Learning has always been THE force in my life. I think growing up on a small farm in the forties and fifties laid the groundwork for a quest to learn. Life on the farm was hard work. Few things interrupted the drudgery. Certainly, few things entertained back then. We had no telephone, no TV’s or computers, received no newspaper, and saw very few people.
But once I started to school (my two room school) where I learned to read, life changed for me. Reading became my greatest joy. The work didn’t seem nearly as harsh because I knew there was a book waiting at the end of the day. The eight grades of elementary school flew by. And then there was high school with new delights in learning. Great literature teachers, Latin and German classes, English and American literature, National Honor Society, Student Council. College was only a dream, a far away dream. Lack of money, lack of confidence, and little family support made the dream seem unattainable.
Years later, as a working woman, a single mother of four young children, I figured out a way to go to college. Slowly, but surely, I edged my way to receiving a Bachelor’s Degree and then on to a Master’s degree.
My love of learning allowed me to help others achieve their goals in learning and making better lives for themselves. I was a College Financial Aid director for twenty-eight years. This career opportunity would not have been open to me without my having a college education. I helped students find the resources to attend college. And I helped them as a role model that had been where they were.
Today I am retired. Am I still learning? You bet! There is still so much to learn. Lots of seminars, good library programs, public TV and public radio, travel opportunities, nature walks, trips to museums, the zoo, and reading, reading…
Learning is an asset that can last a lifetime. It has made life exciting and worth living for me.