I got my Kapi'olani Community College (KCC) acceptance letter in the mail yesterday for Fall 2009! What's even more exciting is that because I had previously completed one semester at Honolulu Community College (HCC) after I graduated from high school back in 1997, I don't need to take the placement test at KCC and can pick up right where I left off over ten years ago! That is such a huge relief! Upon receiving my acceptance letter, I decided to look for my old HCC report card in a file cabinet where my mother has stored documents and memorabilia (most useful, informative & nostalgic; some absurd & straight up embarrassing) that pertain to me dating back as far as 30 years. While shuffling through all these old documents from my childhood, I came across my grade school report cards with notes and progress reports from my teachers. There were two progress reports that really caught my attention... one from my 2nd grade teacher, Mrs. Akinaka, and the other from my 5th grade teacher, Mrs. Miyahara.
Mrs. Akinaka (2nd grade teacher) wrote:
"I'd like to see her take more "risks" in doing things & be more independent."
Mrs. Miyahara (5th grade teacher) wrote:
"She is capable of doing good work but is held back by tenseness. She needs to take "risks" and develop more confidence in her abilities."
Wow... it was such an eye-opening experience to read these comments about myself from my grade school teachers. I can't say why I've always been fearful and have held back... but reading these progress reports made me realize that I have been this way since childhood and it's helped me to understand why I am the way I am today. In a strange sort of way, it made me feel a little better knowing that it's something I've struggled with since an early age and not something that I've acquired recently... an unusual sense of relief. SO, where do I go from here? Well, there's nowhere to go but forward. From this day forth, I will strive to be less fearful and more self confident! I will expect to make mistakes along the way, and I will learn and grow from those mistakes. I will not hold back... and I will take more risks.
"Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly."
-Robert F. Kennedy
Photo by me
Canon 5d Mark II
50mm f/1.4
