No longer MIA! Now a college grad!
I haven’t been blogged in about 16 months and one of my last blogs was “MIA: Yep that’s me!” At that time, and in the days, weeks, and months that followed, I was buried in my school work. On June 11, 2011, in the unusual cold and rain of June in Southern California, I walked across the platform at California State University, Los Angeles and received my diploma. What a day.
The pursuit of my bachelor’s degree began in 2004. Lizzy was a junior in high school and Steph was away at college. My goal at that time was to prove to myself that I was capable of succeeding academically. For various reasons, I just went through the motions in high school and in the years that followed never had much belief in my intelligence because of the grades that showed on my high school transcript. In 2004, I wasn’t even thinking about ever graduating because the road seemed long and the task daunting. So, I enjoyed the journey. I took classes that were interesting: literature and critical thinking in addition to psychology courses. I also took classes that weren’t so interesting – math!!! I was terrible in math in high school but actually loved the challenge of algebra and became a huge fan of statistics. My journey through Citrus Community College took five years mainly because I had so many math classes to complete to transfer but also because while I was there, I was still being active mom and volunteer, serving on several non-profit boards and traveling to San Diego to be at all of Lizzy’s college soccer games. I finally completed my Associates Degree in February of 2009.
September of that year I began my studies at CSULA. Since it had taken me so long to get through Citrus, I never really considered getting finished at the university any sooner than 3 years so I was shocked when I realized that June 2011 would be my graduation. The accomplishment of my “later life” graduation has taken awhile to settle in, but with the encouragement and the perspective of so many important people in my life, I think I finally get it.
Seven years is a long time to stick with it but I have enjoyed the process of learning. The only problem is that the more I learn the more I realize there is more to learn!!! My young friend Matthew Collins who is 14 and entering his freshmen year in high school informed me that I started school when he was only 7 – I was in school for half of his life. Now that is perspective! I have learned so much about myself that I might have missed had I not chosen the journey: I love being in the classroom meeting fellow students and professors; I am capable – I graduated with the 3.85 GPA, on the Dean’s List, Phi Kappa Phi, and other academic honors; I have a heart for those with mental illness and substance abuse problems; and, at 46 years old, I have acquired wisdom that comes from life’s experiences (not from the classroom).
Finally found the fam in the sea of spectators
So, on June 11, as I walked into the stadium at CSULA, when I looked up into the stands and saw my husband, my daughters, my mom and mother-in-law cheering for me, I felt something that not everyone gets to experience. My whole family sacrificed to help me achieve a dream that I once believed was not possible. That evening, about 5o of my friends and family gathered at our house to celebrate ME. While it was a little awkward to be celebrated in that way (I am usually planning the celebration of other people), it was so incredibly meaningful and once again I realized how blessed I am to have not just a wonderful family, but such an amazing community of friends who support and encourage me in so many ways.
What now? As much as I would love to continue my education, a break is in order. I am looking forward to some ministry opportunities, some trips and some time gardening and doing things around my house. I am excited for the possibility that my education has prepared me for something I have not even dreamed – I know that God works in that way.
