Stage one: I survived a violent and difficult childhood yet still grew up to be creative and tenacious in what I wanted from life. I attended 18 schools in 8 years. My family lived in a several states and dozens of cities in those states. I graduated from high school without being pregnant. At 25, I married a man I did not know well and we lived in Japan. The marriage didn't last, and I returned to the United States.
Stage two: I returned from Japan with a baby, a box of baby toys, a suitcase of our clothes, and a perspective about life and culture that I could not have gained had I not lived in that marriage. Back in the US, I had to figure out how I would rear the child and form a meaningful life for us. And it was hard. I worked a series of meaningless jobs that paid a little more per week than the cost of child care. We struggled.
Returning to school seemed an idiotic choice (as others told me), but I felt it was the right thing. I'd always wanted to go to college, but I didn't know what it looked like. I didn't know HOW to go to college. Nevertheless, I signed up for courses at the local community college. I reasoned that if I earned an AA degree, I'd get a "great" job and I could provide for my family. I continued to the BA degree then the MA degree, all the while rearing my daughter, providing her a home, being involved in the community and youth activities. I held full-time jobs while attending school, but with increasing amounts of education, I could get positions that allowed us to live a more comfortable life.
During this phase, my daughter grew to be a creative, generous, talented, and forceful young woman. She grew up in one neighborhood. She attended school with many of the same children throughout their 12 years of required education. She graduated from college and now is in graduate school. She is not a statistic.
Earning the Ph.D. was a struggle in and of itself for me. It took nine years, but it's finished. Finally. With the Ph.D., I can move onto stage three of my life.
Stage three: It begins now. With all that has lead me to this point in my life, I am anticipating significant growth and change to occur in this stage. I'm ready for it. It begins now.
You rock! You really do. Hope I can see you at your new school sometime when I'm down there.
Posted by: Nels | June 01, 2009 at 11:49 AM
You're my hero, Billie. You and what you've accomplished are truly amazing, and it's going to keep going up from here. I hope you'll keep taking us along for the ride.
Posted by: Terry | June 01, 2009 at 01:01 PM
Marvelous - both you and the post. These next years are going to be so exciting, and you have the added satisfaction of these other jobs that are already so well done.
Posted by: Krista | June 01, 2009 at 02:09 PM
All the best to you on this next stage of your life. Congrats on all of your accomplishments!
Posted by: rageyone | June 02, 2009 at 07:41 AM
I hope the next stage is everything you hope for--your tenaciousness and attitude will help you get the best out of it. You're amazing.
Posted by: Susan | June 08, 2009 at 08:57 PM
I am happy to read your mini-bio, Billie. Thank you for your honesty. I especially appreciate how much time and work (and always with an eye toward your daughter) it has taken to bring you to this point in your life. I am a Phd candidate and working to accomplish what you have done. And it helps to know that you did so in 9 years. I have seen several students complete the process much sooner than is mandated (and I received advice to "do it fast"); I obsess about how much time I still need. So, reading your passage is helpful. Best of luck.
Posted by: Cathy | August 22, 2009 at 12:14 AM
it's great to see fresh, creative ideas that have never been done before.
Posted by: Term Papers | December 01, 2009 at 11:24 PM
Very nice write up. Easy to understand and straight to the point.
Posted by: Term Papers | December 09, 2009 at 05:56 AM