Jackie

So here I am, 48 years old, two weeks to go in this semester. I am carrying 9 credits and I have never...not even in middle school...had so much trouble making myself finish my school work. I have piddled away all week on one of the two term papers due and only succeed to write about a page at a time. It's not hard....I just don't want to do it!

Larry is a champ...he tolerates me hanging out upstairs with some mindless tv show on, while I write. He fixes dinner and carefully proof reads my papers. He is blunt, but constructive and seems to be able to decide what it is I need on a particular day. Without him, I will never finish.

The school thing, while rewarding and fulfilling...even in a difficult semester...can be really lonely. None of my friends do this and I am not at school enough to develop relationships. My friends, while encouraging and supporting, don't really understand why this is imporant to me. Nonetheless...they, like Larry accommodate and flex around my schedules with no complaint.
My family can make me feel lonely where school is concerned as well. My mom - never asks. She also doesn't understand why I need to do this. My dad makes me feel as though my education in some way is a trophy on his shelf. I have to do this as I can pay for it and with the stock market they way it is, I will have to wait. He doesn't seem t understand this and pushes.

I so admire the young people at school. I'm not sure that I was that accomplished when I was their age. They are so smart and in the upper level classes that I take, they are very focused and driven. I am definitely learning and they seem to already know....so much more worldly than I was. What I lack, though, is compensated for with twenty years experience. I know how to make a deadline, I know how to go to school every day and that attendance is important to my success.

11 more credits to finish. Maybe I'll try to take two easier classes this summer; it's only six weeks and goes fast.