Pathway Graduation

Today was a great day, a Pathway graduation just took place in the Philippines area office for the second year and that puts a big smile on my face. I am a great believer in education and I have always had a passion for learning new things. We come into this world with both:  Intelligence and Agency. We leave this world with what we have done with that agency, and our intelligence – which has hopefully deepened significantly during our life, either through education or experience or a combination of both.

I am one of those people that actually likes learning new things. When I came to go to college I was only 18 years old and was so excited to be taking college courses and learning new things. But I also liked dating and I ended up meeting a boy and getting married quite young. I got pregnant the very month we were married. We didn’t have any money at the time and so we decided that I would drop out of college to work and my husband at the time would finish his education since we could only afford for one of us to go.

I was blessed to have finished my first two years of Collage attending the LDS Business College before I got married and to have gain experience working but in back of my mind I had always felt saddened that I didn’t have that college degree framed on my wall. My dad would always say: “No matter how much money you make there is always a desire to have gone to college for those who didn’t have the opportunity to do so.”  He wanted so much to finish his education but I suppose you could say he was educated at the school of trial and error, not to mention a few hard knocks, and became very successful in business. For him it wasn’t because it would have made him more financially successful, it was more a manifestation of the intelligence he had worked hard to gain…it mattered to him and it mattered to me too.

One day I made up my mind and went back to School and slowly, little by little, I kept taking a class here and there until I had obtained enough credits for a diploma. It was such an honor and I cannot describe the emotions I felt walking up onto the stage. It meant the world to me, especially because three of our children were also receiving their diplomas that day.

The day my diploma arrived on the mail I felt humbled and honored and overcome with gratitude and I imagine that is how the Pathway graduates must be feeling today as they were presented with their diploma of completion. I encourage all the young people reading my blog, and especially the young women, to please don’t postponed your education. Make it a priority. Learn all you can during your years at a University. Don’t take a second of it for granted. Life is a constant education!

Con amor,

Vero