Life

Two things didn't mix well in my life.   One was being a full time student and the other an athlete.  


It was great not having parents around telling you to do your homework or to go to class, of which I never


did.   I had a choice, which was more important, playing lacrosse or studying.   Like any first year college


student I picked lacrosse.   At that point I didn't realize what I was getting myself into.   Who at that age


would know either?


My worst nightmare came true in the summer of 1989.   I was academically dismissed from the


university.   I thought to myself "no way, this could never happen to me, I played lacrosse, had a girlfriend,


and I was popular, how could this have happened".   The worst part of the whole experience was the car ride


home from the post office.   The feeling of emptiness overwhelmed me, I felt as if I had nothing inside my


body.   I thought, "what am I going to do?"   Then I had to face my parents, boy was I scared.   What was I


going to tell them?   Sorry mom and dad but I wasted your money; I had no excuses so I told them the truth.  


What happened after that changed my life forever.


It was either the military or go to a community college and try to redeem myself.   I wanted to do


neither, but I had to choose.   The military was off my list and going to a community college sounded o.k.  


So I registered and the rest of that summer I had to deal with the fact that I had not accomplished anything


in the past year and this was wake up call and the only chance I had left to prove to myself that I could do


something.   The fall semester rolled around and I realized that I wanted to do the work for myself not for


anyone else.   This proved to be beneficial, for I received a 3.67 grade point average for that semester.   That


spring was just as good, that year my grade point average was a 3.46.   I was happy, and so were...