I only ask that you call me first

That was the deal I made my niece about 6 weeks ago, that she call me first.

About 2 years ago...In fact about this time of the year I was having lunch with my parents telling them the plan of going back to school full time. I needed to graduate, for no other reason than the fact I knew I could do it, but I hadn't. But I was scared, I mean really scared. It is one thing to do what everyone else is doing, go to high school and graduate with 300 other people or go to college because everyone else is. It is a whole different beast to do what others are not, in my case it was going back as a "non" traditional student, which in simply means I am old.

6 weeks ago Danielle and I started to talk about her getting her GED. We have been talking about it for at least a year. The problem is that the longer you wait to finish the harder it is to go back. But about 6 weeks ago Dano and I started to talk about her "learning" disabilities, which is complete crap in my opinion because like me, she just needs to learn differently than what the school system was willing to invest time or money to adjust to. Well if nobody else is going to help I figured I would do it myself and that is just what Dano did. What people don't know is that not only did she study for her GED's, four test in all, she took two weeks to read and learn a different way of learning. So over 6 weeks she taught herself how to learn, writing, social studies, science and lastly the dreaded math test. To top it all off she had to take all four tests over two days, yep two a day with no time in between exams. Whew, now that would suck!

But I got the message yesterday on my way home for work: "Paul I did it, I graduated"

Well yes you did, you did it.

I couldn't be more impressed or proud at her accomplishment. But what I am most proud of is that stood up to what scared her and said "screw you, I will do it myself".

At 7:22 PM,  Anonymous said...

You are the first person Dano called. You better than anyone could understand what she was going through. You extended a helping hand and she grabbed it. Congrats to everyone involved.

 

At 11:41 PM,  Anonymous said...

Danielle had reached the edge of her cliff. The decision was hers to make - stay there forever and fear she would fall into the black hole with her next step, or to forge ahead, only to discover she had wings to fly!!!! Your hand was there to guide her as she chose to step forward Bless you! Love, Mom

 

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