FINALLY FOUND MYSELF - 2010 VOF WEEK TWO ASSIGNMENT

I FINALLY FOUND MYSELF

My involvement with PulseWire Community, has given me a platform, to finally share my story. I came upon World pulse out of shear luck, and a quest for knowledge.
I went to a Cyber Café to do some research, and a friend, Tosin, who participated In the 2009 VOF, gave me the World pulse web link, and here I am.
My children have grown up and moved on, and I was left all by myself, and painfully lonely, having been a widow for so long. I have this passion for the plight of widows and orphans, having threaded that path.
Being very active, and still ready to contribute to society, I started by counseling women and widows, and enlightening them on the need to improve and empower themselves, through education, and self esteem. I became interested in their children also. My motherly outlook to life makes it fun for us. I am really interested in them. I have the time and the zeal. A book by Senator Hilary R.Clinton, “It Takes A Village To Raise A Child”, helped to activate my interest in this area.
Widows really do need help, especially those with young and growing children. This motivated me to set up the GrandmaRose Foundation.

Now, this is my personal story.

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where people around you felt that you are so lucky and have everything going your way, while deep down inside, you knew there was something huge missing in your life?

I married young and widowed at the age of 21. I did not have the opportunity of continuing my education, earlier. My main focus was on my children.
Against all odds, I have had the success of giving my children the best possible education to make them productive members of society. They were mothered, molded, nurtured, well educated, and very functional and contributing citizens of the Universe.

But here I am with all these achievements, I still felt empty and unfulfilled. I did not have a college degree; though I had practically read every book on the shelf. I knew that reading all the books in the world would not give me the directive to survive in the world I feel I deserve.

My peers discouraged me, by telling me to be content with the achievement of single-handedly raising my kids and providing them with the educational enablement for a secure future. I am really grateful for raising my kids, which is every parent’s God-given responsibility; but I was yet to raise myself.

College and university education have always been one thing I had craved for all my life, and I did not have it, and yet I should be quiet and lose sight of my lifelong dreams. No, it would not be so, I reassured myself. I have a mind of my own, and did not welcome any negative or discouraging influences.

I would like an education that will enable me to interact intellectually anywhere in the world, like I am doing on Pulse Wire, today.
As I am getting older, I wanted a profession that will give me sustenance and influence on society. I would not want to be a liability to any one around me.
I know that with education, I can be anything I want to be. I can fit into any aspect of society. Most of all, I would like to be a literacy advocate for people, especially, women and children, I know there are lots of people like me out there. I know that coupled with life experiences, my education will benefit society in so many ways. I did not just want a college degree; I want the knowledge that goes with it.

It was this quest for knowledge, and a zest to belong that eventually brought me to Nassau Community College (State University of New York) in January 2001, my 52nd birthday.
I took the placement test, was accepted, and matriculated. Now my journey to success just began and will continue.

Finally, I got a degree in Paralegal Studies, with powerful courses in Office Technology, and the quest continues,,,

I would like to use this platform to reach out to widows and women worldwide, and encourage them, in any way possible to empower themselves by aspiring and getting an education. It's never too late to start.

I would like a world where education will be affordable, and reachable to all – my vision.

I am glad I finally let it all out, thereby creating awareness through WorldPulse.

“EDUCATION ROCKS”.

Rose Candy @ GrandmaRose Foundation