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Introduction

This story really begins in 1993, but let me take you back about five years or so to set the stage.

 

Background

There are three seminal moments that I want to convey in this story that spans the life of a smart, talented and hard-working 26-year old. I also want to keep this story concise. Such is my challenge.

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Seminal Moment #1

The first moment occurred about 5 or 6 years ago when my wife Toni and I picked up our daughter Sarah from a week-long summer camp she had attended. At the time, Sarah was a junior at the University of Tennessee pursuing a degree in kinesiology. Please don’t ask me what that means, I can barely spell it and I always have trouble pronouncing it.

As soon as Sarah got into the car, she was beaming. Toni and I both knew that something big had happened because Sarah is a very even-keel kind of person. She doesn’t let her emotions show much, but at this time she was laughing so hard that she was nearly in tears.

When we asked her what was so funny and why she was so happy, she explained that being at the camp was the best week of her life. She was there to help needy kids. She was working with severely handicapped kids that had to be taught the basics, of how to hold a spoon and do other fundamental tasks. She described the types of things she was exposed to, including explosive episodes of #2 that flew off the walls!

As Toni and I looked at each other incredulously, Sarah’s infectious laughter reached into us and we knew that Sarah had found her calling. At that time, Sarah knew that she wanted to work with kids that have disabilities. She had discovered that she was in her element working with kids.

From that time forward, Sarah’s vision became clear. It was about the same time that I had my seminal moment number 2.

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Seminal Moment #2

I tend to think of myself as a person having a good scientific education coupled with never-ending curiosity. On this particular day, as I walked past our kitchen counter, I saw an exam laying there. It was one of Sarah’s tests from an anatomy or physiology class. Being a prideful person, I decided that if Sarah could take and pass that test, so could I.

I sat down and took the test. About 15 minutes later, I tabulated my score. I scored a 0!  Yes, that is right, a ZERO. If there were a way to achieve a negative score, I was have done that, too. I was completely baffled and incapable of answering a single question. It was at that moment that I realized that our little girl had grown up. While I scored a zero, she scored 90%. Humble pie was what I had for breakfast that day.

 

In a blink of an eye, Sarah graduated from UT Knoxville with exceptionally good grades. It wasn’t long before she knew what was coming next. Her road would include a multi-year pursuit of a Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy.

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Seminal Moment #3

 

At the same time Sarah chose her school, we happened to be living a two-city lifestyle. We had an apartment in Atlanta while maintaining our house in Knoxville.  As luck would have it, while I worked in Roswell for General Motors, Sarah attended school a few miles away in Norcross at Brenau University. Since we shared an apartment, I got to see up-close and personal how hard her curriculum was.

It was normally my duty to review her research papers. Since I completed a ten-year stint as an associate editor for the journal Groundwater, I figured I’d be well-prepared for the onslaught that was sent my way. Trust me when I tell you this, most of the time I couldn’t keep up the pace with her. The studies were complex and definitely outside of my comfort zone.

I got to see the endless hours of studies, followed by anxiety and stress. I got to see the never-ending internships and exhausting multi-month preparation for the final national qualification exam, which finally occurred this week. Although I never doubted that she would pass the test, this qualifying exam leaves the test-takers empty, exhausted and unsure of the outcome once the four-hour battle is over.

 

So today was my third moment. It happened when I heard Sarah say “I think I passed because I see a certification number!”. When those words registered in my brain, that familiar lump hit my throat. I knew that I was going to be speechless again, just like I was when she won the MVP award on her 7th-grade soccer team. All we had to do was verify her test score. Of course, her laptop wouldn’t start so our celebrations had to wait.

We felt that this was going to be one of THOSE moments, where all the hard work and sacrifices are left behind and the celebrations begin. Within a few minutes, we had our answer. She had passed the test and her passage from student to working adult could begin.

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Epilogue

 

In one sense, Sarah’s journey in life is just beginning. Her accomplishments, however, are something that will last a lifetime. She will always be able to take care of herself and to give her love and knowledge to those in need. We are so proud of the young woman that she has become. I wish I could write a book about her goodness, but for now, this story must suffice.

As Ferris Bueller once said: Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.

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