Women’s HER-story

In honor of Women’s History Month, I decided to share my story.

I remember my mom telling me that when I was born, my dad was disappointed because I was a girl, and they already had one daughter. Funny thing is that after my birth my mother gave birth to 3 sons, and of all my siblings, I was my dad’s favorite.

As a young girl, I remember my dad always encouraging me to be better, to be fearless, and brave, which helped me develop a great sense of self. I have failed and tried again many times, with little regrets thanks to my dad.

As a now 60-year-old woman, I have held and hold many roles; I am a sister, aunt, wife, mother, stepmother, grandmother (my favorite role), friend, former teacher, retired school psychologist and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.

I always loved learning and change. I left home at 19 to go to college far away in Europe. After one semester, I realized that I didn’t enjoy it, and made the decision to drop out. I traveled a bit throughout Europe, couch surfing in friends’ and some relatives’ homes.  I then decided to try college again this time in the US in Michigan. I successfully completed my Associates degree, and then went on to obtain my BA. My senior year, I became pregnant, but I still managed to graduate even though I had a 4-month-old son.

Fast forward a few years, I got married, and we moved to California after the birth of my second son.  In California I worked as a social worker, before going back to college and obtaining my master’s degree and teaching credential. I taught elementary school for 10 years, and gave birth to my daughter, before changing careers after getting my school psychologist credential.

During this time, I also divorced my husband and was a single mom managing my work and home life. It wasn’t easy as I didn’t have extended family nearby, but I had wonderful friends and neighbors who became my support circle.

At the age of 52, I decided to go back to school, for my second master’s degree, as I wanted to change my career and plan for my side job after retirement. I was now re-married; my boys were grown and out of the home and my husband and I decided to foster a teenager whom we adopted two years later.

I proudly go my second master’s degree at 54 and started the long process of becoming a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, while working full time, and taking care of my family.

 I finally became licensed in September of 2020, (during the pandemic), after failing the exam in December of 2019.

I am sharing this not to brag, but to inspire others to not give up …If at first you don’t succeed, try again!! I failed 7 the grade, and dropped out of college my first year, but I persisted, and didn’t give up.

I am now happily retired from my fulltime job, and work part time as a Marriage and family Therapist.  As a woman, I believe that we can be anything we want to be as long as we believe and do the work to achieve our dreams. It may take longer than we planned, and we may fail along the way, but as long as we have breath, and don’t give up, we will succeed. We don’t need to be Superwoman, but just be super as women!!

I love this quote “ She Believed She Could, So She Did”

                                                                                  -Kathy Waller-