Used to be I thought I pretty much knew what I needed to know. Then again I'm sure all my teenagers thought and think the same thing. But, as I grow older I realize that saying, "The older you get the wiser you are" is definitely true. I suppose a combination of age, experiences and simple brain growth help with that but, I am older and I am definitely wiser. Just ask me.
So why talk about wisdom and smarts? We hear it all the time don't we? You need to get a good education to get ahead in life. How many of us really thought that was true? Funny how when you're a kid you get so sick of school that you can hardly wait to get done...then when you're older you think...darn I wish I would have finished or I wish I had chosen something different. But, by that time maybe you've had some kids, you've got some grandchildren, you own a house, you have a spouse and the thought of going back to school is simply overwhelming..."At my age?"
I've always thought that society had it a little messed up. I mean we're supposed to know what we want to do for the rest of our lives at the age of 18 or 20? We're supposed to plan for our college major while we're in high school? And then we're supposed to do that specific work for the next 50 to 60 years of our lives? It's no wonder that there are so many 40 and 50 year olds having mid-life crises. You've been doing the same thing for 20 or 30 years and you're sick of it! It's kinda like cooking dinner for 40 years, it gets a little old! Granted there are those lucky few who chose the right profession, maybe got the education that they needed to evolve and make themselves happy, but what about the rest of us?
My husband and I had this conversation just the other day, "What to do now that all the kids will be gone?" Well, I'm here to say that I'm scared to death but, we're going back to school. Can you imagine that? But, it's not even just that simple. My husband never got his bachelor's degree and because he's a respiratory therapist it's not the normal bachelor degree. If...if...we don't want him to have to take a gazillion classes over he has to go back to the college where he obtained his respiratory certificate. Which means...we have to move.
So, the smart thing to do...stick that fear where the sun don't shine, pull courage outta my butt and do what needs to be done. We'll be putting the house up for rent, getting friends and loved ones to take the two dogs, putting some of our stuff in storage and moving up north for a few years. I don't know if we'll be back, we'll see where life takes us...but...we've decided we're not gonna sit around and wait to see what happens next. We're gonna make it happen. I don't ever want to look back and say, "I wish I had finished" again.
That's awesome!!! And very brave. you know, I think I've said this to you before but even though you may be a couple of years older than me :) we're in just about the same stage in our lives. Kids growing up and moving on with their lives and now having to take the hard look at what's next for us??? I've also been contemplating going back to school and I truly believe that we can't be afraid of life, we must live it! I wish you both the best of luck and can't wait to hear more about your adventures!
ReplyDelete