Friday, May 14, 2010

Super Dave

Heidi and I were joking around with each other tonight while playing with the Trixie and Snuffleupagus. She randomly asked me, “Who’s your best friend?” I replied, “Trixie, my Chih-weenie dog, because she’s always there for me, listens intently to anything I have to say, and never complains or speaks in a condescending manner to me.” Heidi got a good laugh and then asked me, “Seriously, who do you consider to be your best friend if you had to choose between your three closest friends: Shaun, Scott, and David?” I was completely dumbfounded because I had never given the idea much thought. I paused for a few minutes and replied, “David.” “Why,” she asked, “would you consider David to be your best friend?” To clarify, it is not that I consider Shaun or Scott to be any less of a friend; they too are equally my best friends and I would not trade their friendship for anything in the world. Each has his own unique qualities which I find to be admirable and complementary to myself. Scott is an extremely dedicated father and always places his daughter’s wellbeing paramount to his own. Shaun is also an extremely dedicated father, as well as husband, who shoulders the responsibility of providing for a family of 6. I am not saying that the scope of one man’s responsibility is greater than another’s, but that each responds steadfast to the demands imposed upon him; this is the quality which I strive most to emulate. However, I will dispense with the formalities and tell you why I hold David in the highest esteem.

Ever since I had first met David in high school, I knew I would always have someone whom I could talk to and rely upon for insight when life’s rollercoaster took a downward plunge; recently, I felt as though I was caught in a downward spiraling corkscrew. Yet, it is comforting to know that whenever I feel as though I’m trapped on that rollercoaster, he is always beside me and we’re riding in that car together.

I have had many of life’s difficulties thrown at me in the last few years, some of which people have been privy to and others which I choose not to discuss. Since 2006, I have been working for the US Postal Service and it too has been one helluva rollercoaster ride. The work isn’t bad and my coworkers are great, but I feel as though I am a mindless drone without purpose; I want to have a sense of purpose; I want to enjoy doing whatever it is I choose to do; I yearn to be free from the shackles of a job which I have grown to loathe with each passing day.

Going through a divorce hasn’t been easy either. Instead of parenting as a couple, I have had to become accustomed to parenting on my own. I was stuck in rut, a job from which I derived no sense of satisfaction and had limited opportunity for advancement. I was limited by a lack of education – the door to opportunity remained locked. I felt I had nearly hit rock bottom when “Super Dave” swooped in.

With unrelenting persistence, David managed to convince me to re-enroll in college and work towards earning a degree. Since January of last year, I have been working diligently towards my goal of transferring to a university and completing a Bachelors degree. I continue to work an average of 30 hours a week while attending LBCC as a full-time, 4.0 GPA Honors student. Suffice it to say that I am very busy and always under intense amounts of stress. There have been times when I felt as though the stress was overwhelming and that I would fail, but David was always there to reassure me that I could do anything that I put my mind to. I plan on graduating next spring from LBCC with dual Associate degrees, and transferring to either USC or Pepperdine; CSULB and UCLA are pretty much guaranteed although neither is my premier university of choice. If it wasn’t for David, I am not sure where I would be at this point. However, one thing is for sure; I will stand proud when I graduate and set an example for my daughters that anything is possible with hard work, determination, and the support of a good friend. Now I possess the keys to unlock my future and I can feel the clinch of the shackles loosening. All that I need to do is step through the door.

1 comment:

  1. I appreciate the kind things you're saying, but can't help but feel that you're giving me too much credit. :) But if you're in a giving mood, I'm in a taking one. Here's to a successful matriculation at one of your #1 draft picks!

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