A dream to wear a cap and gown

2019 was the year that one of my lifetime dreams came true.

When I was in high school, among my many aspirations was a career in journalism. For reasons too complex to detail here it didn’t happen, but the desire to go to university and challenge myself never really went away – it just moved from possibility into the realm of dreams. As life went on, I made my way up the career ladder in a completely different field, doing other studies and eventually marrying, having my children and becoming a stay at home mum.

It was around 2011 and I was into my forties when I happened to do a course with Ellel Ministries called Calling, presented by Gary Barkalow of The Noble Heart. Gary’s passion is to help people discover what their calling is. The journey he takes you on gives you the tools to look back at your life, and follow the breadcrumb trail that God has been leaving you - signs and markers that you may not have even realised were there, or bore any relationship to each other. Over the course of that couple of days, I could see how the many threads of my lifetime were woven together, and one particular word stood out - storyteller.

It was into that fertile patch that I began to be bombarded with radio and television advertising about studying with Open Universities. It got to the point where it became such a barrage as to be almost laughable, and I couldn’t miss that God was certainly trying to tell me something. I checked out what Open Universities had on offer, and it wasn’t long before I discovered a Bachelor of Communications degree where I could major in Screen Studies (film and television), and Creative Writing, and do it all online. It didn’t appear that God thought I should give up on my dream at all.

To say that my husband and children thought I was mad is an understatement. All three couldn’t think of anything worse than university study. To embark on a six year study journey by choice seemed to them tantamount to torture, but I was excited to begin. From midway through 2012 when I started, to when I finished at the end of 2018, I was challenged, stretched and pushed – and I loved every minute.

July 2019 brought that long awaited graduation ceremony to cap it all off (pardon the pun!) It was a long road trip with my husband and son from our home in Sydney to Brisbane where the graduation ceremonies for Griffith University were being held, but we had a great time. I wrote in an earlier post about how part of our trip included collecting a load of baby trees for Bountiful from the Black Mountain Nursery near Armidale on the way.

On impulse, I spoiled myself with getting my hair and make-up done for the ceremony – the last time I’d done that was probably when I got married – it all added to what was such a special day. 

As well as my husband and son, we were joined by my Dad, my brother and my sister in law – and they made an extremely vocal cheer squad when the time came for me to walk across the stage and receive my degree. 

My dream of graduating from university and wearing that cap and gown was now a reality.

To complete my degree was truly one of the most satisfying things I have ever done, and I was proud of the fact that despite not being as sharp as I once was, I was still able to meet the challenges head on, and come out the other side with an experience that was so rich and fulfilling.

Dreams aren't just for the young and they do come true - another Reason to be Cheerful. 

I'm reminded of the line that I remember ends Pretty Woman - the camera pans away after Julia Roberts finally climbs up the fire escape and rescues Richard Gere, and a guy can be heard calling out to people, and vicariously, we in the audience too - "what's your dream?"

Do you have one that's still unfulfilled? Are you in the midst of working on one? Or is there one that has richly blessed you? Please share!

My song for this post is I Have A Dream by Abba.

Tracey  🎓

If Gary Barkalow's Calling appeals to you, he will be back in Australia later this year at Ellel Ministries in Sydney - check it out. 

Information on Gary's book - It's Your Call - What are you doing here? 

With thanks to the YouTube Channel of UlvaeusBjorn for I Have a Dream - Official Live Video December 1979.