Many years ago, I passed up the opportunity to attend college. That decision soon became one of my deepest regrets on a number of levels. I had entertained the idea of one day returning to school but life went on as usual and the years flew by.
Interestingly enough, the current and depressing decline of our Federal and State government, social policies and education system strongly prompted my spirit to engage and become part of a solution. I had allowed myself to become apathetic and frankly, it just wasn’t working for me. As a parent of two beautiful children, there is nothing more I want than for them to live in a better more compassionate world. After much thought and reflection, I pushed myself into taking the entrance exam I had been dreading for years and enrolled myself in college. Initially I planned to take either Introduction to Psychology or Intro to Sociology but as a full-time wife and mom, my life’s current schedule didn’t line up with the days and times those classes were being offered. Thankfully, there were a couple of openings left in Communications Skills 111 and I quickly grabbed a spot. It is an area of my life I really wanted to improve upon so the opportunity was a blessing in my mind.
The class consists of roughly 20 other students half my age. While I was well aware that this would be the scenario, I was a bit surprised at how nervous I was. Having attended many classes, conferences and workshops over the years on a number of subjects, this was certainly no comparison for obvious reasons. My anxiety was quickly replaced with excitement and I began looking forward to the opportunity to finally start actively working towards one of my most elusive of goal(s).
Needless to say, the profound impact this decision has had on my life in such a short time has left me awestruck. Challenging myself to face my fears has empowered me in ways I never thought possible but more importantly I’m so thankful for the opportunity of insight into me. Finding my voice and drilling down on my purpose in life has renewed my spirit and soul.
My message of “just take that leap of faith” is so simple to say and yet we all know it can be so hard to act upon. But hear me out, taking that leap is oh so incredibly rewarding on so many levels and it’s a decision I guarantee you’ll never regret.
I want to use my life, my voice to inspire others.
Your post resonated so deeply within me. It took me almost ten years to obtain my degree. Life always seemed to interupt my dream, yet it could not eradicate it. It was a beating drum that pounded a cantankerous beat within me. As irritating as it sometimes seemed, intruding when I least expected it, I am thankful that I was unable to silence it. As a result, I hope and pray that you are never able to silence that dream within you either
Your post resonated so deeply within me. It took me almost ten years to obtain my degree. Life always seemed to interupt my dream, yet it could not eradicate it. It was a beating drum that pounded a cantankerous beat within me. As irritating as it sometimes seemed, intruding when I least expected it, I am thankful that I was unable to silence it. As a result, I hope and pray that you are never able to silence that dream within you either
Migdalia,
Thank you for taking the time read my post and share your own experiences with me. I could not agree with you more about the cantankerous beat. Not only have I felt the void but also an incessant longing to complete. Not necessarily because of the achievement in itself but because of the vast number of opportunities to use my voice and skill set effectively to make a difference in areas dear to me like education and social policy. While I have often questioned my decision to attain a degree and further, I’ve come to realize that it’s no longer a question of if but how I could take more classes to speed up the process. Time is certainly a hot commodity and one that I cherish dearly.
I regret not having had the courage to reach out and personally meet so many wonderful #Latism members IRL but am so thankful that this medium affords me the opportunity to connect regardless. Thank you again for your encouraging words. They really meant a lot to me. =)