An Introduction of Sorts

I'm about to say the cheesiest thing humanly possible. When my son was born, I was embodied with the motivation (that I had lacked since birth) to make a better life for myself and my new baby. Up until that point I was a college drop out and had never held a job for longer than a year.

In 2008, like many others, I was laid off. I was the first to go when the belts starting tightening around the neck of the company I worked for. Mistakenly, I believed my job was safe. I was the only graphic designer employed. They weren't going to let me go. They needed me. Right?

Being fired/let go/laid off is devastating. I don't care where you are in life, whether you are starting out or have been with a company for twenty years, it doesn't make it any easier. I was just starting out. In the span of ten minutes my dreams for homeownership, children, and a happy life crashed and burned. Melodramatic? Maybe, but that's how I felt. I had planned to work for that company for 5+ years. Man, had I been disillusioned. 

I job hunted for two years. No one was hiring. I had worked at my last job for less than a year. I had no degree. I could not compete with anyone for job spots. My well earned student awards from 2007 meant nothing. My talent wasn't enough to make up for the fact that I lacked a college degree and consistency in the work place. 

Long story short, I'm now back in school, or have been for a year. I was once a failing community college student. Now, I find I'm a near straight A student sporting a 3.7 GPA. I have been on the Dean's List since I started back. I'm a member of Phi Theta Kappa. I won a logo contest earlier this year and my design is being used for a new school program.

Starting this Fall I will be enrolled full time at the Savannah College of Art and Design. It was a dream school for me. Their graphic design program is internationally renowned. I still pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming. 

So, here we are. It's 2012. In August I'm going to be 30 years old. I'm a mother of a near two year old. I live at home with my husband's parents. I'm struggling with financial debt. My family is helping me pay for school. My husband works five days a week, over eight hours a day, to make sure my son and I are taken care of. 

Is my situation ideal? Probably not. But it's real. I have an amazing support system. I have people who love me. I'm succeeding when before I only failed. It may have taken me 20+ years to finally be motivated to do something with my life, but I don't regret anything. I just needed more time than most to figure out who I was and what I wanted.