Today, we’re exploring a puzzle piece of life (see About Me) brought to mind by a quote I read from Francis of Assisi. I hope it speaks to you just as it spoke to my inner self.
This quote brought to mind the other day in my home office. I was procrastinating again with the 5 Day Crash Course for Bloggers. I did not want to do anything.
The only thing I was going to do was jot down some notes to remember what was needed to be done the next day. No way was I going to do anything else!
I started by doing something. One thing led to another:
- Continued watching the training videos
- Created the menus for the blog and implemented them
- wrote up the About Me page, revised it, and published the page on my blog.
When I looked at the clock—whaat! Three hours had gone by! Where did the time go? Still, I felt good! I had gotten more work done than what I had anticipated. I wasn’t up to doing anything else, but it went so smoothly that 3 hours seemed just a mere 30 minutes.
The quote brought to mind a puzzle piece of my life from back in 2002. I know, it sounds so ancient!
My newlywed husband was encouraging me to start my master’s degree.
All my life, I had wanted to get the degree. But I was scared of the workload and library time it required. There was no internet available in the 1980’s.
The few people I knew doing their master’s literally lived in the library to complete their thesis. I was teaching at that time, and with 3 kids in elementary school. I felt overwhelmed.
In the late nineties, the internet was starting to be used by public school teachers, and universities. But I was still unsure of myself using the new technology of the Internet. I couldn’t wrap my head around the concept of a “virtual highway” that connected the global community.
Instead of embracing the new tech, I ran away from it. I used the excuse of a new husband, caring for my Mom together with the kids, and a full-time teaching position to avoid thinking about the possibility of pursing my master’s degree.
My husband Dio said to me – try it and I’ll help you as much as I can. He had gone to college and had majored in Philosophy. He offered to read my writings and proofread them. I mean, who better than him to help with feedback. Then I said to myself, maybe I can do this.
It was the first week of the trimester at Caribbean University, PR. And I was ready to quit!
I had 4 classes and kept the full-time teaching job. The projects assigned for the whole trimester, all the readings, and oral reports for each of the 4 courses made me feel like an ant (tiny). Godzilla was on the warpath to stepping on my teeny tiny ant like body!! ARRGH!
Stop! Aren’t ants supposed to lift 50 times their weight? It’s amazing what they can do with their small size. Now, if I were a giant ant…then the story would be different. I could beat Godzilla and send him home. OK. How can I turn my situation around?
I decided to drop the course that was the most stressful of the four – Educational Philosophy. There were too many assignments, readings, reports, and too little time to complete them. (The professor did not care that most of us were both teachers and moms. The other professors were a little bit more understanding)
Whew! It felt good to relieve some of the burden. With the extra time, the other courses would not suffer too much. Besides, there was still time to drop another course later in the trimester if necessary.
Having a safety net of being able to drop another course helped me relax a bit and focus better. Now that I was normal size again, (not an ant size anymore) I gave it my best to complete the 3 remaining courses.
I am proud to say I did not drop any other course during the rest of my studies.
The Internet started to be available up in the mountain area where I lived. I didn’t have to live in the library to complete my master’s like others before me. About 98% of the research and investigations was done at home during the evenings.
To make a long story short, two years later I passed the master’s degree’s exams.
“Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.”
Francis of Assisi
Like the quote says: “Start by doing what’s necessary.” (I started with baby steps)
“Then do what’s possible …” (I made the necessary adjustments)
“…and suddenly you are doing the impossible.” (Two years later I completed the degree).
The important thing is that you have to start somewhere! You have to start by doing! Even if it’s just baby steps. Before you know it, it’s done!
As I look back on this experience, I realize it’s an important puzzle piece of my life.
This experience with the master’s degree taught me to deal with overwhelming issues by taking baby steps, making adjustments, and persevering until I reached the goal.
At the beginning of this post, I mentioned how 3 hours were gone after finishing certain tasks for my blog. How did I do that?
I started with one simple task, that led to another task, and that one led to another, and the rest is history.
A direct result of the lesson learned from the master’s degree experience. A piece of my life puzzle that connects to my present!
What does this quote say to you? Does it make you think of any puzzle piece of your life you’ll like to share?
Maybe this quote has opened your eyes to a different perspective of life that can help you deal with ongoing issues or future situations.
You are welcomed to share your pieces of puzzle anytime you like! Please use the comment section below!
For more details of this blog, please see the About Me page, Welcome to my Blog, Why Read this Blog?
This is beautiful! Sometimes being overwhelmed keeps people stuck; the quote you chose was a great way to take simple yet effective steps to reach your goals and live the life of your dreams.
I am still a little stuck to fully live my dream but-I’m getting there. I’m doing my baby steps and jumping in even when I don’t feel like it. It’s been getting easier everyday.
Very inspiring story and great quote! I went back to school when my kids were 4, 6 and 8. I was also a Brownie Leader and RE teacher on top of working full time and I thought I had bitten off more than I could chew. It was overwhelming, but I did the things only I could do, delegated what others could do and let go of the rest. There were bumpy days, but it all worked out and I graduated 18 months later.
I’m glad you were able to make it! When I read the quote, it resonated with me. It summarized what I had achieved.
This is so true! The hardest part is usually just getting started. I can relate to your story. I wanted a second master’s degree, but I had earned my first two degrees before I was working full time, married, and had children. I found out I was pregnant again halfway through my degree, and after my daughter was born, I would often work on my laptop while I was nursing her. But I finished, and it was all just because after years of not being a student, I just decided to start.
Many times I still find it hard just getting started. Depending on the “task”, it can be easier or harder. But, once I do get started – I’m all business!