Julie(I'll call her) is a friend of mine I met some time ago during a trip to California. With permission I would like to relate her story of endurance and the will to never give up.
Coming from a military background her parents divorced at an early age. Things were seldom "normal" at home. Reaching maturity, Julie began a series of choices that would lead her thru three aborted reltionships and result in five fatherless children. Destitute in her 30s, she and her youngsters found themselves in a homeless shelter in Bakersfield with no car, income, or hope. Jehovah's Witnesses found her and offered conditional support. With no other options available, she temporarily became a Witness even though she privately questioned many doctrines. In light of her plight, she particularly disagreed with the old gaurd still discouraging higher education. But she was able to play the game of Watchtower bobblehead until she could right the ship for the crew. And that she would do!
With the more-than-willing assistance from certain Sisters as daycare providers, she enrolled in nursing school and began her rise. It would be tough, full of emotional ups and downs, exhaustion, coupled with a tinge of guilt for accepting aid from an organization she knew she would eventually leave. At 40 years of age and after a four year religious charade, Julie graduated near the top of her class and immediately landed a position at a local hospital as an RN. She rented a home, bought a older car, and brought some stability to her immediate family. Of course, damages had been done by years of confusion and the challenge of maintaining some semblence of direction as regards her offspring is an ongoing task.
Yet she moved on. Fading from the organization and dedicating herself to her work, within a year Julie was promoted to Intensive Care which included a six-figure salary! After long hours and hard work an additional 20K per year was added to the compensation package.
Julie is now a grandmother and is in the process of buying a home, She is amazingly resilient and what I consider an inspiration for Mothers with deadbeat Fathers.
Oh yes, I talked to her yesterday. She recieved notification and a phone call from Publisher's Clearing House advising her of a possible prize. While recording the conversation, they requested she be home on August 21. With a certain amount of caution, she told them she would be UNLESS she was scheduled to work that shift! Talk about priorities!
My thought: Life altering "time and unforseen occurrence" can positvely befall any one of us if we just believe in a better way ...