When I was a senior in high school, my mother decided to go back to college and finish what she had started many years before. She had started college right after high school, but got married after her second year, promptly got pregnant, and had to quit school because in those days (the 1940’s), women didn’t go out in public when their pregnancy was showing. So as I was finishing high school, she finished her associate’s degree. Then she went on to get her nursing degree, which was what she had always wanted. She was able to work as a nurse in the OB department of the local hospital for about 15 years. Her more advanced age (about 50 when she started) actually worked in her favor. Patients loved her for her gentle, calming manner.
As I thought about this month’s tenet, “We seek after knowledge and wisdom,” I realized my mom was a great example of this. She was very nervous about starting back to school, worrying that she wouldn’t be able to keep up with the younger students. Turned out to be far from the truth. Her grades were stellar all the way through (much better than they had been when she was a young student). Even though that nursing career got put off until all her children were grown, throughout the intervening years she was gathering all sorts of wisdom. Wisdom is frequently gained just through life experiences, particularly in our mistakes if we pay attention. In addition to all the medical knowledge she got in school, she also had wisdom from the years of raising her own children. She knew what to do and what not to do. She knew when to worry and when to just relax and trust.
This month we have some great articles, each focusing on different aspects of knowledge and/or wisdom. We have a look at homeschooling, a reminder of the women we learn from, adjustments to the new life we find ourselves in these days, an essay on knowledge and wisdom, and thoughts about what a mom hopes her children will learn. In addition, we have a couple of updates about some of our international cottages and how they are putting Big Ocean Women contributions to good use and finding positive even in the midst of great trials.
