The Name of the Game

My wife, Laura, participated in commencement yesterday and received her long-awaited Master’s Degree with a concentration in non-profit management. During the months leading up to the day, Laura was waffling over the idea of going through the whole ceremony. She saw it as a waste of money to buy a cap, gown and hood that she would wear only once. (As if “wearing it only once” was a real excuse. I mean, what about that expensive wedding dress?)

So after much debate (and after I wrote a check for the regalia), Laura decided to go through with it. Sure it was a pain in the ass to find parking in Oakland, but it’s not every day that you graduate… with a Master’s. I’m just so very proud of her!

“Education is the name of the game,” is what my grandfather used to tell me. And it’s true. Education can really enhance your life, but not too many people know (or at least admit) that education can also distance you from others – sometimes creating an economic and/or social gap. This is an idea I’ve been exploring for a few years now and it’s the basis for the book I hope to write one day.

I would like to explore this and other theories on education in future posts. Perhaps this is the direction I’m heading.