John F. Kennedy once said, "Let us think of education as the means of developing our greatest abilities because, in each of us, there is a private hope and dream which, fulfilled, can be translated into benefit for everyone and greater strength of the nation." He also said, "If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich." It's no wonder he's no longer here. He exercised honesty, wisdom, sensicality, & truth. 

So, what is education? Really? Is it an institution? Is it just something to do? Or is it fun-to-mental? There may be lots of answers to these questions; however, when it all boils down to it, in my mind, it is everything. To me, what you know can never be taken from you. You'll always know what you've learned, even if you don't remember everything 10 minutes from the time you learned it; it's something that YOU know. To KNOW something is to be made aware through personal observation or experience, inquiry or information. According to what is true, we learn something each & every day. Though not always new, we have learned, nonetheless.

With that being said, I'd like to delve into the issue of education in the United States. As an older, less traditional college student, I have to great privilege to offer years of what I know to a younger group. I offer what I know at every opportunity, including study habits, time management & a dedication to do my best, against the odds. Here's what I've found though, somewhere along the line, the ethics found in the essence of education has been lost. Sure, many college kids like to hang out & "kick it" but the students who know how to mix learning with pleasure seem to have fallen by the wayside. The dedication to oneself has drifted away.

Outside if the chance to earn higher pay after graduation, the only other reason that many student are attending college is because they were made to go. I think back to the images I saw on the bigscreen years ago, watching the hunger & thirst for education on young black & white faces. The protests, the sit-ins, the prayers...all engrossed a society of youth who were literally willing to give their lives just to be able to know. Today, there is no true concept of what education truly means. 

What you know can open the doors to what you do not know & thrust you into a world of many challenges, so don't be afraid to open your mind to your growth...inmymind...