The Guilfordian

I dreamed once of getting a degree in Journalism, joining a newspaper staff and writing about real life, real joys, and real pains. My passion has always been writing. I wrote my first book (still unpublished) when I was in fourth grade.

I started using my middle initial in eighth grade because my English teacher told me that "Paula M. Wilder" sounded like an author's name. My dream burned within me, but when I was 18, I let the dream die down to embers.

Painful things happened, painful choices were made, but when it all comes down to the bottom line, I let my dream go.

Then one day I decided to take my life back. It was like coming out of a coma and looking around to see that life and time had passed. There were some gray strands, there were some wrinkles and somehow there were four children that looked up at me and said, "Mommy."

But the reclaiming of my life was like blowing a sweet breath on the embers of a dying fire. The embers started burning a little brighter - more breath, and then the embers started to flicker. More decisions had to be made - more breath was blown on the fire that now caught hold. My dreams were coming back and they were excellent and beautiful.

I started to write, I started to speak, and I started to get published. I found my passion again and my zeal for living returned. I knew I didn't know enough. I knew I needed more training, I needed to finish school. "What for?" people asked. "How can you do that and be a good mom?" My answer - "It's just for me and my kids will make it." I came to Guilford to finish school, but also to live out my dream.

I know some of you (old and young) are out there saying, "What is the big deal? Go to college already without having to make it into a 'dream' situation." You say to me, "I'm getting my degree to make more money" or "It's just what you do when you are 18." You drag yourself to class everyday just waiting to graduate with your degree so your real life can continue.

Hey, that's ok, that's you and I'm me. I am here; loving it, and I am writing and I am learning and my fire is burning and my dreams are alive.

I know I'm not the only one breathing life as I walk into these classrooms here at Guilford. I walk by you and sit across from you in class and I see that spark. I wonder what dream you are pursuing. I've shared mine and here I hope to share yours.

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