March 1, 2000
Meredith Herald
Campus Opinion
7
Gratitude important
jKNNl BRAOY
Stan Wriler
Some people seem ageless.
No maiter how unstable the resi
of the world is, there is always
someone or something thut
remains as constant as when
you first encountered that per
son or that thing.
For me. that someone was
Bill, a neighbor that for 14
years my family lived in the
house beside. Having lived in
oiir neighborhood the longest.
Bill had a sense of leadership
and responsibility for the rest
of us. He would "supervise"
any activity that weni on in the
circle.
When a street light was put
in near the bottom of our drive
way, Bill wa.s out there every
day to make sure the workmen
were doing their job correctly.
He knew what was going on
with everyone, not because he
was a nosy neighbor, but rather
because he would take the time
to ask.
When I was younger. I
would go ncM door when I for
got my key after school or if I
was bored. He and his wife,
Anita, would inquire about my
life as though 1 were the most
important person in the world.
As 1 grew older and started
driving. 1 saw Bill watering his
lawn or standing in his drive
way with his hands on his hips
thinking. His arm would lift up
into ihe biggest, friendliest
wave I have ever seen. He
would still inquire about what
was going on. For that brief
momenl. to him. you would be
(he only person in the world.
Bill died peacefully in his
.sleep Saturday morning. He
was 83 years old. When my
mother told me the news, 1 was
in denial. There was no way
tlial the white-haired man who
had been such an important
part of our neighborhood
would not be there the next
time I went back home.
Thinking about the whole
situation reminded me of the
cliche “You never know whai
you have until it’s gone."There
arc so many things that we lake
for granted. I never realised the
impact Bill had on my life until
I was forced to remember.
I am sure that many students
were made painfully aware,
especially during the llrst few
months on college, how impor
tant family and friends are and
what they mean to them. I know
that I definitely was. And for me
it was not just people, but the
comfort of a familiar place.
Had I realized the joys 1 had
to the fullest extent possible, I
might have appreciated them
more. But I guess that everyone,
to some degree, is unaware of
Ihe blessings they have until
those blessings arc taken away.
The ability to walk to the
Cate Center to check mail may
seem like nothing to us. but to a
person who lives in a war-torn
country, the idea that we are
studying in a place of higher
learning and that our letters
aren't first opened and censored
is amazing. That may be a bit
extreme, but things like that
actually happen.
I'm not .saying that we should
gel carried away with our grati
tude. but it seems like today’s
society is more focuscd on w hat
we do not have as opposed to
what we do. Maybe forjusi one
day we should stop and think
about what our lives wiiuld be
like w'ithout certain people or
certain things. It might just
make someone ej.se’s day to
hear it.
Honor Council
IS .SEEKING OFITCHRS
H)R niK 2000-2001
SCII(X)L YEAR.*
AI’PLICATIONS WILL BF,
AVAILABLE IN TIIE
Office of Studi-nt
Activities (,)n
February 28 and are
Di;KMARcn6. Please
contact Missy NiiFF
at X2597 OR Dean
Gleason AT x8521
wi i H any Questions.
Submitting to (he Herald :
Submissions must be received by I p.m on the Monday before
Wedncstlay’s publication. Submissions include letters to the edi
tor. press releases and feature articles.
High priority on women’s education
JONi Smith
Staff Writer
As students at a women’s
college we should lake a
moment to reflect upon the
great female leaders of our
country and Ihe world.
Where W'ould we he without
such intelligent and competent
women such as Sandra Day
O'Conner, Janet Reno. Princess
Diana and Margaret Thatcher?
There are so many female lead
ers who progress every facet of
.society, we must recognize
them all.
From politics to education to
helping the needy, women arc
no longer taking a back seal in
current events.
And one thing that you will
never hear a successful female
say is that you do not need a
good education. Education is a
vital part of climbing the cor
porate ladder or doing anything
else you aspire to do. ^
In the job w'orld, a good edu
cation can put you ahead of
someone who does not have a
higher form of education. An
educated woman is very hard to
stop. As an intelligent woman,
your options will not be limited,
and you can do anything you
put your mind to.
“We must love to learn in
order to live." Princess Diana
said in an interview in 1992.
With women no longer being
suppressed in the area of educa
tion, why should any female not
learn all that she can?
It’s a conneaed woiid.
Do your share.
[«r 30 wavs to hdp the environment, wntt
Earth Share,
5400 Inienutional Dr., NVK
Suite 2K (AIM),
Wiashington, DC 20008.
Earth Share.
don’t let friends
drive drunlf
o
U.S. DeparlnMni of
IVansportakiMi
CLASSIFIED ADS
Fl'N-LOVIN; & CAK1N(;
teachers needed, full-time &
part-time positions available. A
Center offers small cla.s.'iroom
settings & excellent benefits.
Apply to: Teni, YWCA. 782-
3072.
MYKTI.K BEACH. SC
Spring Bfeak-Grad Week. $75
and up per person, www.rctreat-
myrtlebeach.com. ! -8l)fl-f>45-
36IH.
KNRRGKTIC, ENTHIJSI-
ASTIC day camp staff to work
in Raleigh or Cary. Full and part-
time positions available. Apply,
YWCA. 828-3205 or 8.34-7386.
BABYSITTER WANTED
after school for 6 year old and 9
year old every Wedne.sday. and
occasionally, other afternoons
and evenings. .Must be a non-
smoker ancl have own car. Posi
tive altitude and references
required. $10.00/ hour. 678-
1367,
IMMEDIATE OPENINGS!
Students earn $375/ $575 week
ly pnKessing/ assembling med
ical I.D. cards from your home.
Experience unnecessary...we
train you! Call MediCard 1-541-
386-5290. ext. 300.
FUN-I.OVING INDIVIDU-
AI..S to work with schi'ol-age
children during after schiM>l care
programs. Weekday afternoon
positions available in Raleigh
and Cary. Apply, YWCA, 828-
3205 or 834-7386.
WEEKEND HEM' WANT
ED for children's birthday par
ties. Uxiking for fun. energetic
l>erson and previous experience
with children. Great hours and
excellent pay. Call 876-1391.
NOTK E TO MEREDITH
STUDENTS: Since October, an
ad hoc committee has been
studying the pros and cons of
distance learning. Have you ever
taken an on-line or television
course for academic credit? If
Meredith were to offer a distance
course, would you be interested
in participating? Please reply to
Dr Pitts (pittsby>merediih.i'du).
CHILD CARE NEEDED
this summer fo> 5 month old
twins, boy and girl, in nice Cary
golf course community starting
in early May. Job includes
peaceful home environment,
piH>i access and generous salary.
Prefer 8-5 but flexible. Call
Marcy/Jeff Hobart at 469-4119.
Child care experiences and refer
ences rei|tiired.
TIIE AllTISM SOCIETY
of NC is in search of part-time
employees to instruct and assist
3 men with autism in a support
ed living home from 4-9 p.m.,
Monday through Friday. Train
ing will be provided. Rxcellent
hourly wage and experience for
students. Please email your
resume lo lshcrift@autism.';i>ci-
ety-nc.org.
HI’.I P WANTED: i lexible
hours, fun work with brides-to-
be and students. Gingi.ss Formal-
Wear. 3 Triangle liK-atioiis. Call
Denise 783-8911.
NANNY NEEDED, Part-
time. flexible hours, ga'at pay.
ASAP. References and experi
ence required. Please call Patri
cia at 5-‘'4-OI6l.
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