I've never been one for New Year's resolutions. Let's face it, we always start out strong but along the way (a month or two in) we get distracted, life inevitable gets in the way causing us to make concessions or we just plain give up because our goals begin to look to far off and lofty to really reach within a year's time. We feel bad and berate ourselves and resolve that next year will be different. And we start again and inevitable seem to fail. This isn't to say that we don't reach some of our goals but the majority of the time we slip and fall and rather than get up and start again we just get up and walk away.
On the drive back from visiting my family, I started thinking about what I would do now that I'd graduated with my master's degree. As I mentioned previously I'm sort of stuck at the moment. However, I've never been one to stay stuck or to not find something, some project, to keep me occupied while I figure out what my next move is going to be. So, while driving I thought about the things that fell to the wayside in the past three years.
I realized that in my pursuit of knowledge I've ignored other parts of my life and spirit. I've become extremely unbalanced and it's starting to take a toll on me not only physically but emotionally and mentally. So, I decided that despite my dislike of resolution I needed to go ahead and make a few for my life and not just for the year. I'm sure I'll slip up but I'm hoping that I can, at least, create some semblance of balance in my life again. Also, I figure once I get my balance back my next educational/professional move will envitebly follow.
Nothing
People keep asking me what I'm going to do now that I've graduated with my Master's. When I tell them the truth I see their bright eyes and smile falter and fade into a frown of confusion. They keep expecting to hear grand plans filled with success not the truth. Because the truth isn't fill with excitement but cold, hard, bitter reality. The answer is, "I don't really know."
Three years ago when I started the Master's program I was sure I was finally on my way to achieving one of my future goals. I was going to teach at a Junior College. Then last year I got it into my head to go onto to get my PhD which is a goal I still want to achieve but I don't know how soon that will actually happen, if it will happen at all.
Three years ago when I started the Master's program I was sure I was finally on my way to achieving one of my future goals. I was going to teach at a Junior College. Then last year I got it into my head to go onto to get my PhD which is a goal I still want to achieve but I don't know how soon that will actually happen, if it will happen at all.
Yes Virginia...
This is one of my favorite pieces. It's not really a traditional story but does tell a story and I always love reading it. It reminds me of what Christmas is about and who Santa Claus really is.
"Dear Editor--I am eight years old. "Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. "Papa says, 'If you see it in The Sun, it's so.' "Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?
Virginia O'Hanlon 115 W. 95th Street
Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the scepticism of a sceptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.
Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no child-like faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.
Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if you did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.
You tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.
No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.
"Dear Editor--I am eight years old. "Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. "Papa says, 'If you see it in The Sun, it's so.' "Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?
Virginia O'Hanlon 115 W. 95th Street
Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the scepticism of a sceptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.
Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no child-like faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.
Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if you did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.
You tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.
No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.
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