Goes to show you are never too old to accomplish your goals in life
Elizabeth (Betty) Reilly walks across the stage at the Broward Convention Center in downtown Fort Lauderdale, Florida from Broward College on December 14th, 2011 to receive her Associate’s Degree (English Major) with High Honors. Below is an essay taken from her homework folder:
Lessons From A Carousel
Some memories from my early childhood are still vivid today, so many years later. I was not quite five when my father took me on my first carousel ride. I was a bit reluctant to get up on that giant noisy monster of a machine, fearing I might fall off. Daddy reassured me, promising he would hold me safely and we’d have fun. I loved my Daddy and trusted him. He was ever my strong protector, so I let him lift me on. People were scrambling noisily, picking their seats. Little boys were pushing and shoving one another, fighting, having picked the same horse to ride. Daddy said I could sit wherever I wished. Some old ladies were seated in sleigh-like benches, and I started to turn toward them. They looked safe. Daddy, however, encouraged me to pick a horse on the outside ring, saying he was there to hold me safely, and we would have more fun. Picking a grey spotted horse with white mane and tail, its collar decorated with ribbons and flowers, I was lifted up and strapped on safely. However, it was Daddy’s arms I trusted. Suddenly the music started. The carousel started moving, my horse going up and down as we went round and round. I clung tightly to Daddy’s neck, while he soothed my fears speaking softly.
“Betsy, listen well, this carousel ride is fun but it can teach you something very important!”
I was a bright child and paid attention. Daddy was always telling me stories, so I listened eagerly.
Daddy went on, “Life is like a carousel. You can pick a safe seat, riding round and round, with nothing happening, like those old ladies sitting on those benches. However, if you are brave, and more adventuresome, you can reach for the brass ring.” Reaching up and out, his fingers caught a brass ring. “Your brass ring will be whatever you dream it to be. As you grow older, your life will have many ups and downs, like this carousel horse. However, no matter how long it takes, eventually, if you keep reaching, you will get your ring.”
The carousel slowed down and stopped along with the music. We got off and cashed in our brass ring for a free cotton candy cone. I was soon sticky, happily holding Daddy’s hand as I skipped along beside him.
The years past. Those years were trying for my parents. It was the height of the Great Depression. We had moved to New York City where my father had a better chance at obtaining employment. Times were hard, but we children felt safe and never really lacked for the necessities, unlike many others. Money was short, and our mother became ill under the continuous stress. However, we children felt secure. The most stressful thing for me as a young student was changing schools because we were continually moving. Father kept having to change jobs, and he wanted us to live near his work. He needed us to be close because of mother’s failing health. It was a time of many ups and downs in our family’s life.
Mother had started me reading at five, encouraging a lifelong love of books and I was soon a bookworm. Needless to say, I was an enthusiastic student. I began to think of becoming a teacher. I found I would need to go to college to teach or enter any profession. That’s when I set my goal to achieve a college degree. My hope of college depended on me earning a scholarship. Having come through the Depression, few had money. I was doing well in school and believed I could win one. This was the first time I vaguely remembered the lesson of the carousel. I began to think I had something to reach for, my brass ring.
Having completed my tenth grade, I was forced to quit school because of economic necessity and got a job. Refusing to give up, I entered night high school. It wasn’t easy, working and studying. Some jobs didn’t work out well, resulting in several job changes, but I persevered. World War II was nearing its conclusion and everyone was looking forward to peacetime and a better future. Thinking of my graduation and getting that longed for scholarship was a constant goal. Thoughts of carousels and brass rings floated through my mind. Gradually, I approached my goal, graduation and my scholarship.
Suddenly disaster struck. I became ill, missed my finals and lost my chance at the scholarship I was fairly certain of getting. I was devastated. Not only had I lost my chance to go to college, but I was ill for over a year, too weak to both work and attend school at the same time. I not only had a down-turn on life’s carousel, but I felt I had fallen off. No more thoughts of my brass ring.
A young man I met gave my life a new direction. I fell in love. Dreams of college no longer entered my mind. Marrying and raising a family was my new life. Many big ups and small downs kept things interesting. Little downs never lasted long enough to shake my confidence. In time, we were doing very well; my husband established a small over-the- counter brokerage firm on Wall Street. The family was growing, financially we were fine, but trouble was ahead. My husband became so immersed in running the firm, the quality of our family life suffered. He had little time to spend with the family, and we all protested. The children only saw him at fleeting moments, which wasn’t enough. Agreeing that the situation was out of control, he left Wall Street, investing in a business allowing for a more stable family lifestyle. This was a bad move and we lost heavily. With diminished finances, it was necessary to regroup. I had forgotten that one of life’s downs could trigger a great change, as it did when I became ill. This change, a big one for us, would result in our moving to South Florida in 1965.
I have an upbeat personality as a rule. If something goes down, for sure it will be up in a short time. Uprooting one’s family as we did, took a lot of faith and fortitude. My family and I treated it as an adventure. My husband had a new well paying job. We looked forward to this new life in Florida, willing to embrace it with open arms. The next few years were a repeat of the past. Eventually, my husband opened a consulting firm, raising money for Florida companies interested in mergers, acquisitions, and underwritings. Our children grew up, surviving the turmoil of the times. All was fine until the financial recession of the late 1970′s – 1980′s hit the country. Companies stopped expanding, retrenching. My husband’s firm was forced to close.
Down we went again, yet we never gave up. Despite numerous setbacks, we were close as a family. There were some personal family troubles, but they were dealt with. Once again we went through shaky times, but being old hands at survival, we just regrouped. Our home was filled with laughter in spite of setbacks. Actually we were very happy, proving that money wasn’t everything. Those memories helped sustain me when, in 1989, I lost my husband. This was the most down time I had ever experienced.
Deeply grieving, for a short time I felt greatly depressed, but I refused to wallow in depression. I did everything to break the cycle. For a short time I made my home with one daughter. It was impossible to find work while there. Not wanting to become totally dependent on anyone, I moved away to live for a time with a son and his family and got a job, becoming semi-independent. Time and work eased my grief related depression. Soon I shared an apartment, later a condo. with another daughter. My ups and downs were small, mostly related with work situations. I didn’t think much about them for years. I wasn’t unhappy, but began to feel restless. Things were becoming stressful at work. Business was off, and hours were being cut drastically. I was now one of the oldest employees. I left, looking for a more lucrative position. A job opportunity required proof of a high school diploma. Many years had passed since I missed graduating, but I went back and got my GED diploma. A teacher I knew suggested I go to Broward Community College.
I registered at BCC, at eighty-one, sixty years after becoming ill, and missing my chance at a college scholarship so many years before. That night I dreamt of my father, Daddy, taking me on a carousel. I remembered him telling me life was like a carousel with many ups and downs. Once more I was on my carousel, hoping to grab the brass ring, my special dream a degree. At college, I faced many challenges and new techniques, like learning the computer. Again there were many ups and downs, but every new challenge brought new success and confidence. Soon I was getting A’s and joined Phi Theta Kappa. I didn’t just sail through my courses easily. I know I earned good grades by hard work, a point of pride with me. Math was my nemesis, a big down, and it nearly drove me to my knees. After so many years of life’s vagaries, I refused to give up and quit. Fortunately, the math problem was solved.
As my father taught me so many years ago, my life has been like a carousel ride, with many ups and downs. My early dream of college was my brass ring, a personal goal to reach for. Soon I will obtain my degree, albeit a bit late. However, when I grab that ring, and look at my gnarled fingers holding that degree, I will know my ring is not brass, but gold.
Need I say more? You go girl!
tallgirl3
