It had been a long afternoon by the time the bad news was delivered. One of my closest friends, who throughout the time that I’ve known him demonstrated an immense desire to learn, had just been told that he was not going to be able to go to university. He was beyond heartbroken.
“I don’t quite understand it, but I guess I have to”, he told me with tired eyes that still had the remnants from battling sleep to get through a long exam week. It was not that he was not smart or that he did not work hard enough, but he just did not have the resources at the time. He was going to have to wait and save up until he did.
Time passed and he found a job, which he told me about whenever we could find time through our hectic schedules. He would also let me know that he did not give up on his dream of being able to go to university, and that it continued to be a flame that he never stopped stoking: He never stopped reading, studying [on his own] through whatever resource he could find, and most importantly, learning about the world as it continued to move.
Today, through his sheer determination to learn and improve, he worked his way up to a good position overseas while finally being able to go to night school, with his path looking clearer than ever. “I went through a lot, sometimes being passed over when they learnt I did not meet certain requirements in my education” he told me when we were catching up. “But I’m glad that I didn’t let my determination die”. And it was here that I realised why having a formal education should be continuously appreciated, but why it is important.
An education is among the most powerful tools to help someone get further in their lives, whether it is in their academic studies, careers or even in their own pursuits, a great driver and motivator towards success. Learning and getting educated, whether through school, practice and experience, can lead one to several different achievements, become part of making a number of dreams come true and even being of assistance in making an impact on someone’s life and on the world, even if it is only a little bit. Therefore, it always deserves to be appreciated when you are among those who have access to it.
Another important thing that I am constantly reminded of is that getting an education is neither a race or contest, but something that can provide a path regardless of where one is in life. If the desire to learn is kept alive and constantly strengthened, then possibilities will always be open.
Since thinking about my friend and his story, I’ve developed a newfound appreciation for education along with an understanding of just how important it ultimately is. It is a powerful tool that can get someone quite far in life, as well as something that can be open to use even later in life given the determination. And it is for these reasons that we should always appreciate it and see its value.
Photo courtesy of Unsplash
