Sunday, August 24, 2008

A New Stage


So, I have a masters degree. That's a little strange. It's odd that this incredible sense of "lostness" that I have indicates that I have another degree. What's even the point? I'm not sure. I never really was sure, as I'm not one to strive to climb the corporate ladder, or any ladder for that matter. What I do know is this: those classes kept me grounded and sane--and distracted--through the most difficult almost two years of my entire life. What would I have done with myself if I had not had my coursework to throw myself into? To stress about? To celebrate? To channel my emotions? I truly believe I would have gone nuts.

Some might say that I don't have a child yet because I needed to get school finished. Well, that might have something to do with the timing. I believe, rather, that I have a masters degree because God knew it would be the only thing that would get me through this trying time (other than Him, of course!). I don't not have a child because of my masters degree; I have a masters degree because it wasn't quite time to have a child. Interesting, looking back on it, how school ended up having such a unique purpose in my life.

What am I going to do without school? I am still not "with child", so here I sit. Feeling rather lost. Out of the past 25 years, I have been in school for 19 (not counting pre-school, because that's really more about socialization and learning to jump really high). During my marriage, I have been in school for 2 of the three years! Married people--what do you do with your time??

I guess I'm glad I have a masters degree. I've always excelled at school, so it is fun to know that I have accomplished this. I met a great group of people while doing it, and discovered things about myself that I never knew. I may end up teaching because of it. Hey--maybe that's what I'll do with my spare time. I'll go back to school.

4 comments:

  1. Congrats on your masters! I'm eventually going back to get mine...who knows when that will be though. My husband is starting his this year, and we're doing them one at a time, so I have a while to wait. :)

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  2. Hey nice picture. :) And yes, it is good you got your Masters. You are using your "time without kids" well. You will be happy you did in the long run. So while you continue waiting for your stubborn first child to come... raise lots and lots of money so you and Wilma can go travel Europe. Dang... why didn't we start our cool Europe fund. We would at least have $1000 by now. Haha. Love you- proud of you for getting your Masters!

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  3. first of all, congrats on finishing your masters!
    i finished up my student teaching for mine in january--we're encouraged not to do our orals and officially get the degree until we have a job that uses it. i agree with you though, i think i did mine because i don't know what else to do other than school. it definitely keeps you busy and relatively sane!
    and what am i doing with mine? same thing as i was before i had it. still working the same job (more or less) that i was while i was at northwestern, although full-time now.
    i still haven't really figured out what married people who aren't in school actually do (i mean, other than take care of their children, which neither you nor i currently have). so if you get it figured out, tell me! i do like tara's suggestion of going to europe...

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  4. Congratulations on your Master's!! I did get married 3 months after I finished mine and it was so wonderful and still is to have that extra time to spend with my husband:) I have been able to re-connect with friends again with my spare time, take walks, bike rides, read great books, plan vacations and actually just sit and watch movies or TV-- an activity i never had time for during school:) Jeff Linn has started his master's this year- so that kind of sucks b/c now he is super busy and I am just relaxing:) ONly 3 more years for him....

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