formal education

Sometimes I think it would be nice to be a professional student. I loved school, especially with hours devoted simply to learning new stuff. There are many days when I daydream about student life. Plus, there's that beautiful final day of class or school - when you graduate, or pass, or ace the test. There are benchmarks of a job well done, progress made.

I had a friend over yesterday. She's a young, bright college student. She was fretting about what she might do if she hadn't passed a final exam. Later that night, grades were posted and she had done well. With little wait, she could celebrate mastery and build on her success.

There is no formal education for my career. As my family grows (in size and age) and our interests change, my job moves onward but not really upward. There is no ladder to climb (other than bunk beds!) here; no glass ceiling to hit. One stage of motherhood isn't really harder or easier than another, though things are certainly different. While helpful education exists, it's really an on-the-job training sort of career.

In my case, I've had to make a switch from my younger attitudes about mothering and homemaking. The two do not always go hand-in-hand, but in my case, they do. This is not just "time off" from something else or "in between" other jobs. I really haven't left work. I've just left the paid workforce for a time. :) Daily life, while different and more flexible, requires my passion, continued education, and a lot of God.

Science, business, education, politics - they all are professions with great potential. It's no less miraculous when this career is done well.