Masters
What a wild time in my life right now. This past few months have been ones that I could never have dreamed up way back in the day. On Dec 12th, 1990 I graduated Basic Training and AIT and became a full fledged United States Soldier and 32 years to the day later, I graduated with my masters degree in Sociology from Arizona State University. We can not know where life’s journey will take us but we can hang on for the ride! There is so much in this world to learn and to enjoy even in the midst of the chaos this life can bring.
I thought I would take a few lines to encourage those of you thinking about continuing your education or starting it for that matter. You can do this. If I can, you can. Trust me when I tell you that I was not always the 4.0 masters grad you see before you. I was so-so in high school and worse at the start of my college career way back when. I was too busy being a dork instead of focusing on things that matter. But getting married and having kids put some of those things into prospective for me. But still it took time. I thought it might never happen. But little by little I chipped away. I chipped away for my future and the future of my family. As a first generation college student, it wasn’t easy to see the benefits of a college education because no one had the experience to tell me it was important. I married in 1993, dropped out of college, we had kids, my wife graduated with her bachelors in 2004 and it took me another 6 years to finally achieve that and then another 12 years more to get this masters degree. Yep, the 32 year plan I call it. But it is worth it. It was worth every ounce of sweat, blood and tears to walk that stage with my kids and grandkids in the stands this past week. It was worth knowing that one day, when one of my grandkids asks is it worth it or says something like, it just takes too long, they will recall the day grandpa and grandma walked the stage at ASU. They will know it’s possible and they too can achieve what they put their minds to no matter how long it takes.
I hope you do it too. I hope you start and finish no matter how long it takes. That you remember you are worth it and your family is worth it.
