The Gold Cords

While I have always loved learning, I have never placed a strong focus on my grades. After a couple of experiences in high school, I realized that the grades never really reflected my learning. The only time I cared about my grades was when I had to bring them up to a certain level in order to get my driver’s license.

This philosophy pretty much held true in college as well. I was busy working full-time and school was just something to get through in order to get the degree. It felt like hoop jumping many times, taking 2 years of general education courses that were just a little bit more than repeating high school.

However, my life took a detour when I quit a good job/career, moved across country to be closer to family, and then ended up divorced with two small children. I decided to go back to school to get my teaching credential and master’s degree. At this time, I made a decision: I was going to get straight A’s and graduate with honors.

I’m not sure exactly what prompted this decision, I think it was mainly to show that I could. That I had always been capable of doing so, I had just chosen not to.

I remember once telling my mom that school was a lot more stressful when you cared about your grades. I even joined the honor’s society as soon as I qualified and ordered my gold cords that would represent my academic achievement at graduation.

Three years after beginning my classes, changing programs, getting married, moving from California to Washington and beginning a new career path and master’s focus – it was finally time for graduation.

My family and I flew down to California so that I could walk in the ceremony – a day all graduates live for and are excited to share. However, upon driving from the airport to the hotel I had a sickening realization: I had left my gold cords at home. Safely packed away in my cedar trunk. I was devastated.

I knew that no one else would really recognize their lacking, or even know what they meant. After all, it was just a piece of rope. But, to me, it was a symbol of my decisions, my dedication and my focus. It showed that I really COULD accomplish anything that I desired.

My husband had a solution – we would attempt to replicate the cords so that I could wear them at graduation. We borrowed a set from a good friend of mine and colleague and set out to find a fabric store. After hunting through the areas, we finally came up with an idea: we would dye a piece of white upholstery cording and add some dyed tassels to the end. The color wouldn’t be exact, but it would be close.

It was almost comical to see my husband dying the pieces in the bathroom sink at the hotel and putting them together for me. But my appreciation was far greater.

I then wore them in my graduation ceremony as I walked across the stage.

Now the homemade gold cords with the tassels having fallen off and the ends unraveled hang on my memory board on the wall in front of my desk. My official cords have never been removed from their protective package.

One represents the academic accomplishment.

The other represents a love attained – and that is the one that I will hold tight and remember forever the love my husband has for me. That he was willing to support me with my goals, my dreams and my plans.

It’s easy to get caught up in the craziness and plans of life.

We need to focus more on our relationships with those around us and hold tight to the things that are really important.

Since when is encouraging education a bad thing?

Brainwashing! Indoctrination! Political Agenda!

No, this isn’t a lesson plan about the Nazi regime. These are the words thrown out by parents after extreme conservatives took a spin on President Obama’s intended speech to school children scheduled next Tuesday.

Every day I work with adults who have realized how hard life can be without a college degree. How different would their lives be now if they had a strong conviction of the importance of education and the encouragement to pursue their goals?

According to my research, the concern comes from the resource guides that have been provided online for teachers to utilize stating that they “obligate the youngest children in our public school system to agree with our President's initiatives or be ostracized by their teachers and classmates”

Since when do questions such as

•  What is the President asking me to do?
• What is the specific job he is asking me to do?
• Is he asking anything of anyone else?
• Teachers? Principals? Parents? The American people?
• Teachers could ask the students to share the ideas they recorded…
• Does the speech make you want to do anything?
• What would you like to ask the president?
• Afterwards:
• Have students create posters of their goals
• Write letters to themselves about how they can reach their goals
• Graph individual progress to their goals.

Do we know at this point exactly what President Obama will say? No, we don’t. But as a former teacher and parent, I think it is a wonderful thing that the President of the United States is taking time to discuss with children the importance of education.

Do we want children to stay in school? Yes. Do we want them to be excited about the possibility of learning new things and discovering their individual interests and strengths? Yes. Do we want them to learn to think critically about what others, even the president tells them? Yes! Do we want them to learn how to think for themselves and develop goals and plans on how to achieve them? YES!!

 

Will I keep my children out of school on September 8th because I don’t want them to hear how important their education and future is to me? No.

 

Removing children from school on a day they are to hear how important their education and future is for them is a horrible lesson for a child. What will they think when they hear about the speech later from friends or the news? That their own parents do not value education and think it is ok to not attend school if you do not like what you are being taught.

 

Next Tuesday parents and educators have the opportunity to teach one of two lessons: is education truly important or do my parents simply send me for free daycare and not want me to learn?

What would you pay for a memory?

A 21 year old young man sells his beloved car to help his father's business. 26 years later, and a very successful businessman he decides to track down his original car.  Now, I know men have an emotional attachment to their cars, but I don't understand being willing to pay $250,000 to track down a car. Apparently, a replica wasn't even good enough - he had to have his exact car.

So, is this nostalgic or crazy?  I'm sure to this man the money was nothing compared to a special memory he had to his car. However - it's still a car.  An inanimate object. In today's economy and generation, doesn't this seem a little excessive.

What could you do with $250,000?

• Obtain a Bachelor's degree and MBA at Harvard
• 6 people can get nursing degrees
• Provide food and shelter to homeless children
• Provide free basic school supplies to Elementary schools
• Provide occupational, speech or behavioral therapy to autistic children whose claims are denied by insurance companies

And the list goes on and on. 

I recognize the value of memories - but how much is too much?  I would love to have back some books that I've lent over the years and not gotten back, ones with notes from when I studied them in school.  There's a case somewhere with a bunch of collectable coins in them that I started collecting when I was about 10.

When I was growing up we would often go to the little A&W and get their taquitos.  It was a great memory for me of time with my family and of a fun treat.  A few years ago I found a little A&W shop and just had to pull in and get some taquitos.  They were no where near as good as I remember, and now the memory was a little bit tarnished.

What is something that you have lost that you would pay to retrieve? And when do you realize that some things are better left as a fond memory?