Girls Like Us
Be a Sponge…Soak it In!
I am an avid fan of using the world as a classroom, the ultimate learning experience, and I will go so far as to say I advocate for a much needed break between the end of high school and the beginning of any kind of conventional higher learning. I also endorse taking that kind of “sabbatical” and using it to acquire a more unorthodox type of education. I don’t know if all graduating high school seniors really can define their one true aspiration. Don’t get me wrong, there are many who can. I know I sure wasn’t ready at 17 to commit to a life that involved something I had absolutely no interest in and thank God, the Dean of nurses at Grace New Haven miraculously knew the real me, who couldn’t even imagine my life going in that admirable, but wayward direction for the next 4 years! The universe intervened and showed itself through this amazing woman who sat opposite me and my parents that ominous day. Somehow she turned my fate around in that moment. I don’t remember the ride home, but a few short weeks later, I found myself in design school! Having always been of creative mind, I was elated, scared and down right shocked given the unexpected flurry of changes. My dad really wanted me to take on my mom’s profession. “It would always be something I could fall back on”, he said. It just wasn’t for me. I was, after all, a girl, that for years, insisted on reincarnating her gypsy garb to once again partake in Halloween festivities. I never tired of the wonderful fantasy I could immerse myself in, even if it was just for one evening a year. All the colourful textiles and layers; Beads, baubles, and bangles... the more the better! And...Lest we forget the temporary "mask" of rouge and lipstick. Ahhh…the “over the top” creative ritual of temporary transformation…Anyway, I digress…..Needless to say, I chose the path less travelled and have been following my bliss ever sense.
Today’s youth, albeit, only twenty-five or so years their parents’ junior, seem to have so much more emotional and intellectual maturity which has given rise to the extreme popularity for said sabbatical; almost making it a necessary part of the whole learning mission. By piecing together many varied experiences, life has a way of becoming the ultimate teacher. And…these young people really know how to take full advantage of this kind of amazing opportunity. I don’t think anyone can know where “alternative schooling” can take us. I really just think about the kind of story we could each have during the process. Think about the idea as kind of a revelation for the mind as well as the soul. Literally…the sky is the limit and often lends itself to making totally different choices after all. And yes... sometimes much to the chagrin of others. The self discovery that seems to be a large “side effect” of global trotting, reveals a new self, or helps the old self move in a new direction.
As an envious onlooker, are these amazing students of life being overly selfish or narcissistic or are they actually right on track? I read this quote once and it feels right in line with my lamentations. “Life to be vivid, strong, and creative, demands constant reflection upon experience, so that action may be guided by wisdom.” With that said, wisdom does indeed hatch from experience and how we choose to gain that most valuable lesson is purely personal. Going on to higher education is a relative term that needs to be considered from every angle. I myself look to the community and world around me daily. I am never disappointed and always inspired.
I will close with another quote by Beatrix Potter, who, by the way, went in a completely unconventional direction. “We cannot stay home all of our lives. We must present ourselves to the world and think of it as an adventure.” By the way, Miss Potter is the most acknowledged and successful children’s authors in the world!
Deborah Ricci is a freelance columnist living in Maynard with her husband, Wil. She can be found taking a journey of the senses at her little shop, Teresinas, in Downtown Maynard at 41 Main St. Hours: 11-6 Tues-Sat. 978-897-3914
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