Joanne was a graduate student at University of Wisconsin. Knocked up, with a lot more to do than raise a child, she made arrangements to have her baby adopted. She felt very strongly that her child should be raised by college graduates, so she chose an attorney and his wife. When Joanne’s son was born, the couple decided they wanted a girl. Another couple was eager to adopt the boy, but didn’t meet the educational requirements. Joanne waited for three months until she finally approved the new adoptive parents with the stipulation that they would give her son Steve a college education.
These were working class people. They saved enough money to send Steve to a small college in California. He was a very smart kid, but felt guilty that his folks were shelling out so much of their hard-earned money. He dropped out, but Steve was no ordinary quitter. He hung around the campus, sleeping in friend’s dorm rooms, and attending classes that looked interesting. Steve Jobs went on to found Apple, NeXT and Pixar Animation. Steve’s life is a true American success story.
Success and the happiness that comes with it, is a result of using your strengths and having the courage to do what you know to be right. When you make decisions about your education, work and your life, put family and faith first.
