As a child of immigrants (my dad had been a shepherd, my parents didn’t go to high school), I can really relate. Every choice was the right choice, every choice was the wrong choice. God help me.
Thank you for the honesty, the drum beat, and the sheer power and heart of all of your words. In every form - be it poetry, short story, or essay - you make me think deeply and feel honestly. I so appreciate that.
And, yes, that line - "Their full-time job is sadness." One of the most powerful lines I've read in a long time.
My parents both have master’s degrees…neither one can read Joyce. This reality makes gauging the opportunity cost of education extremely difficult. Education is about professional ladder climbing, and not appreciation. At least in my family.
Your family is not alone in that. As a highschooloer, I often wondered "what do I need this for" but never dared to ask, probably because I doubted the adults in my world enough to believe they would give a satisfying answer and I knew I had little room for more reason to doubt. It's frightenting how "efficiency" and "utility" now drive everything, as if the goal of living is to stop thinking or working. Blecccccch. I love it when students ask me "why do I need this?" I always start with, "I probably wont convince you, and obviously you DON'T need "this." But the goal is to practice new ways of thinking, doing, seeing and communicating so that the world and all its possibilities befriend you." Thankfully I had an English teacher quirky enough to hold my attention and get me to try Joyce. Though I didn't understand it, I quickly saw the thrill of doing something new. And then...
I can read Joyce, I understand him fine with some training and practice, my highest degree is high school, why should I finish my bachelors and get a masters? Everyone says I should is the main reason right now.
I think the benefit, at least in my experience, of the degrees is the ability to decide what you want to learn at the various stages. You are forced to learn in those K12 years, but once you get the General Education courses out of the way (and even those are more customized to some extent these days) then you can decide what you love or want to strive to learn more about. Yep, you can learn on your own, but having access to the educational resources, instructors/professors, and a student colleagues is what you make it. I found it enriching. Education becomes "easier" as you advance and the feeling of fulfillment (again, in my case at least) is immeasurable. In the end, though...be true to you and what you feel you need or want. You absolutely decide/influence what's next.
I'm generally skeptical of any panacea, silver bullet, any version of "everyone says everyone should." Jimi Hendrix failed music, Einstein failed math, etc., and there are countless examples of people discovering/learning/building inventing away from the standard network and system, so its virtually impossible to measure or know what is "worth it." Education works if it inspires you to learn, grow, connect, network, invent, know in meaningful ways. I join in the "you should" crowd if you will throw yourself into it. But I'll start a separate "you shouldn't" chant if you have something else that will fire you up but you know you'd just diddle around at school. Working hard at something is usually a good investment, far better than sitting around thinking what you want to work on. Be wary of the trap of entertainment. Most people seem to have lost the inherent joy of work, lost in the endless quest for amusement and entertainment.
Sherman, you are pulling at my heartstrings. This has so many aspects that touched me. If I reiterated all of them, I would be retelling what you wrote.
I appreciate so much that you borrowed "grandmother's truck" from her ghost, even three years after she had died. I still nap in the sunny window on mom's bed with her ghost beside me. It will be mom's room and mom's bed until I die. Sherman, I love learning from your stories about life on the reservation. Though I do not identify with it, you write from the heart and there is always a piece of my own heart in your words. Thank you.
As a child of immigrants (my dad had been a shepherd, my parents didn’t go to high school), I can really relate. Every choice was the right choice, every choice was the wrong choice. God help me.
cross promo?
Thank you for the honesty, the drum beat, and the sheer power and heart of all of your words. In every form - be it poetry, short story, or essay - you make me think deeply and feel honestly. I so appreciate that.
And, yes, that line - "Their full-time job is sadness." One of the most powerful lines I've read in a long time.
"Their full-time job is sadness." Oof.
Thank you.
I seem to remember this... evocative it remains.
I published it online many years ago.
The drum, the heartbeat.
Thanks.
Thank you, Lynne.
My parents both have master’s degrees…neither one can read Joyce. This reality makes gauging the opportunity cost of education extremely difficult. Education is about professional ladder climbing, and not appreciation. At least in my family.
Your family is not alone in that. As a highschooloer, I often wondered "what do I need this for" but never dared to ask, probably because I doubted the adults in my world enough to believe they would give a satisfying answer and I knew I had little room for more reason to doubt. It's frightenting how "efficiency" and "utility" now drive everything, as if the goal of living is to stop thinking or working. Blecccccch. I love it when students ask me "why do I need this?" I always start with, "I probably wont convince you, and obviously you DON'T need "this." But the goal is to practice new ways of thinking, doing, seeing and communicating so that the world and all its possibilities befriend you." Thankfully I had an English teacher quirky enough to hold my attention and get me to try Joyce. Though I didn't understand it, I quickly saw the thrill of doing something new. And then...
I can read Joyce, I understand him fine with some training and practice, my highest degree is high school, why should I finish my bachelors and get a masters? Everyone says I should is the main reason right now.
I think the benefit, at least in my experience, of the degrees is the ability to decide what you want to learn at the various stages. You are forced to learn in those K12 years, but once you get the General Education courses out of the way (and even those are more customized to some extent these days) then you can decide what you love or want to strive to learn more about. Yep, you can learn on your own, but having access to the educational resources, instructors/professors, and a student colleagues is what you make it. I found it enriching. Education becomes "easier" as you advance and the feeling of fulfillment (again, in my case at least) is immeasurable. In the end, though...be true to you and what you feel you need or want. You absolutely decide/influence what's next.
I'm generally skeptical of any panacea, silver bullet, any version of "everyone says everyone should." Jimi Hendrix failed music, Einstein failed math, etc., and there are countless examples of people discovering/learning/building inventing away from the standard network and system, so its virtually impossible to measure or know what is "worth it." Education works if it inspires you to learn, grow, connect, network, invent, know in meaningful ways. I join in the "you should" crowd if you will throw yourself into it. But I'll start a separate "you shouldn't" chant if you have something else that will fire you up but you know you'd just diddle around at school. Working hard at something is usually a good investment, far better than sitting around thinking what you want to work on. Be wary of the trap of entertainment. Most people seem to have lost the inherent joy of work, lost in the endless quest for amusement and entertainment.
This felt like you narrated a scene from my adolescence, even though I'm Pakistani. Thanks for this <3
Thank you.
I never cease to be amazed at your ability to conjure so many emotions with so few words. You are a gift.
Thank you, Karlynn.
This was great!! So short, but it gets the message across beautifully. All of the above; so sad!
Thank you, Neil.
“Full-time sadness”. Grateful for this story and your words in the world.
Thank you, Nancy.
Absolutely love this, Sherman! Been a fan of yours for decades, you still don't disappoint.....
Thank you for the longtime fanhood, Leon!
I am touched by your stories. Sometimes my heart is touched and sometimes my funnybone.
Thank you, Barbara.
Sherman, you are pulling at my heartstrings. This has so many aspects that touched me. If I reiterated all of them, I would be retelling what you wrote.
Thank you, Monica.
Sherman, you r the best!
Thank you!
I appreciate so much that you borrowed "grandmother's truck" from her ghost, even three years after she had died. I still nap in the sunny window on mom's bed with her ghost beside me. It will be mom's room and mom's bed until I die. Sherman, I love learning from your stories about life on the reservation. Though I do not identify with it, you write from the heart and there is always a piece of my own heart in your words. Thank you.
Thank you, Sharron.