More than one road to success
Letter from the editor
With graduation season upon us, stadiums big and small will soon be filled with seas of caps and gowns and the roaring applause of proud loved ones. I will be among the beaming parents this Saturday as my youngest daughter prepares to toss her cap into the air as a college graduate. She is only the second female to ever graduate from a university in our family, with myself being the first. Her road varies from that point and my motherly heart bursts with pride as she heads off to law school. This is just the beginning for my daughter, as she begins her graduate journey studying law. As she goes on to continue her education, I am reminded that the road to success looks different for each of us.
Many college aged students have no idea what they want to be “when they grow up” while others have known from a young age the trajectory that their life would take. You and I both know that life often takes us down unexpected paths and our passions change or evolve. Young adults often take a long time to find their niche or their passion. One woman laments that it took her 24 years to graduate. She simultaneously raised three children while working full time to support them – a great testament to her determination and perseverance!
Degrees are wonderful, but are not necessarily synonymous with success. Many successful people will tell you they graduated from the “school of hard knocks,” meaning ‘making it on their own’ gave them the skills they needed to succeed.
In our enthusiasm to send our children to college, many may undervalue vocational training. Yet some of the most successful people I have ever met skipped the college classroom to learn a trade and go on to start their own business.
It’s been said that you are always only one decision away from a completely different life. Much like a kaleidoscope, one small turn changes the entire picture. You can keep turning it though. It’s never too late to follow a new dream.
My life has strayed far from my original plans and I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. I’ve learned so much that has shaped my priorities and perspective along the way.
Congratulations to all those celebrating graduations. The future is yours!!
Peace & Love,
Cindy
