19. Great Minds: Write about someone you admire and you thought to have had a beautiful mind.
My sister was the first in our cousin generation to go to college. It was particularly a big deal because it was the mid-1970’s and not many girls went to college. She had skipped second grade so when she went off to college, she was only 17 years old and still needed parental permission to play sports on campus. I am six years younger than she is so I didn’t quite appreciate all she had to do to prepare for college.
Being a first generation college student meant navigating prerequisites, applications, and funding with no one to guide her. Our parents were peripheral in sister’s college plans. I’m in awe that she figured it all out and was very successful in her college career.
Sister went on to get a Masters in Social Work and a PhD in Public Health. Her knowledge depth and expertise in her field is beyond what I can fathom. I appreciate how she conceptualizes a problem and works collaboratively to find good solutions. As she thinks about retirement, I think it’s a waste of all that beautiful knowledge! I am inspired by her and am delighted that I’m related to her.
