A Night of Honor

This evening my son and I attended his honors award ceremony. It slipped my mind – mainly because I was recovering from my latest flare. Lord knows at that moment he reminded me, I did not want to go – my energy was zapped and my spirits low. However, this was what he worked for all of his young years. We set a high standard for him and he exceeded it. To miss my son’s  ceremony would have been a slap in his face that would have left a scar. I put on a smile, got dressed and attended his ceremony.

I marveled  as my son opened the passenger for me and went to the driver’s side and plopped in the driver’s seat without asking if he could drive. Although I did not complain, I believe that he knew I was sick and while he was not going to let me miss his ceremony, he was going to make it as easy as he could for me.

I look at this child that I gave birth to almost 17 years ago … Here stands my legacy, a junior in high school. Achieving more in one year than I had my entire high school career.

At the ceremony, I listed while he received a merit award, the governor’s honors award, academic team award as well as the perfect attendance and honor roll awards. I knew that he wanted to the Spanish award, but because of a mishap in an assignment submittal, he would not get it.

As we left, many of his peers, teachers and parents congratulated him on a job-well done. Friends and associates hugged me and said “you must be proud.” I am proud but not in the manner that people think.  He represents what my husband and I aspire to teach our children – ownership, perseverance, humility, discipline, compassion and quest for excellence.

The great grades, the high commendations he receives and the promising future ahead of him are the results of his efforts. There is something that I know that only he gets – while others may look in awe or envy of all the formal acknowledgement he receives; I am proud of the man he is becoming.  

Oh the Places I’ll Go!

Wow what a year so far! As I develop my personal development plan, I am finding more and more than I am gaining perspective. Without perspective I find that I can get caught up in the same rut and follow the aimless path of others.

Work has improved immensely? No … the same agendas and people are still there, but because of my perspective, my approach is different. I see each challenge at work as my university. As I learn to manage situations at work, it prepares me for the bigger battles towards my quest to achieve my lifetime objectives.

I am facing demons of my fast and obstacles that I need to bulldoze out of my way. It is invigorating to live with a purpose. Even better, it is rewarding to match more and more of my everyday actions towards that purpose.

I have not journal much because I am literally exhausted … I don’t have enough time in the day! Once I finish my strategic plan and have actions plans for each day, it will be a more organized effort that is planned in advance.

Oh the places YOU can go … with perspective!