Do What You Want
Meanwhile, my mind was screaming, “That’s not why I’m here. This is the only time it was offered that I could take it.”
I was seven-years-old when I decided I wanted to be a small animal veterinarian when I grew up. I stayed on that track graduating from the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine at the age of twenty-four. But the journey was not without its ups and downs. I’m clear, had it not been for my mother, I’d never have completed the journey. Not only was she a loving, caring mom, but she also had to be my dad as well since my real dad died of a massive heart attack while on a fishing trip when I was in the second grade.
I remember one of the most challenging times along the road to “vet hood” came my sophomore year in undergraduate school. Math had never been a strong suit of mine in school, and trigonometry looked as though it would be the straw that would break this camel’s back and keep me from my dream profession. I failed it the first go around. Since I was trying to complete the pre-vet requirements in two years rather than the customary three, I decided the only way to stay on course was to retake trig as an evening class. There was simply no room in my daily schedule.
I still remember the instructor’s warning that first night. “I know you all are taking this course at night because you’ve heard that night classes are easier to pass, that you won’t have to work for your grade. Well, I’m here to let you know that’s not how it’s going to be.”
Meanwhile, my mind was screaming, “That’s not why I’m here. This is the only time it was offered that I could take it.” Unfortunately, I was too intimidated by his threat to share my situation with him. He proceeded to make my life a living hell for the next several weeks. The end of the semester was rapidly approaching and despite my best efforts, my grade was still a D — unacceptable for vet school.
Discouraged and angry I came home one weekend complaining to my mom that my math course was just too hard, that as much as I wanted to be a vet, I simply could not pass trigonometry and so I had decided to drop the course and give up on my dream.
Much to my surprise, my mom’s calm response was, “Sure, do what you want. I understand. You’re an adult now and can make your own decisions. Just know that you’ll also have to live with the outcome of them. If you don’t want to continue to pursue your dream, drop out.”
But wait! You’re my mom, I thought. You’re supposed to be upset. You’re supposed to talk me into staying on track. Isn’t that what any good parent would do?
But her words sunk in. Indeed, I was an adult who could make my own decisions. I could choose to let trig beat me and keep me from my lifelong dream, but what would that life be like? I didn’t like what I saw when I asked that question. I finally decided to stick it out.
Alas, I made a second failing grade in trig, so I signed up to take it a third time.
I believe God looked down on me that day and decided to reward my perseverance by sending me one of the best teachers I’d ever have. He cared about his students and he had a passion for the subject the other teachers had lacked. Of course, it didn’t hurt that I’d taken the subject twice before, but this third time I got it. It made sense, and I flew through the course with a final grade of a B+.
I don’t remember one iota of the trigonometry. As far as I know, I never needed to call upon any of its principles in my long career as a vet, but I’ve called upon the lesson my mom taught me that day many times. I learned that as an adult my decisions and choices shape my life. It’s a lesson I’ve worked hard to apply in my own life and to pass along to my daughter as well. Thanks, mom.
Click Here to Stay Informed & On Purpose
W. Bradford Swift has enjoyed a combo career as a writer and life coach for over thirty years and now coaches aspiring authors to write that someday, one day book TODAY. http://wbradfordswift.com/writing-coach/
