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Thursday
Oct182007

Forty, Mid-Life Planning & The GRE

I have spent all day today, and a lot of time over the last several weeks, studying and practicing for the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), which, in kind of a sick way, is my birthday present to myself, since I registered to take the exam next Tuesday, Oct. 23rd, four days before my birthday. (And, as it turns out, the day before leaving town on a surprise birthday trip with my husband!!)

Yet again: What was I thinking?!

It all makes sense, really.

For some time now, I have been trying to figure out what I want to do with the rest of my life, turning 40, with the kids all in school now and growing more and more independent. They still need me, as they've proved again and again in the weeks since I made this decision, but I need to be thinking about life when they don't, or I will be stuck in a time warp when it's time for all of us to be moving on, you know?

After some soul-searching, a long conversation with a good friend and mentor, and the stark reality of the career options I have to "go back to," after working from home for myself in various entrepreneurial adventures for 13 years (NONE)...The question came up, in conversation with my friend: "Of all the things you are doing now, what do you most enjoy?" (It ain't volunteering for the PTA, I can tell you that!)(Well, not that I MOST enjoy, anyway; I enjoy all of that well enough.)

The answer: "Writing, first; and coordinating my Book Group(s) -- researching, reading and discussing great literature."

My wise mentor (a wonderful, funky, black woman) said, "Girl, it sounds like you need to go into teaching. You would be great!" As a retired educator and media center specialist, and someone who knows me very well, I trust this woman knows what she is talking about. And the whole idea touched my soul: YES! Which is always a good sign.

Long story short, that conversation sparked a remarkable series of fate and coincidence, along the lines of: When the time is right, everything falls into place.

The perfect solution presented itself in the Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) in Creative Writing at Georgia State University, here in Atlanta. It is a "rigorous" program, incorporating creative writing and literature that "prepares students to write and teach." It will give me the structure I need to make the leap back from non-fiction to fiction, and finish my novel-in-progress, with the benefit of great career potential during graduate school and after, teaching writing and/or literature at the college or adult education level. (Despite my mentor's enthusiasm and assertion I should teach high school, I'm going to leave high school for my children to enjoy, and stick with adults.)

Everything has fallen into place quite nicely -- magically, even -- and I'm all set on the application process, with the exception of a more current GRE (apparently, 17-year-old scores just won't do!) and the Creative Writing Program additional requirement of "50 pages of a novel in progress..." which I am just not thinking about right now, until after the GRE. (I have hundreds of pages of a novel in progress, it's just all crap, so I'll have to work on that.)

And that brings me back to studying for the GRE: I will be so glad when it is over! As usual, there is plenty of other stuff going on, and I have to take it all one day at a time, with the focus on the GRE for the rest of this week. Oh, and getting ready to be away for four days (getting myself & hubby ready to go, and everybody else settled to stay home!); and my middle school Book Group on Monday; and Halloween the next week...and I have to tell you about the New Media Event I attended last night, sponsored by The National Dairy Council 3-A-Day Program at Super Suppers of Decatur...SO COOL!

You know, as crazy-busy as life is, at least it's never boring.

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Reader Comments (2)

I just took the GRE this summer and WOW was I glad when it was finally over. It was just so nerve wracking preparing for it. You'll do great!
October 18, 2007 | Unregistered CommenterJanssen
Thanks, Janssen -- that is very reassuring! I can't imagine the feeling next week, when it is over, no longer hanging over my head with the constant niggling thought, "You should be studying..."
October 18, 2007 | Registered CommenterSherri Caldwell

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