Respond to the following:
Sometimes it’s not practical
to follow one’s heart. When is this the case? Should you follow it anyway?
Though we do not control all aspects
of our lives, we do have a lot of choice over what happens once we leave home and are able to exercise more autonomy. These
choices often have to do with what makes us happy or what we need to do to survive. Sometimes if we’re lucky, we can
take care of both in one act. In one of the books we are reading this semester, The Pact: Three Young Men Make A Promise
and Fulfill A Dream, the three doctors: Sampson Davis, George Jenkins, and Rameck Hunt are able to make choices which
provide them with a fulfilling and satisfying lives.
They live in an area of Newark, New Jersey,
characterized by criminal behavior, poverty, inadequate public schools, and single parent homes. Their story is one which
many young people throughout America’s “inner cities,” like parts of Oakland, Richmond, San Francisco, Los
Angeles, have to navigate.
You made a choice when you decided to
enroll in this college class. In an essay I’d like you to talk about where you are now in your life and where you plan
to be in two years when you are finished with your undergraduate requirements and able to transfer to a four year institution
of higher education.
What is the plan for these two years?
Do you need any assistance? Do you know where to get it? How can I help you? What do you need to adjust in your life to be
successful?
The theme we are going to look
at this semester is the choices people make “for love or for money.” The three doctors decided
to go into medicine “for love and for money.” Sometimes our personal and professional choices have immediate payback
potential.
As you navigate this journey, there will
be distractions and times when the pace seems to slow and you want immediate gratification. When this happens
remember what Aesop wrote in the tale of the Tortoise and the Hare: “Slow and steady wins the race.” There
is another saying, “Good things come to those who wait.”
I would add “Good things come to
those who are preparing themselves for greatness and are psychologically and emotionally available for opportunities as they
arise.
This is why you are here. The Sspire
team: College of Alameda faculty and staff is prepared to help you meet these goals over the 2006-07 academic year.
Expected length: 1-3 pages typed, double
spaced, 12-point font
Due date: Next class meeting
