A Shark's Tale

Otherwise known as... Friday Quotes... to Remember

This past Friday I began the all-important process of Senior Appointments, which is when we see all of my seniors, in small homogenous groups, and make sure they have a plan to get from My Small Town High School, to wherever they want to go in the wide world beyond Our Small Town.  Some already have a plan and are good to go... others, not so much.

That's why we see everyone. 

I was meeting with one of my seniors, who happened to luck into a solo meeting, when he said something rather profound, for a high school student.  He was one of the ones who already had a plan, and was actively carrying out his plan.  I was impressed.  I'm glad to know that you are so on the ball.

Well, you know, it's just my future.  (Quote #1)

A student who gets the gravity of the fall frenzy!  Success!!!

Later that day, I had a board meeting with My Ever Growing County Counseling Association.  I was telling my colleagues that I was nervous about an upcoming certification examination I am taking as part of my endeavor to obtain a Specialist's degree through Stetson University.  One friend looked at me... Jen!  You're one of the smartest people I know!  Of course you're going to pass!!!  (Quote #2)

Knowing that other folks have confidence in me, in turn increases my own confidence.  I don't really think of myself as being all that smart, aside from being in love with words and the ability to spell well.  I'm just... driven. 

That drive has kept me at the books all but about two hours since seven this morning. 

I don't really like the word ambitious... all that I know is that I push myself super-hard, and that I'm constantly raising the bar on myself.  To be truthful... I'm looking forward to a bit of rest, after I successfully complete this exam as well as the last session of my current class.  Too many Sundays have been sacrificed in the name of achievement.  I may be driven, but I'd really like a weekend of couch potato-dom, or at least a whole weekend not involving any sort of schoolwork or school counseling work whatsoever.

A girl can dream. 

Finally, I come to Quote #3, which is the mother of all quotes, and aptly came from the woman who birthed me.  I was in the board meeting on Friday afternoon when my phone rang.  Mom.

I don't normally answer the phone when I am with other people, but I made an exception for my mother, especially on Friday since she was vacationing with friends in Vero Beach.  Our conversation went something like this:

Hi Mom!  I MISS YOU!

Hello Jennifer!  I'm okay, but I've had a little mishap.  I was bitten by a shark.

I was up and out of my seat in a flash, so that I could absorb everything my mom was telling me.

What?  A SHARK?

Yeah-- it was just a little shark and I got a few stitches on my eyebrow but I'm okay.

You went to the hospital?!

Yes, but I'm okay-- I just didn't want you to be shocked when you see me on Sunday.

Okay-- but just so you know, I have to put this on Facebook.

We spoke for another minute, and then hung up.  I was in shock.  My mother had been bitten, in the face, by a shark.  How does that happen?

I walked inside, feeling like I was outside of my body.  I left about thirty minutes later and called Mom while enroute to my next engagement.  I needed to process how exactly this happened.  My mother told me how it had been a small shark and she never saw it but she was fine, except for the stitches.  When I met up with my friend, Mom called again.

Jen-- I want you to know... it wasn't a shark.  I fell walking up stairs from the beach.  Check your phone-- we texted you the picture.

You FELL???

Now everything became clear.  My mom is a wonderful, amazing, energetic person.  She was born cross-eyed, but had many operations to correct her condition.  As a result, however, Mom is exceptionally accident-prone and depth-perception is... not her strength.  The aging process is not helping matters.  In typical fashion, she doesn't let this deficit slow her down.

Mom told me that she was bitten by a shark because that was a much better story than the truth.  I have to confess, I was in awe of my mother and the shark tale.  The truth was harder to bear.... but we both know that as she gets older things like climbing stairs are going to need to be handled with care.

Mom returned from vacation today with her usual vim and vigor... and a serious shiner.  She looks like a battered spouse, with two inches of stitches taking up residence on her right eyebrow.

She has promised me in the future she will tell the truth. 

This is a big week.

I need to get back to my examination preparation, because even when we are told the most fantastical of tales, life indeed does go on.