Never too late!

My mom was laid off about a year ago, which has been pretty tough on both she and I. Emotionally, and absolutely financially. But she and I came up with a plan that would last us through the year in hopes of a positive outcome in the end.

A few days ago, she told me she walked into the community college a few blocks away, and enrolled herself into classes to start the process of finishing her high school education.

First and foremost, I have NEVER had a conversation with her about this, and it took me completely by surprise. I immediately answered,

"Wait...WHAT?! You did what?!"

And she giggled, and told me that she has been just bored out of her mind at home, and says that if she knits another scarf, she'll kill someone, haha.

So, she told me that she wanted to keep learning, keep active, and keep happy. I started to bawl, because I had a rush of varying emotions that came up. I felt so proud of my mom for continuing her education.  She has always been such a big fan of school, but was working so much to give me the opportunities that she never had, that she never had a chance to do it herself. Then I felt a little sad, because my mom lives by herself, and turns 65 this year. I wish there was a way I could live bicoastally throughout the year so that I could tend to my dreams and at the same time, cherish all the time that I have left in the world with her. But she told me that she has so much life in her left, that I need to be in New York to live for me, and just for me.

Also, I felt embarrassed because lately, I have been struggling so much with finding the right amount of happiness in this business. It has been tearing up my insides and the discouragement is pouring in buckets. To hear my mom laugh and smile through the phone about how fun it was to learn about reading a new novel in English, and that she was so excited to make new friends and finally learn how to use a computer, was overwhelming for me.

  I got that swift kick in the ass that I needed. 

She taught me a lesson without even having to know that she was. That's a real mother.

She explained her classes, and told me she has class every day, which will keep her active and healthy. Then she told me, 

"It's never too late to learn."