My first two years of college were spent at a small women's two-year school called Cottey College. Cottey is located right in the center of the US (or thereabouts) - Nevada, Missouri. And no, that's not Nevada as in the state - it's pronounced Ne-VAY-da. Just so you know.
Since Cottey is a two-year school and has rather high admittance requirements (I just barely snuck in), most of the graduates transfer to other colleges or universities, including Ivy-League types. And then lots of those super-intelligent women go on to fancy -pants careers. Obviously, I'm not one of them, and I may have a teensy bit of insecurity about that fact.
A couple years ago, Cottey decided to put out an alumni book, and sent out rather in depth survey asking for current info. I filled it out, sent it in, and then a few months later got a confirmation phone call from some lady. She made sure all my answers were current, but questioned me about one. I stuck to my guns, though.
The actual book arrived in the middle of life, so I glanced through it, checked out a couple of old friends' listings, and stuck it onto a shelf. Last night I pulled it out and started at the beginning of my class's names. While looking at their schools, degrees, and careers, I was starting to feel that old insecurity creep in...What did YOU do with your education? You only taught for three years...and isn't teaching at a middle school kind of waste of all that nail-biting work at Cottey?...THIS girl was a film editor for major movie studios! THIS one is teaching at a university! THIS one started her own business! WHAT have you done?
Then I stumbled upon my own listing. And what had I written?
Well, here's the first part of the entry, (with my explanations):
Smith, Mrs. Liz. AA (degree from Cottey); '99 BA (from) Univ. of ND; (job title) Household & Family Engineer, (employer) Smith Family
Yeah baby. Now THAT's a life update. It also made me laugh outloud.
Like a waterfall in slow motion, Part One
2 years ago
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4 comments:
Educating a woman is never a waste, because she educates the next generation, whether as a teacher in a full-time job or as a mother to her children. You are giving your kids something very, very valuable :)
I love your job description. I may have to steal that for the next time I have to fill out that Occupation blank.
Being a woman is such a gift and being a mother is an undescribable honor. What you do matters in a way that no other occupation can touch.
The Smith family is blessed to have you as their Household & Family Engineer!
Wendy
Thanks for the self-esteem boost, friends! Thankfully, these are only occasional lapses into self-pity.:)
I understand that feeling. I have classmates who are nationally reknowned composers, starring in well-known tv shows, touring Europe, and playing in the ny Phil. One of my old classmates just fulfilled his goal of going to all 7 continents. Compared to that, my glamorous life f wiping butts and filling sippy cups falls severely short.
It certainly gets me down sometimes, but I dd choose this life over that. The roughest times are on the toilet-flooded, paper shredded, sleep deprived days; it's hard to keep things in perspective on those days.
No encouraging on profound advice from me; I just get where you are coming from.
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