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Dreams Don't Just Happen

I attended a college graduation this past weekend - my son's. You may not think that's such a big deal , but as my daughter said, "just because everyone does it, that doesn't make it any less of an accomplishment."

Nathan hated school growing up. I don't mean your typical every-kid-hates-school hate. I mean he HATED it. I truly, honestly despaired of him graduating from high school. Oh he wasn't lacking in the brains department. It was just a lack in motivation. He sailed through the classes that held his interest (that would be any music class he had), but if the subject bored him, forget it. We spent hours together inching our way painfully through history and English year after year every year. Even kindergarten was wretched; although history and English weren't on the palette.

BUT Nathan had a dream. He wanted to be a sound engineer - not just the guy who runs the sound board. No, that wasn't enough. He wanted to be the engineer. The top dog. The guy who knew what was going on, not just what knobs to turn. He set that dream before him as his carrot and never gave up. His dream wasn't handed to him on a platter. No, far from it. He had to fight for it. He had to keep his eyes on the goal. He had history classes. He had English classes. His desired degree wasn't just a matter of taking the right classes either. He had to be accepted into the program after five semesters of gen eds. Fifty students were accepted out of 350 applicants. He made it. After fourteen and a half years of fighting through the boring, he finally made it. He could at last study his passion. He excelled. Soared. Loved learning. Loved school. He ate that carrot.

He's my inspiration.


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