Susan Jeske: Life Goals
Somewhere in this world there is someone who decided that people needed to set goals.
The impression is that nothing good happens if you don’t set goals to achieve. I have set small achievable goals. I always wanted to keep enough money in the checking account to cover all my bills and feed my family.
An achievable goal, though there were times when it was very difficult due to low or no income and expenses that caught me by surprise.
When I was in high school there was a class called “Current Events.” The class was guided by a history teacher who was easily distracted from her subject if Yellowstone National Park was brought up. She had worked there in the summers between school years.
I was not expecting to get into that class my junior year; it was usually filled with seniors. So I felt honored that my request was granted. We read articles in the Wichita Falls Times-Record newspaper.
There were book reports on recent historical figures. One day, the teacher went down each row and asked what our goals in life were. I panicked as I listened to classmates who had lofty goals of going to college and pursuing careers that would make them rich. My humble response was to be happily married and be a “Haggar’s Hag.” (I hadn’t even met my future husband at that time).
I had worked the summer before at Haggar slacks hemming mens double-knit slacks. I learned fast and sometimes had to wait while the seamstresses ahead of me provided something for me to hem. The Line Leader didn’t mind when I brought a novel to read while waiting for the next pair of pants. She may have pointed out to other seamstresses that I had brought a book!
One day there was an issue -- my machine wasn’t working. Pants piled high and when we got the bug in my machine fixed, I hemmed a record of 12 dozen (144) pairs of pants, 288 legs) in one hour! I hadn’t set a goal higher than just keeping up with the line. But it felt good when I accomplished something so surprising.
Actually, I guess my goal as stated in that high school class was a difficult one for some. Many of the classmates did not marry happily the first time. I hope they did eventually find someone that made them happy. My husband and I will celebrate our 49th anniversary this year.
I do set small goals these days. Saturdays my goal is to clean and prepare the living/dining/ kitchen area of our home for Sunday dinner.
When all my children and grandchildren are here, as well as my brother- in-law, that’s 17 people!
The out-of-town daughter isn’t here every Sunday, nor is our college-age granddaughter, so we’re down to 12 when only the locals are all here.
I set goals when I design crochet patterns, and when I’m working on completing a projects. My home bookkeeping also has goals that I can meet.
I didn’t set goals for my children, though they may have set their own. In school, we just asked that they do the best they could.
“Going to school is like your job,” we told them. We raised them in the church, and taught them common sense, though sometimes I think that’s inherited, not taught.
Whether they set goals for themselves or not, I am very proud of the adults they have become. A never-verbalized goal, but one that they accomplished for me.