Shared By Carla
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After a break of about nine years, I returned to my career (part time at first) to find that the old diploma qualification that I had got had been replaced with a degree and I felt less qualified than the younger counterparts.
I decided to do something about this, especially since I had always felt that I should have taken a degree course in the first place, so I returned to college and did a diploma in a related subject. I next did a post-graduate diploma and finally graduated in 1996 with a Master’s degree. By that time I was exhausted. I had been working full time and had two children. Without the love and support of all my family (especially my husband) I would never have got through it, the thesis I wrote was my “Mount Everest.” My husband would take over the housework so I had no excuse not to study, and take the children out somewhere every Sunday so I had some peace and quiet to write my thesis.
I did NOT want to go to the presentation ceremony. I just wanted to get my piece of paper and put it all behind me – to get on with my life again. However, my husband insisted that I attended the formal event. He said he deserved it after all he had been through!! I reluctantly agreed and sent off for the tickets. When the tickets arrived there was an extra one and I casually mentioned it to my mother. She immediately said “Why not invite your father to come along?” I thought it was unfair to invite just one of my parents but she said she really wanted him to go and told me why.
When my father had studied for his degree in the 1940’s, it had been a struggle. His parents were not wealthy and he had had to work his way through, doing road mending and all sorts of jobs to help fund his learning. He met my mother whilst he was studying and they were deeply in love. When he eventually qualified, he spent all his remaining money on an engagement ring for my mother and so he could not afford to travel up to London to collect his degree. So he never went to his award ceremony and never got to wear the gown to which he was entitled.
I was very glad to invite him to come to my ceremony.
When I got to the robing room, I mentioned the fact that my father had never been to his award ceremony to one of the staff who were handing out the pre-ordered robes. He asked me what university it was and what year. I told him, and he asked me to wait. When he returned, he had found the correct robe for my father and absolutely insisted that we borrow it free of charge. My father felt a bit silly at first, but everyone convinced him that it was his right to wear the robe and we had our photographs taken together for my mother. It was an absolutely magical day that I could never have expected. I am so glad that my husband insisted that I went.
My son expects to graduate next year, and God willing, we plan to have another picture taken, this time with all three of us.
From Julie, an Insight of the Day subscriber.