Apparently not.
My daughter has just been turned down for the course she applied for.
She’s philosophical about it but I’m really pissed off.
OK, she didn’t fly like an arrow when she first left home to study. There were hiccups and speed wobbles (excuse the metaphors but I’m trying not to get too specific to protect the innocent), and in spite of an incredible work ethic she dropped out and did some hospo work while she regrouped. However, soon after, and completely off her own bat, she found another short term bridging course that she excelled at. Now being more sure of her path, she found this other career that she seemed eminently suitable for. She went through the hoops they set, including the interviews, but found out this morning that she wasn’t successful. Why take a gamble on someone interesting and amazing with so much to give, who is now certain of where she’s going after having had a little life experience, when you can just go with some identikit drone who’s never once drawn over the lines?
What hurts the most is remembering all the times I tried to cheer her up when things were tough: “it’s OK! Just pick yourself up and dust yourself off, no one is going to care about this in a few years time! Tie a knot in it and move on. Keep going forward! Don’t look back!” Was it lies? What about second chances? Is it really ‘one strike and you’re out’? How many times do I have to watch the system kick my kids while they’re down??
Yes, “Fuck those guys!” indeed! And they are the ones who are missing out, of course they are. But where does that leave my little girl?
So, in summary the emojis of the day are:
And before you ask, no the meditation and mindfulness aren’t helping.