In this touching narrative, the speaker shares a transformative moment that reshaped their outlook on life. Through the simple elements of sandy shoes, a pumped volleyball, and a chance encounter, they unveil a profound lesson about purpose and human connection. Join the speaker on this emotional journey of self-discovery and empathy, and consider the significance of finding purpose in unexpected moments. Melanie Abou Saleh is a junior high honour roll student. She is an actor who also loves to dance and do musical theatre. She is an athlete especially in volleyball, football and badminton, a president and student leader in many different clubs and honour societies such as MUN. Mel loves to volunteer and help out the community in any way too! This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx