The only reason I can afford to go to school is because I get a fairly good amount of financial aid in the form of grants. Being the working poor does have its benefits, LOL.
Anyway this semester I FINALLY, after years and years of writing scholarship essays, won a scholarship award . . . a RENEWABLE scholarship award. It was an amazing feeling. Also, my scholarship is what is called a "named" scholarship, which means it is funded by an individual who donated the funds to the university with specific requirements, and they are deeply involved in choosing who wins the scholarship.
All that is to say, last weekend I went to the Recipients' Dinner and met the lady in person who funded my scholarship. It was such an amazing and humbling experience. She talked to me in detail, specific detail, about my essay and why she chose me. She told me about herself and her life and how my life parallels hers in many ways. It was such an intimate and enlightening conversation. I almost cried. Financial aid awards are one thing, but this was a remarkably unique experience like I have never experienced before.
It just really reminded me that there are still honest, genuine, good people in the world. She is. She gives me something to aspire too. I'm glad to have had that experience. I won't put her name on the Internet, because she may not want her privacy exploited, but I will post a photo of us at the dinner.
Has anyone or anything blown your mind lately?
Until next time . . .