A temporary set-back
I got a call from my sister this morning. She was supposed to go to Melbourne for her son’s convocation soon. But it’s not happening now, cuz he’s not graduating, cuz he didn’t do well in one presentation and it has caused him his graduation, which will now only happen next year.
My sister sounded upset. I’d be, too.
It’s a peer pressure thing, both for him and for his mother. In my sister’s case, we have cousins with kids my nephew’s age and as far as I know, none of them have failed to graduate.
So I can imagine the pressure my sister will be under if she ever meets a cousin and gets asked the usual questions – so when is your son graduating, what’s he doing next?
I know we’re not supposed to let external forces influence our happiness, well-being, whatever. But we’re only human.
Get this – my nephew is NOT stupid. He didn’t fail because he’s stupid. He failed because he didn’t quite make the grade. In his case, I believe it was his English that held him back. Cuz he’s from a Chinese-medium school so his English has always been a little below average. And get this – he didn’t fail any exam, which has always been the yardstick to get a degree; what he did was he didn’t do well in a presentation paper, which is why I think his English got in the way. It’s unfortunate that the university has chosen to let this get in the way of his graduation.
Most of all, get this – he’s Chinese educated, English is not his first language, yet he was accepted into the University of Melbourne. I continue to be amazed whenever I think of this.
This is just a temporary setback. I believe there’s a reason for it happening. I also believe God will make something good out of this.
Simplistic? Probably. But complicated person that I am, my faith is pretty simple. I wish the rest of my life were.
