My daughter's last semester's report had put my daughter in conflict. She has always wanted to go to a particular high school. Mainly because she has one of her friends going while she was assigned to another. She begged and reasoned with us to request the school board to change the school assignment.
After going through the ordeal of filling out the form and informing her that it may depend on her grades, the school board agreed. My daughter's excitement reminded me of what I could have been if I had been as diligent as I wanted to be. As I have written in previous blogs, I could have pressed on with my educational endeavor, but with the stress and pressure from the environment at home, the drive to pursue independent happiness wasn't there.
The programs provided by the aforementioned magnet high school, are
inspiring. I wish I had these programs when I was at school. My drive to
learn Astronomy, Graphic design, Creative writing, and Robotics would
have been a great deal. I wouldn't have been depressed completing my homework. I'm really proud of my daughter for selecting the subjects she knows she can excel in. She has come a
long way in getting where she is now. I don't nag her as often as I
should. It's not to say I have never procrastinated before. I have my
reasons. She's old enough to understand her responsibilities. We've emphasized why she only has little to none of the chores to do at home. We really want her to get the best grades she can to earn a scholarship.
Even though there are stories of successful celebrities dropping out of high school or college, education is still fundamental. It's not the diploma which breaks the ice in landing a job. It's the knowledge and affluence you bring to the table. The big corporations are looking for people who can do the job without protests yet be able to assert themselves to get to the corporate ladder. Sadly, I'm one of the people who can only get so far ahead. I have realized that customer service is not a main focus of most established corporations. The few companies that do are small and/or family owned businesses. Although there are businesses, established 50 years ago which still cater exemplary customer service. I'm lucky to work in a company that still focus on striving for good customer service. There are meetings every morning where our management team express gratitude towards our exemplary customer service. Despite the astronomical sales goals and creating new credit applications for the week, the drive to be the top store with the best customer service rating must be top priority.
My daughter told me that she wants to join the Army JROTC. I told her what to expect if she were to do so. I have my confidence in her. I just don't want her to be disappointed with her decisions to a point where she's going to gloom over it for the rest of her life. Depression has come full circle in my family. I'm hoping it's not the case with my daughter. When I was her age, I've always wanted to go somewhere far from home. Enlisting in the military was what I sought to do. After I realize what the military had to offer, I went for it because I know I had a chance to become my own person. I have not regretted the decision since then.
If and when she decides to enlist in the military, I'm not going to deny her independence. I just hope she is aware of the expectations the military has as an enlistee. Military jargon or not, enlistees are expected to think for themselves, follow instructions, have good judgments for the benefit of the squadron, strive to work hard to succeed and sacrifice time, effort and self-worth for the good of the country. If I could go back to the military, I would do so in a heartbeat.
After my injury, I was deemed liable and unfit for military duty. I
thank God everyday that my injury was a blessing. I would have been
stuck in a war zone not knowing if I'd return alive to see my daughter
where she is today. I'm praying everyday for the young man who took my
slot, to be able to come home safe and sound to his own family. Maybe have a family
of his own, and possibly grow old knowing a life of peace and happiness.
She's still young and has so much to learn. I'm hoping that she will soon realize that the world out there has more to offer her than what she believes. I'm still learning. Every passing day, new discoveries and fabled theories get thrown out the window. Who knows what else the past has hidden? Who's to say what we already know was not what it actually seemed?
It doesn't matter how old you are. Keep learning. Ask questions. Expand your knowledge. Explore the ends of the Earth if you must, but don't be an ass about it. The more you know, the more enlightened you'll be. You'll never have to delude yourself from the fascism of hatred, ignorance and prudence of others.
