STORYTIME TAPESTRY

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Special Treat ??“ Sharlett Hunt

Nov 5, 2005? 

? My Greatest Dream

? Sharlett F. Hunt

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?  I don't talk about it much but I quit school at age fifteen.?  I had made it through the ninth grade as an honor student but due to circumstances beyond my control, I had to discontinue my education to stay home and care for the three children of the family with whom I lived.? 

This hurt me deeply as I always loved school but it seemed as if I had no choice in the matter at the time.? 

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?  At age eighteen I decided to join the WAC so the Army provided? for me to get my GED so I now had a HS diploma, of sorts, but it always bothered me that I really didn't have much formal schooling.

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?  As the years went by and I married and had children, it occurred to me many times that I wasn't educated, especially around others who were.

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?  I encouraged my children to learn all the could, teaching them that? any knowledge they acquired could never be taken away from them.?  My daughter was pronounced gifted in grade school and went on to obtain a Masters Degree.?  I also have two sons who have done quite well, the youngest recently continuing his schooling over the Internet, having completed three years of college earlier.?  ? 

?  When I finally got all three in school, it was time for me to go back myself, or so I thought.? I attended the local community college and managed to rack up twelve credit hours before dropping out because by then my drinking had become a priority and I couldn't stick with anything very long, even something that was so important to me.

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?  I was on a downhill run after that.?  I started a course in Real Estate, not once, but twice, and dropped out both times.?  I did manage to stick with nine months of Cosmetology School, which I attended somehow, while drinking daily.? 

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?  I did pass the State Board Exam and became a licensed hairdresser. Thank God I never worked at it though some said I was creative.?  I can just imagine.?  I cut some of my friends' hair for? the price of a six pack.?  I was a mess and my life was a big drunken joke, only nobody was laughing.

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?  I was in and out of drunk and abusive relationships over the next thirty years and had outwardly stopped caring about whether or not I had an education.?  Inside I felt like a complete failure.

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?  I always read a lot, trying to teach myself as well as I could.?  In the back of mind there was still that gnawing craving to learn.? 

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?  I finally was able to stop drinking over a period of time, by the grace of God? and lots of tears and heartache later.?  I knew that one day I would go back to school and get my degree.?  This was so important to me.

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?  Yesterday was the day I had been waiting for.?  I finally got up the nerve to go down to Polk Community College and enroll.?  I will study Psychology and I will get that degree that has waited for me all these years.

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?  I'm fifty-five years old now and worry that my memory isn't what it used to be.?  I know to compensate I will have to study extra long and hard.

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?  This is very emotional for me.?  When I told my youngest son what I had done, all he said was, 'Cool Mom" but I could feel the pride in his words.

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?  There really are no words to describe what I am feeling right now.?  I guess I have a feeling of a new beginning.?  I do know that I am so grateful to God for bringing me this far.

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?  I also have a little fear.?  My health isn't the best and I hope that physically I will be able to keep up.?  I know that God gave me a gentle push to get me started and in my heart I know that He will give me the strength to finish this.

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?  So many of my dreams have been realized in the past few years.?  I have been blessed with so much!?  Through sobriety I have been given my life back, a little at a time.?  It overwhelms me to know that soon I may have the qualifications to counsel others who suffer from alcoholism and other addictions.?  This has been my greatest dream of all time!?  Somebody pinch me!

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Sharlette863 @aol.com


About Me:

I was born in Alabama, the middle of seven children. At about age four we moved to Central Florida and I have lived here most of my life. I am a Viet Nam Era Veteran. I have always enjoyed writing and as I get older it seems to come more naturally to me. I believe everyone has many stories inside them and some are blessed to be able to share them.