As a teenager, I never took education seriously. I wish I had. I'm certain I am not alone in feeling this way. Lately I have been thinking a great deal about education. I sometimes wish that I had held off on getting married and having children, and attended college instead. But, now looking back, I know that everything has happened for a reason. And I am SO glad that I did things the way that I did. I know the person that I was right after high school. If I had gone to school right away, I would have continued to make the same efforts that I had always made. And that would have ended up in very expensive bad grades. haha. I was not mature enough for college. I did not value education, or my mind.
Since then, I have become a wife and a Mother. Which is a type of education all by it self. One that I am no where near "mastering", but am continually trying to improve. I love my life. I love my family. But as much as I love it, I do not feel 100 % fulfilled. It has taken me some time to figure out what was wrong. I figured out that my brain has been left dormant for too long. Long enough that I have come to value and appreciate it. I now have a hunger for knowledge. I crave the feeling of learning something new. The last time I felt this way was probably when I was in Kindergarten. I don't really remember. But I feel it now. So, I will begin to feed my brain. Build it back up, the way you would an atrophied muscle. It will probably hurt a bit at times but it will feel good as well I'm sure.
We are advised by prophets to get an education. We are told that an education is vital to our future, not only in this life, but in the next. Our knowledge is all that we take with us when we die. We cannot take any worldly posessions with us. So, in an eternal perspective, our brains are the most valuable things we own. And we should focus on them. Academically, and spiritually. They are all connected. I believe this with all of my heart. Because I know that there is a living prophet on the earth today. And if he is real, then God is real. Heaven is real. So, I plan to pack my little brain with all that it can carry, to the eternities.
Deciding where to start can be daunting. When I hear the phrase, "get an education", I automatically think of the word, Bachelor or Master. Very frightening words to me. I sometimes think, I am not smart enough to ever achieve either of those. Or, I don't have time for it. But, really, I AM smart enough. And I DO have time. I have a life time. I may not be able to go to school full time, or be able to afford to commit to a four year degree or more. School is EXPENSIVE. But I will do what I can. You don't have to go to a university to learn about something. There are thousands of books in library's. And they are FREE! So, if you are wanting to start out slow, go to your local library, pick a subject, find a book, and educate yourself. I don't believe that it is nesecary to have a "degree" in order to truly learn something. You can be your own educator. And you take all knowledge with you. Not only the knowledge accompanied with a certificate. Heavenly Father requires no papers. :)
I believe that the most important knowledge is that of the gospel. The scriptures. Our savior. Our Heavenly Father and his plan for us. I am currently half way through reading The Book of Mormon. I have read it before. But never like this time. I am truly reading it. I love it! I have always wished that I had a testimony of The Book of Mormon. And now, I can. And I am not yet finished with it. If you have never read it, I hope that you will. With an open heart and mind.
Ok, so this has been a bit intense and long. These are just some of the many thoughts that have been constantly going through my mind as of late. Oh, and guess what!! I just found out, that I will be able to get an associates degree through The University of Phoenix. For free! Because of Pell Grants and tuition assistance through the military. I am SO excited!! But I am having the hardest time deciding what to study! Ahh!!
