The Note Cards

In order to earn my undergraduate degree I, like many before me, had to take quite a few general education classes.  Most of these classes were boring and seemed like a futile way to spend a morning or an afternoon.  However one class that left a strong imprint on my college journey was a spirituality class called "The Power of the Goddess."

Yes, as the class name suggests it had strong themes of feminism and the wonder of woman. But it also had a fundamental life lesson weaved throughout: the human connection can take many forms and inspire in many ways.

Tonight as I got my usual burst of speed-like energy after doing my evening P90X exercise DVD, I had the urge to clean out some papers of a random box of papers in our garage.  As I opened the box earnestly, there they sat...a pile of crisp white note cards with handwritten notes on them all addressed to me.

A decade has passed since my Goddess class did our final assignment of writing personalized notes of encouragement to each other.  And there, in this 'random' box that I decided NEEDED to be cleaned out tonight, lay a pile of encouragement from Mark, Manuela, Abbie and 20 other former college peers who I somehow managed to lose touch with.

As I sat at my kitchen table and read these notes... something magical happened.  I began to remember the senior college-student Fiona.  Eager, excited, determined and hopeful...was the description being artistically painted in my mind through other's words.  And I was reminded that although a decade has passed and life has gone on, these notes may have been one of the most important college homework assignments we did.

Tears of gratitude welled up in my eyes, knowing that my professor was right...the human connection of these people, in that classroom, at that time made a powerful impact.  So THANK YOU Mark, Manuela, Abbie and the 20 other former college peers who gave me a reminder message of inspiration 10 years later.

WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT FROM THE NOTE CARDS:


"I think that as a woman it is wonderful that you honor the Goddess that lies within.Always remember that strength of womanhood." -- Beth


"Fiona, I admire your determination to make the world a better place.  Good luck!" -- Lana


"I admire you for being creative and having the vision to see the world as it could be."  --Manuela


"You hold your family and friends close. I've noticed over the semester that you are also very proud of what challenges you have overcome knowing that they make you stronger." -- Mark