Next week: Pythagoras' theory

Growing up, my brother and I knew that college was not an option for us.

It was mandatory.

There was to be no back-packing through Europe or following Phish on tour.

High school graduation day was just another last day of school. While our friends were charting their course for a year of fun and getting high, we were packing our bags.

My father was the first generation in his family to go to college. He paid for it himself, by flipping pancakes and scrambling eggs at a diner.

We heard it over and over again; education is THE most important thing in life. It was instilled in us that we should never assume we know enough, or feel content with our current knowledge on any subject. There is always something new to learn in the world, and we were going to be taught.

At first, I despised my father for this. I was 18, old enough to make my own choices. He listened to my diatribe for a good ten minutes and then asked which homeless shelter I was choosing. If I wasn't leaving for college in the fall, I was going to a homeless shelter.

I chose the former.

Now that I am edumacated and have a useless piece of paper on my wall, I can see he was right.
Education IS the most important thing.

I learned a lot in college, and I am not talking about historical facts or mathematical theorems.

In fact, I am quite certain that in the unlikely event my life depended on me completing an algebraic equation, I would die.

But, I did learn life skills, problem solving, test taking and how to make a nickel bag of pot last all night.

I now pass on to MY children the importance of a good education. Lauren is exceptionally bright and we know she will go far in life. The consensus is that she is 'gifted', which means she can out talk us. Anthony on the other hand is only two. If his current interest in learning is any indication of his future, he will most likely be a quality control inspector at an underwear factory.

I'm hoping he's number 17. That's my favorite number!

Anyway, I digress.

Last night, we decided to open the pool for the season. By open the pool, I mean get out the electric pump and inflate the 5x3 pool. It took all of eight minutes to inflate and fifteen minutes to fill.

Once filled, the kids jumped in and splashed away. After a few minutes, Lauren asked me to join them, which I did.

I lowered myself into the freezing cold pool and sat down. As soon as I did, water sloshed over the sides and Anthony was pulled into the undertow that my entrance caused.

Lauren looked at me and sympathetically asked "What happened?"

It was then I realized why I was thankful for being forced into completing higher education. I thought now was as good a time as ever there would be to explain the Principle of Archimedes to my daughter.

Though I spoke in euphemisms and tried to avoid using terms like meniscus and water displacement, I think she understood.

Mommy is a mass. Mommy's mass replaced the water, so it had to go somewhere.

When I was done explaining physics 101, she looked at me very confused and said "Ok, but you still didn't tell me what happened to your arm, where did you get that boo-boo?"

Sometimes a question really is JUST a question.

Love,
Cici
AllAboutCici@gmail.com