Two Years
The other day I put in the paperwork to graduate Summer quarter 2011. I mentioned this to Marie, my wife, and she said, "Wow, that went quick."
Quick? I don't think so. Only two years on the calendar, but those two years were made up of some pretty long days. Two or three days a week, for two years, I was busy straight through from 6am to 11pm: get up early to get the kids ready, work a job all day, spend another four hours in class, flop into bed long after everyone in the house was already sleeping.
Weekends were for homework, so were a few hours in the evening during the week when there were no tennis games, school concerts, parent-teacher conferences or community obligations.
School has been at least another part-time job on top of the full-time jobs I have at home and work, plus the other part-time jobs I do.
Two years of deferred home improvement projects, fascinating books not read, magazines piling up and friendships put on ice.
But I did it, and I liked it, and it was worth it. It was only two years, but I feel a lifetime wiser.
And thanks to Marie for putting up with my absences all that time.