEW CITY.
GETTING
Below: A newspaper article about Abbie at her City-County swim meet.
a girl to show Abbie around and help her get to know the school. She became one of Abbie’s best friends, and they are still incredibly close today. “My mom also has a friend who lives in our
city. She invited us over right after we moved and introduced me to her girls. We spent lots of time together on the swim team, and they have become great friends of mine.” Getting involved was key to feeling comfortable
in a new city. Abbie joined the swim team where she practiced with the same people all summer. They cheered for each other and became close friends both in and out of the pool. She also allowed her church to become an integral part of her life. She participated in youth groups and service projects and attended Sunday services and social events. The members of the congregation became an extended family for Abbie’s family. Ab- bie found a place in the church choir where she made friends and found a new passion, singing. Abbie’s desire to sing and perform pushed her to join the drama program at her school and try out for significant roles in the yearly plays. The first year, she didn’t get the part she was hoping for, but this year she has a starring role as “The Cat” in Seussical. From the new girl crying in a corner to the lead in the school play--life sure has changed. But Abbie will never forget how it felt to be the odd one out in a crowd. As she relives her experiences, she gets choked up, “My school has a bunch of kids who are new each year. I have a lot of respect for those people because I know how hard it is to move and to be new. I try to do what I can to help them.” Abbie knows what it is like to get through something difficult, and conquering this challenge has made her stronger and more confident. She is ready for whatever life brings her way. “I now see things differently than I did 3 years ago. I think change is always a good thing. It’s hard, but it opens you up to new possibilities and things you never thought you would be able to do.”
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