“Your mother is very sick,” his dad told him, awkward in his sadness. “She’s going to need a lot of care.”
Skywalker looked up at his dad, taking in his father’s tears, the man who never cried, not even at his own father’s funeral, and understood. “Of course, dad.” Skywalker said. “I can always go to college close to home. Lehigh has lots of great academics, and it’s just down the road from our house.”
His dad looked defeated. “I know we were set on you playing QB at Michigan, son. I can always hire some nurses or aides to help her.”
“No dad,” Skywalker answered. “I know how to take care of her. I want to stay home and help.”
His dad looked away in guilt. “You can’t give up your dreams for us. We’re your parents; it’s not right of us to ask you of it, and you need to think of your future. You should go.”
Skywalker considered this and thought of his future. The glory, the adventures, the fun times he could have living on his own in his parents’ alma mater. His whole life, planned out, set up ahead of him. Then he looked once more at his dad, and then his mom who slept on the hospital bed. He thought of his dad’s limited savings, his mother’s illness, and the dedication and sacrifices his parents have given to him in his life. And he realized it was an easy decision.
“No dad,” he said, squaring his shoulders and willing himself to give up one dream for another. Maybe not as glorified a dream, but a dream nonetheless where he could bring his mother home and support his family. That was still a good dream, he thought. “I’ll stay home. You’re right. It IS my future. That’s the future I want.”
Skywalker played at Lehigh until his mother made a full recovery. He then transferred to Michigan to finish junior and senior year as the Wolverine’s starting quarterback. He was often asked, later in life, if he ever regretted giving up those two years for his family. He was even asked that question after his mother passed away a few years later after a resurgence of the disease. His answer never changed. “I didn’t give up two years,” he said. “I got 2 years more to spend with my mom and to make my dad happy. That’s a great dream, isn’t it?”
Skywalker looked up at his dad, taking in his father’s tears, the man who never cried, not even at his own father’s funeral, and understood. “Of course, dad.” Skywalker said. “I can always go to college close to home. Lehigh has lots of great academics, and it’s just down the road from our house.”
His dad looked defeated. “I know we were set on you playing QB at Michigan, son. I can always hire some nurses or aides to help her.”
“No dad,” Skywalker answered. “I know how to take care of her. I want to stay home and help.”
His dad looked away in guilt. “You can’t give up your dreams for us. We’re your parents; it’s not right of us to ask you of it, and you need to think of your future. You should go.”
Skywalker considered this and thought of his future. The glory, the adventures, the fun times he could have living on his own in his parents’ alma mater. His whole life, planned out, set up ahead of him. Then he looked once more at his dad, and then his mom who slept on the hospital bed. He thought of his dad’s limited savings, his mother’s illness, and the dedication and sacrifices his parents have given to him in his life. And he realized it was an easy decision.
“No dad,” he said, squaring his shoulders and willing himself to give up one dream for another. Maybe not as glorified a dream, but a dream nonetheless where he could bring his mother home and support his family. That was still a good dream, he thought. “I’ll stay home. You’re right. It IS my future. That’s the future I want.”
Skywalker played at Lehigh until his mother made a full recovery. He then transferred to Michigan to finish junior and senior year as the Wolverine’s starting quarterback. He was often asked, later in life, if he ever regretted giving up those two years for his family. He was even asked that question after his mother passed away a few years later after a resurgence of the disease. His answer never changed. “I didn’t give up two years,” he said. “I got 2 years more to spend with my mom and to make my dad happy. That’s a great dream, isn’t it?”