For the last year and a half I have been eating, breathing, and sleeping grad school. I have kind of ignored many other aspects of my life as I work on my master's degree. But this was a very important weekend for me that reminded me of something very important.
This weekend I didn't focus on school work, I didn't skip out on things to do homework. I spent time concentrating on some very important friends and family.
I spent Friday with my dad, helping him celebrate his birthday. I spent Saturday with family and got to see my nephew in one of the most important games of his life as he helped lead his football team in the playoffs. I hadn't seen him play before and in this his senior year and his last game (unfortunately they lost) I was able to witness it. And Sunday evening I spent with close friends helping celebrate the lives of a father that has gone to a better place as we had a memorial service for Pat's dad, Ed.
I have spent so much time working on my degree that I have skipped so much but this weekend I was reminded that it isn't about the work I do as much as those I consider my close friends and family and how important it is that I spend time with them and experience life with them. These are the people that have stood beside me in all my crazy times when I have been stressed or upset or broke and usually all of the above. I think it is important that sometimes we set our work or studies or menial tasks aside and remember what is most important. That is friends and family. What I did this weekend is so much more important than all the homework I didn't do and I am willing to take the punishment for not having my stuff done tomorrow (because I know I won't get it all done). But that is ok because I was able to remind myself that my life shouldn't revolve around homework and a degree and a job and money but around love and friendship. I hope I can keep this in mind these last months when the stress will become unbearable at times as I work on my last classes.