Happy Anniversary?

This afternoon when I checked my email there was a message with ‘Happy Anniversary’ in the subject line. Since I’m not married, I was kind of perplexed by the subject. That is, until I opened the message. It was from my university telling me that it has been one year since I decided to pursue my master’s degree. I guess that could be considered an anniversary although someone forgot to send me flowers!

As promised in my last post, I said that I would catch everyone up on where I have been and why my blog went into hiatus. Now you know the reason…pursuing my master’s degree. Obtaining my master’s degree has been something that I wanted to do for a long time, and I finally decided to jump in with both feet last year and “Just Do It”! Little did know how my life was getting ready to change.

This past year has been one of the most stressful years in my entire life. About the same time I started my master’s degree, my step father was diagnosed as being at the beginning of the end of congestive heart failure. Then a few short months later, my step mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. Then I decided to sell my home. Once it sold, I had about 2 weeks to find some place to live, pack my home, and move (that was due to being out of town for 3 ½ months for a work assignment). And just when I thought things couldn’t get any better, two people that I think the world of told me that I didn’t have time for anyone anymore, including them. Needless to say, I was (and still am some days) at my breaking point.

So when I received the email today, one word and its meaning stood out to me: Perseverance: steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement. For me, this one word summed up what I had not been able to about what this past year has symbolized for me. Although October 10, 2011 (the last day of my last class!) seems far away, I can slowly begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel!

I am beyond thankful to report that my stepfather and stepmother are both on the road to recovery. No, I’m not homeless, but I am transient again until I can find that place I can really call home. And my relationships? I wish I could say I am succeeding…I am still working on them one relationship at a time.