I got to class, took a silly final that the professor gave us all the answers for, word for word, the week before. We ate some food and then my peers started reading quotes, poems and books that helped them express their feelings about ending their masters program. I sat there thinking about what I might say knowing that I wasn't going to say a thing.
Growing up my parents worked to make ends meet for the family of five children. My mom helped deliver new life into the world and my dad helped straighten them out as teenagers after life happened. They knew that sports and the outdoors would be a good part of my development. I "played" soccer as younger kid. My mom had to sew the pockets of my shorts shut because I would just stand in the field with my hands in my pockets watching the ball go around. When I was like 12 I started baseball. I was no good. I ended up playing for three years though. We took first in the league 2 of those years and second the other. I hit the ball into play a total of 3 or 4 times. Baseball touched me. It never happened during a game, it wasn't because I was on a team full of skilled players.
After one of our practices I came over to the side of the field and my dad was talked to the assistant coach. After standing around for a minute I got the jest that my dad had worked with him when he was younger at the juvenile detention center. He turned to me and said something like "Your dad helped me to change my life around." I thought the world of that. He was a great baseball coach and here he is telling me that my dad helped him. I wanted to to make an impact in the lives of others. As I started college I had these experiences in the back of my mind and my goal became a masters degree and a career where I can run into my old clients to hopefully see some improvement in their lives.
As I have gotten older and better educated I have come to realize that he was probably there to work off community service hours in the adult system and you shouldn't base your success on our clients progress.
I sat in class today. I thought about how I saw a old group home client that I worked with like 5 years ago. He is by no means living a stress free life with no struggles. (Who is?) For all I know he isn't making the same choices. Some of the others I worked with are in school or the military and seem to be doing great as well. Anyhow, the thought I had in class is I am in a place where I can impact others lives.
I am also done with my masters degree.
I have met my goals.
Those are finished.
That hit me off guard. I need new goals.
I do not feel like I am any different of a person than when I dropped my athletic cup in the port-a-potty pregame during my little league days but today after my last class session I am done with the goals that I have lived for.
