I took a six-week hiatus from sharing my educational musings to focus on another project, and I’m anxious to share the first leg of this new journey on which I have embarked. In the post on July 19, 2021, “Creativity in Education,” I talked about my childhood dream of being an artist, and how it wasn’t well-received or supported by my guidance counselor. Then on August 2, 2021, I wrote about what it means to be a lifelong learner. I didn’t connect these two ideas at the time of posting as much as I do today.
I have spent the past nearly twenty years focusing on raising an amazingly talented daughter and helping her maneuver through the world of education, in an effort to help her become the well-rounded person she is today. Fortunately, I was able to continue to acquire new skills, knowledge, and experiences along the way, including obtaining my MEd, in Technology Education, developing curriculum, writing applications for grants, building this blog site, learning to kayak, and how to train a puppy.
My latest project has been a culmination of more than thirty years of learning and experiences, and the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. I recently launched a graphic design company, and my title is not only Owner but Graphic ARTIST. These past few weeks have been fueled by passion and excitement, supported by my inner circle of family and friends, and packed with tutorials and podcasts. I have been working crazy hours but have never felt tired; I’ve had to force myself to walk away from the tasks at the end of every day. While this has possibly been the most challenging venture I have endeavored, it is proving to be the most personally fulfilling professional experience of my lifetime.
So what does my starting a business have to do with Lifelong Learning and Creativity in Education? Continuing my education has been invigorating, but being able to use my updated knowledge and skills to pursue my creative passion and lifelong dream has been indescribably exciting. I experienced success as defined by society and guidance counselors nationwide in other aspects of the printing industry, but none of those experiences have been as personally fulfilling as creating art. I would like to challenge anyone reading this post to find something to dive deeper into and experience the great thrill of learning. To the educators, I believe that learning something new and uncomfortable can serve as a reminder of how the process feels and help us to be more understanding and compassionate with our students.