I am excited to start my second semester at HSU and feel great to have one semester under my belt. The first few weeks I have had a few challenges with the updated system but am finding my way. I am nervous and overwhelmed with the thought of the work load for the semester. It feels like an avalanche of work but I will continue to dig my way out one paper or one post at a time.
I found this weeks reading Chapter 3 of Why I Write to mimic my feelings. I really enjoyed Timothy Patrick McCarthy's writing about the struggles and accomplishments in his life. I found it interesting he still experienced feelings of "intellectual inadequacy" at his level of academia(p.31). I love that he was so honest in his self-reflection and allowed us to view him through his words. I found Mr. McCarthy's to be inspirational when he wrote he would "replace insecurity with courage"(p.38). I think I shall strive for the same. I also think this is a central message I will be trying to empower my clients with. If we are able to let go of our insecurities and proceed with courage it seem the possibilities would be limitless.
I wish you all a great week!
McCarthy, Timothy Patrick (2006). Why I Write. In J. Downs (Ed.), Why We Write(pp. 27-38) New York:Routledge.
Jodie, thanks for your thoughts. I also found Timothy Patrick McCarthy's essay to be interesting reading. I liked what he said was the two most important lessons he learned in graduate school, "first, that history was essential for fully understanding contemporary social experience; and second, that history could also be an important tool for social change" (p. 36 and 37). I love history and if I could've figured out a way to make a living without teaching, that's the path I would have taken. I agree with McCarthy that we must understand where we've come from in order to know where we are and then to decide what we can do now to make changes if we find we want that.
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