Carpe Diem

A tune is playing in my head. Tracy Chapman's 'Fast Car' feels like what's happening for each member of my family. I'm not referring to drug use or abandonment, but the pace and yearning to find purpose Chapman sings of.  The Waage cars travel in three separate directions. Occasionally the vehicles meet on the driveway, and if we're lucky, we may even spend time with one another inside and share a meal.

Today a fast paced senior year begins for my son and his schedule is jammed packed. All summer long we urged him to get a job so he would begin to know the feel of earning his own money not from his parents, but from a boss.

We spent lengthy hours conjuring up what job would best be suited for Connor. Various roles come to mind - sales clerk, wait staff, warehouse worker and miniature golf ball fetcher all seemed attainable. The summer appeared to slip quietly away with no prospects actually hiring. The leads were just that - possibilities.

A new supermarket opening one town away announced a job fair, and Connor went with resume in hand, only to find hundreds of people like him, in search of any type of employment.

While not hired for the new store, he was offered a part-time position in North Haven, CT., which would likely eat into a big part of the minimum wage earnings he'd make in fuel for the commute. It seemed the window of opportunity passed. Then, as if a gift was given, Connor announced he secured a job two miles from the house.

It's not a fancy job, but money nonetheless. Working for the local grocery, Connor does unpacking and stocking shelves and cashier work. As a parent it's amazing to see your child rise to the occasion and welcome the chance to earn cold cash.

The fast car theme is still idling in my mind because work, school, and music commitments keep him non-stop busy. It's only going to get more frantic when the college Fafsa forms and application process starts. It will seem monumental and it will be.

College costs today are similar to applying for a mortgage. Many of the schools Connor wants to attend have yearly tuition costs higher than my annual salary. I don't know what it's actually going to cost when all is said and done.

We didn't have the foresight to do a 529 plan and I suspect no amount of freelance work will even come close to impacting the debt incurred. Some revving up for intense financing is what I'll be doing.

I'm proud that Connor knows who he is and what he wants to achieve. That in and of itself is terrific. Yes he'll work some odd jobs - who doesn't nowadays, do what it takes to survive? As his parents it's our job to help him get to where he needs to be.

I like it when the rush of work quiets down enough that we can just chill as family, watch a flick and eat supper together.