This post has been brewing for a few weeks and it will take some courage to post it up for all of you to read.
Mr. A had a wonderful graduation season shared with family and friends. He has a stack of cards and a lot of photos from the gatherings and now he is setting off on another road, a road that does not include college in the fall. He has set a course for himself that will be rather different and is shaping up to look more like a Gap Year experience, one that I never thought he would choose. (I enjoyed reading this article on Gap Years.)
He has goals for himself....travel, ministry to others in a variety of ways, and getting his pilot's license.
It looks like at least for the fall semester he will be focusing on those aspects of his life that he hopes someday will come together as one career. Neither my husband or I have any problem with his goals....it is just scary to watch as he spreads his wings wider and wider and in this case to see him literally fly away.
When we see our children taking their own road in life it is sometimes tempting to interfere, to insert our dreams into their lives. Not everyone needs to go to college straight from high school and some people don't need to go at all. This particular son sees college as a tool and not as the ultimate goal. He will go when he needs to go and as I have seen over the last year he will find a way to learn what he wants to learn.
I already see the blessings being poured out on his decisions. Exciting and scary at the same time.
Since the beginning of May he has accomplished all of these things totally on his own initiative:
1. Job shadowed an electrician.
2. Started and is near completing a certified course in forklift operation.
3. Helped sheetrock a new place of worship.
4. Started a new job and received a promotion.
5. Found someone to help him learn a particular type of welding (TIG)
6. Began self-teaching how to play the piano.
7. Reviewed his ground school textbook and studied the Private Pilot's test book while on our camping trip.
8. Learned how to pull a trailer and back it up with confidence.
Okay, typing up the list helps me see that this is a child that can learn anything he puts his mind to when the time is right. We shall enjoy watching him grow in the year to come.
Barb-Harmony Art Mom
13 comments:
Wow. How inspiring! His actions speak louder than words - he loves to learn and is charting all sorts of options.
I remember reading about the gap year and hanging on to that thought. Wise option in many ways.
Love the pictures too!
Sounds like a Renaissance Man to me. He will be a wonderful husband someday with all of those skills. Congratulations on an obvious job well done!!
Your post put me in mind of author Anna Quindlen's commencement address that I read recently. Thought you might enjoy if you haven't seen it yet:
http://www.grinnell.edu/offices/confops/commencement/quindlen
It really struck a cord with me with one graduating next year ...
Congratulations to your son and kudos to you!
Tina
Thanks for the kind words from everyone. It is breathtaking to watch your children grow up. :)
Thanks for the link Tina. Interesting read.
I can only imagine what an amazing, wonderful, and scary moment graduating time is, especially for a homeschool mom! We feel like the step they take next is a result of how well we did over the previous 12 years. It sounds like you've done a wonderful job, and your son is learning skills that will be more helpful and fulfilling than anything he could learn in college, whether he decides to go eventually or not. I think kids need to go where their heart leads them, and not go to college just because it is the "normal" next step after high school. I bet he will get more out of his college experience by following this different path first. It sounds like he is very mature and is a man who knows where he's going. You must be very proud.
Hi Barb
I've seen Mr A at work learing his new skills, he is a wonderful son, one that any parent would be very proud of, he will do good and his future is a wonderful time of excitement and learning, we all love him very much... Congratulations Mr A....
Congratulations to you on his graduation! He sounds well prepared and equipped to make his way however he chooses. As a mom with 4 girls I can echo the earlier comment that he sounds like he will be a wonderful husband for someone.
Sounds like he's his own man in the best way possible. I'd stand back and let him live. One of the many, many awesome benefits to living in this country is college is always an option. He's had a far better education in your home than he would get in all but the most elite schools anyway!! Be proud!!
Whew--it is scary isn't it? But from what you have shared, it sounds like your son will soar! Thanks for sharing a very tender part of your life with us.
what an inspiring post! =)
We have some dust settling about also, but as our family is in a season of transition (moving, grandma moving in w us, etc) our newly graduated son is still pondering some ideas about his future. Thanks for sharing.
~Sheri
How wonderful, Barb!! What a hard-working and self-motivated young man he must be! What a joy and privilege it must be to be his mother! Congratulations on a job well done. Now you can sit back (ha!) and enjoy watching the fruit if your labor!
Happy to see all that has been accomplished by all of you.
When I read this entry, I thought of another blog that I follow. I actually followed the wife until she got too busy homeschooling the children. Her missionary hubby is a pilot. You might have your son check out his blog and maybe they can connect. Here is the blog address...http://theforneyflyer.blogspot.com/2011/06/lunar-eclipse.html
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