Every Moment Is Worth Celebrating

You ever wanted something back you once had but despised when you had it? Like, you totally squandered it back then, but now you are doing all you can to obtain it and do right by it?

Me too!

(And no, I'm not talking about a relationship with a man. Although, as I reread what I just wrote, I can see why that would be your first assumption.)

I'm talking about going back to COLLEGE. My relationship with school has been very unstable. I never fancied college after high school. I fancied money, and like, "right now" money. So I was offered a chill office job with a decent salary and was content. I did that for 4 years and quickly learned how and why money can't make you happy. I also learned why passion and purpose is important to pursue and cultivate in this short lifetime.

So I decided in 2011 to enroll in school full time. My first year was a breeze. I made a 3.5 GPA. I received a scholarship. I rekindled my romance with literature and even developed a tolerance for biology. My second year was a bit rocky. My GPA fell to a 2.0. I was trying to balance work and school but my lust for money always beat out my will to study. I think my GPA would have been worse if it wasn't for my theater class. I LOVED that class.

Anywho..

I went into the next semester very unmotivated and uninspired. The stresses of my immediate circumstances pushed my education farther back on the priority list. My GPA continued to drop until I decided to just stop taking classes all together. During that time, I worked and worked and worked. Then it hit me. I'm doing exactly what I did when I graduated from high school. Working for financial stability instead of investing in my purpose. Sheesh, talk about circling the same mountain! (Old Testament reference).

So this time, instead of hastily dropping everything and attending school, I took inventory of my current responsibilities and what's important to me. At 26, it's obvious that working is a priority because a girl's got bills. So I had to find a school that would be flexible enough to accommodate my current lifestyle. And traditional education wasn't going to cut it. I also wanted a credible school that hired credible professors. And most importantly, I needed a school that would take a chance on me. My transcripts showed a steady decline. The possibility of admissions was slim. I researched some brick and mortar universities that offered online programs and found Colorado State University. Random, right? I live in MD. I've never even been to Colorado lol. But I inquired anyway. And I'm glad I did. My enrollment coordinator is the bomb! She told me exactly what I needed to do to have a chance at being admitted. Of course there were no guarantees but I did all that I could, short of begging, because I really wanted to get my degree. And then this happened:

I imagine this is the feeling 18 year olds get when they receive their first college admission letters in the mail! I'm not 18 and this isn't my first college rodeo BUT I'm going to celebrate this ANYWAY. I am elated! God is giving me another opportunity! Yess!! 

Good news, no matter how big or small, is worth celebrating. For real. That's the challenge to myself. Every moment cultivates momentum towards the desired goal to be accomplished. Every step forward is progress. And the goal is PROGRESS not perfection (my cousin told me that once).

So here's to my admission to Colorado State University - Global Campus. 

One block in the rebuilding of my life. Cheers.

-ElleBee