“if only you could see”

February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007 January 2008 February 2008 March 2008 April 2008 May 2008 June 2008 July 2008 August 2008 September 2008 October 2008 November 2008 December 2008 January 2009 February 2009 March 2009 April 2009 May 2009 June 2009 August 2009 September 2009 October 2009 November 2009 December 2009 January 2010 May 2010 June 2010 September 2010 October 2010 January 2011 March 2011 April 2011 May 2011 August 2011 August 2012 September 2012 October 2012 November 2012 August 2013 November 2013 December 2013 January 2014 June 2014 July 2014 August 2014 May 2015 May 2016 June 2016 July 2016 December 2016 June 2017 July 2017 June 2018 November 2020 December 2020 April 2021 November 2021

....It made a lot of sense, I knew the basics so why did I still go to school? Because I need a life. Without school, there is no guarantee for a life. In fact, you're almost guaranteed to NOT have a life. Who will marry you? How will you support the family you now have?

You don't go to school just to learn, you go to develop yourself. At first I thought about the first part of this. You don't only go to school to learn. And I thought, why else? And that's when I realized that more comes into play here. In kindergarten, there are other kids running around and how do you interact? To one of them you say, "Can I borrow your 'A' tracing?" because you forgot yours. And you graciously give them your glue stick because they ate theirs as a snack. And you've just gained a friendship skill invaluable to your being. That A tracing soon becomes your Algebra homework from the night before, and a few pointers on what you've done in that class for the day. A few exchanged notes, and this friendship can bring others. You probably don't have the same friends from when you were younger, your views change, and that's okay. But maybe you're lucky and that girl from the softball park is still around. And so you conquer middle school with your best friend, and a lemon to keep you thinking. Then comes high school. These four years of your life will fly by, and you'll still be saying "remember last year when...?" but that was actually eighth grade? Friends will come, and some will go, but hopefully a select few stay by your side through thick and thin. And let you use their bonus work for world geography.

I've learned more than just slope-intercepts, the five themes of Afghanistan, and slant rhymes. I learned to maintain a relationship with a best friend, a lover, a teacher. I've learned skills that will no doubt become of good use to me in the not so far away future. And I'm pretty sure my life will, while it may or may not be what I invision, but it will amount to something. And where will you be? With your boyfriend who doesn't want a job; your kid that needs new clothes, and a mother who, with all of her best efforts, tried to raise you best as possible, but you wouldn't listen because you never learned how.