CR1

Dear Ms. Carter,



Sometimes life can be perceived as unfair, the world as unjust and we as a people unclear as to what is expected of us. Many times we have to sacrifice who we are for the greater good, may it be the greater good of our family or our community as a whole, and in doing so our individual selves may be lost forever. No one is born knowing how to be or how things work, these things are taught to us, they are enstilled in us from a very young age by the many people we encounter over the years. Life experiences and the guidance of others coupled with how you feel about things on the inside is what ultimatley makes you who you are. Unfortunately for many, their will is not strong enough to combat what everyone else is pressing upon them to be the norm. Who they are, their dreams their sense of self all taken away and replaced with what others think should or should not be. Because you are a woman you can't do this, because you are a man you must do that, Says who? The Masses. A group of people a long time ago decided a womans place is in the home, to be dependent upon her husband and cater to her children. To be submissive and care for all of his needs, all without a mind of her own or even an opinion other than the one given to her by her husband.

For a woman to want more for herself is unthinkable, why would you want an education when your husband tells you what you need to know. A woman with an education who has a good head on her shoulders is a threat to a man because now he can be held accountable for his actions, now he can be questioned. There is now a threat of his wife leaving him because she can do it all by herself and would rather not deal with being looked down on by him. For many years women have been told their place in life is to have children and take care of the home while the husband works and does whatever he is going to do. It is about time strong women like you and I stand up and say enough is enough. We are done with being simple minded, do as I say type of people. Women can think for themselves, we have an opinion and we need to make sure everyone can hear it.

Believe in who you are and what you want to achieve in life because anything is possible. It's sad that you can not scream from the roof tops and share with everyone about how you wish to persue an education in order to help educate others, but that is life. Some people just won't go against the grain for fear of alienation. Those women in your neighborhood have no idea that there is a life out there other then the one given to them. They are content with living the lives they live even though they are not happy because they don't know any better, at a young age they were taught to be mother's and wives and thats all they know. They would laugh at the thought of you and I getting an education and wanting more out of life because that's what they think they should do, they have to keep up that image of the WIFE, regardless of how they really feel (unhappy). I'm sure deep down inside of atleast some of those women are screaming to get out, but they wouldn't even begin to know how, they don't have the strength or the will to go against what they've been taught to be right.

You should be content in knowing that you have a great husband that supports you in all of you endeavors, no matter what. That if the entire population turn their backs on you, you will be okay because you not only have your strength, you have the strength of your family, which many do not have. At this point in my life, I to have decided to return to school and persue an education in order to ultimately educate others. I am a wife and a mother of three and because of my age many look at me and say, Why? Well all I say is that I want better, not only myself but for my children as well, I want them to continue their education and not face the struggles that I have faced. Where I grew up to go to college and continue your education was not an option shared with us by many, my parents, their parents none of which even finished high school, let alone go to college. I am the first in my family to persue an education beyond high school, the first to want more than just a job, that I will be unhappy with for as long as I am there until something else comes along. I am an outcast because of this and am looked at as trying to be better then everyone else, and I am trying to be better but not better then everyone else, just better for myself. I to feel there is more that I should know, when I have conversations with people who are educated, I feel less than and I don't like to feel that way.

So please don't let the ignorance of others get in the way of your destiny, that is the one you will create for yourself and you will prosper. Once your neighbors find out that you are going back to school and their done laughing, they will realize that a part of them is jealous of your strength and determination to have a self and their laughs will turn into resentment toward their own lives and inability to grow. We as women must be happy with ourselves and go out and get what we deserve, which is everything life has to offer.



May God Bless You and continue to give you strength,