Time Well Spent

Time Well Spent

Funny thing about time, it feels endless until one day, it’s suddenly gone.  That was my experience two days ago when I pulled into the parking lot of my work and suddenly realized my direction, my purpose, my research, everything was being taken away from me.  Who am I without my syllabus, assignments, professors, and colleagues?  For a moment I began to weep out of fear and loneliness until I remembered the words of Julie Olsen Edwards who reminded me that fear of the unknown is scary but, “You can’t wait until you know enough, we never know enough” (Laureate, n.d.).  She is correct, and one thing is for sure, I am relentless in my early childhood efforts.  Further, still, I will not go quietly into the night, but instead, I will dive into next week with the knowledge:

1.   I am not alone.  I have the skills and relationships to build a community of practice that will become the springboard for tomorrow’s all-inclusive early childhood Ohio.

2.    I am armed.  Through countless hours of research and disciplined devotion to ensuring my sources were valid and evidence-based, I am rich with sound knowledge and support.

3.   I am brave.  Throughout my Walden experience, I have gained a confidence I never imagined possible.  I no longer serve my passion, my passion serves me.  For the first time in my life, I am not afraid of conflict, I am not afraid to speak my opinion, and I am not scared to be the voice of those who willingly placed their trust with me.

   

With these learned moments along with a plethora of others, I surge forward with the same long-term goal I entered Walden with, seek to ensure all children are welcomed, loved, and embraced for the uniqueness they bring into our world.  I made a promise to a little boy to fight for his rights and the rights of all children.  Where will I begin?  My capstone was more than a project, it was the foundation of my future inclusion work, and for me, that future starts now.

How do I say thank you and farewell? You have all done more than inspire and support my growth you have impacted my soul, and for that, I would like to share something extraordinary.  At this time, I would like to introduce all of you to the little boy who changed my life forever.  His name is Andrew, and when you look at him I am confident you will see what I do, an eleven-year-old boy excited to start his first day of middle school.

This is for you Andrew!

Reference:

Laureate MultiMedia. (n.d.). Merging Vision, Passion, and Practice. Retrieved from

http://mym.cdn.laureatemedia.com/2dett4d/Walden/EDUC/6990/01/mm/ec_pres/index.html