1. Qualifying – twice – for the National Spelling Bee.
2. Receiving poetry underlined in green – which means good things – from Al Haley, my creative writing professor.
3. Becoming a book reviewer for Shelf Awareness, after reading it and loving it for three years.
4. Seeing my name in print in Radiant and ACU Today (and online in various places). Thrills me every time.
5. Every single time I’ve been offered a job. Because it means they picked me.
6. Mastering the long list of regulars – and their drinks – at the Ground Floor, so I knew everyone’s name and order when they walked in the door.
7. Sinking a basket in a seventh-grade basketball game (the only one I made all season).
8. Finishing my master’s thesis.
9. Living abroad, by myself, for a year – I had a strong community around me, but that year tested me in important ways.
10. Living alone in my own apartment for a year (the year before I moved to Oxford).
11. Knitting a whole sweater – big, chunky, a little lopsided, but an actual sweater.
12. Moving across the country to Boston – nearly a year ago now – and beginning to make a home here.
13. Singing a solo at the coronation ceremony before my senior prom. (And surprising everyone who thought I was just a bookish flute player.)
14. Giving the salutatorian’s speech at my high school graduation.
What are some of your triumphs? I’d love to hear them. I think we all deserve a cheer sometimes.
I love this list and I gave the same speech at my graduation!! I hope you are well & that your Boston summer has been fantastic! XOXO
What great triumphs! Finishing an M.A. is definitely at the top of my list, especially my thesis. I know it sits in a dark library corner, likely untouched, but I still like to think Lewis Carroll would approve of it.
Going back to school to finish my Masters after having 2 kids!
Some that came to my mind:
Giving two well-received lectures at a marriage course in our church with my husband this year, and impressing my parents by being chosen to teach others about marriage.
Getting praise for my well-behaved child, often – although I still think it has more to do with his well-tempered character than with my efforts.
Giving birth – too sad it made me fearless of pain for only about one day.
Being the first one of my high school class who got married, despite the fact that I was probably the only one without a boyfriend in high school.
Getting accepted at my first-choice library school.
Having my dream job and being good at it.
Being able to go out alone without feeling uncomfortable.
Oh, I almost forgot the cheering part: Well done, Katie! You achieved a great deal.
What a great list! Bravo. I guess mine would include winning a prize for my senior thesis on 3 20th century poets, my 1:50 half marathon, being asked to join Dani Shapiro’s private writing class,and the fact that both my children (6 and 8) still consider my kisses to heal all manner of hurts.
I was so proud of every single one of those things. But most of all, I’m just proud of YOU because you’re you. Mom