Stepping Into the Brilliant Light
A Short Story on the American Dream
His epiphany came with the smell of freshly cut lawns, and the sound of birds cawing in the trees, and the stretch of towering gothic buildings marking Berry College, a university bursting with prestige, intellect, and dreams. My grandfather’s life changed forever in that moment; it was as quick as the flickering on of a light. He gazed at the endless blue skies and knew this place would give him the novel start he needed.
Hungrily, the incandescent sun licks her tongue on the students’ skin. Tires pulled to a stop, crunching gravel beneath their weight. James flings open the car door, which belongs to a complete stranger, and he steps into the brilliant light. He finally made it, after hitchhiking his way from the train station to Rome, Georgia. His transformation begins in this moment, and he basks in the golden warmth. Bottle green trees sway in the distance, as if waving to say hello, while people buzz around, filled with excitement and nerves. This moment stays captured forever within James’ mind. Berry College determines his future and offers more opportunity than ever before.
Arriving at this moment did not come easily, however. Coming from the trivial town of Scottsboro, Alabama, a place of dirt roads, thick accents, and chicken coops, James knew the journey would be a long one. His mother had an education at the sixth grade level and his father had an education at the fourth grade level. The small country home he grew up in had an outhouse, no plumbing, and no electricity, and he spent many days working at a nearby grocery store, trying to make ends meet. The only life James knew was one of poverty and struggling for survival. Completing this journey would not only make him the first in the family to attend and graduate from college, but it would benefit the future generations as well.
James had the chance to leave behind the cotton in the fields, or the clouds on the ground, holding him down. He respected his sister, Marie, for wanting a simpler life of the familiar; however, he knew he had to break free of the constraints of a small town and make a new way for himself. He wanted the American Dream. His sister sparked his interest in the university when their cousin’s husband tried persuading her to attend. She chose marriage and family, but told him of the college, giving him the chance to venture into the unknown, majoring in physics.
That first day on campus, as he surveyed the thousands of sprawling acres of land, he saw opportunity, not doubt. He treaded past streams, through meadows, and across woodlands. He planned the variety of activities he would become involved in during his four years and set goals for maintaining excellent grades. Entering the dormitory building, climbing up the many stairs, and unloading suitcases, he felt right at home. He placed his belongings in drawers and organized his desk space and made his bed. His room symbolized the exact way he felt, prepared. All his childhood and teenage years he dreamt of this moment and it finally arrived.
After preparing the room for a year of living, he stepped out into the heat of the day again. Voices muffled together in the clean air, sounding like a distant roar of thunder. He felt alone and as if he were with a thousand friends simultaneously. This paradox simply states that every student there had at least one thing in common with him- they all wanted an education at Berry College. James relaxed in the comfort of time, recognizing how within the four years he would meet new people, some of whom would become lifelong friends, and one whom he would call his wife. The university has a special place within James heart that he will always remember as a home.
As he walks along the sidewalk, he looks at the saplings recently planted to line the path. These trees were planted by his own sweat and blood. Berry College understood the difficulty for those in the lower-class to afford a good education. To make a difference, the university offered opportunity for students to work on campus to pay for tuition. James Keith spent the summer before his first year, and the years of schooling following that, working for his schooling. This taught him the importance of making every moment count. James worked on the forestry crew over the summer for 90 cents an hour. He accidently hurt himself with an ax and faced many challenges with a job brand-new to him, but he took this as a chance to grow, learn more, and overcome.
Now, fifty years later, my grandfather plans his class reunion which will be held over the summer in 2016. He celebrates his fiftieth anniversary with my grandmother, whom he met at Berry his sophomore year. The first moment he laid eyes on her, he said to himself, “I am going to marry that woman.” They have lived happily together for fifty years and will live happily for many more years to come. Now he can visit Berry College and see the saplings he planted his first summer, and look at how they have grown into magnificent trees. He can witness how his education paid off for his family. His son and daughter graduated from college, and his grandchildren, including myself, are currently enrolled. My grandfather broke the cycle. He is the very reason I am here today, attending the University of Georgia.
