Defining Moments
We've all had them. Those little moments when everything changes and our life as we know it is over. Sometimes we don't even know they've occurred. We make a tiny choice, based on nothing more than whim, and three years later we are able to weave an intricate thread into the past and know that one little choice was the beginning. My little choice was simply saying "I'm Jane," when a raggedy little boy came up to me on the playground and informed me that he was Tarzan. We became best friends, he forced me to read books I thought I wouldn't enjoy, I became obsessed with said books, I found an online club devoted to them, and eventually met my husband at that site. If that raggedy little boy had been sick that day or decided to play on the swings instead of the monkey bars we might never have become friends and I would never have met my husband. Little moments have big consequences.
Sometimes our defining moments are big. I remember sitting in my boss's office, listening in numb horror as he carefully explained that I was being sued for giving a student an F. I needed to produce copies of my grade book and all assignments the student had completed. Since the student had received an F because he refused to do any assignments at all, my arsenal was empty. In that moment I knew I was done with the career I had worked so hard for. I knew I could no longer work my ass off for a salary that didn't even cover my essential bills when this was all the thanks I would get. At that moment I did the morally unthinkable and gave into the not-so-subtle pressure my boss was heaping upon my shoulders. I agreed to let the student do an extra credit assignment so he could pass the class and I could avoid spending my summer in court. At the moment that I compromised my core values, I knew I could not continue my teaching career. I'd like to say I stood up and told my boss to kiss my ass, then walked out the door. Instead, I bided my time and made a plan for survival. I didn't get the instant gratification I wanted, but it was a defining moment none-the-less.
This month we have stories of finding love, finding purpose and finding strength. We hope you enjoy reading about the moments that make us who we are, and take a little time to think about the moments that define you. What would your life have been like if you had played a different sport or taken up a different hobby? What if you had majored in psychology instead of English? Where would you be now if you'd never met your best friend? The paths of life are intricate; I hope you're content with the one you've found yourself on.