A Golden Envelope

On Wednesday, at lunch time, Bill picked me up from the Missouri Career Center, where I attend Adult Education Classes.  When we got home, he got the mail and there in his hand was an envelope that was a golden color.  The return address said it was from the admission office at Missouri Western.  He handed it to me, at that moment more excited than I was for me to open it.  I must admit that I was frightend to open this letter.  Inside was scary no matter what it said.  So I ripped it open to get it over with--you know, sort of like ripping off a band aid quickly?  Then there were the words.  "Congratulations.  Welcome to Western."  Wow, it is really happening.  I am going back to school.  I am filled with joy and fear all at once.  It has been so long.  This has been my dream for almost 3 decades, and here it is, right in front of me.  All these weeks I had hoped.  All these weeks I have been afraid that all of this was just a mirage, that I would have longer to wait, or perhaps I would never be able to go to school at all.    Yet here it is.  This is real.  Wow!