Dear Editor:

It isn’t every day that we enter our last year in high school. It isn’t every year that multiple unexpected events change the course of our entire life. But it is quite common that such a change can and does happen in our senior year of high school as we begin to step up our future life’s journey.

Parents and students share in these once in a lifetime experiences. Unexpectedly my father announced he had enrolled both of us in Philosophy 101, a Community College evening class. I excitedly accepted not knowing anything about philosophy. It covered Plato to Socrates, to Ethics and Metaphysics, all of which covered the History of Thought. It was the best introduction to college education leading to greater admiration of my father. When my son was in his senior year, I did the same for him.

The second surprise was learning our Quaker church elders held silent meetings on the Whittier College campus. I didn’t know about meetings led by silence, but it gave me a chance to visit the college campus in my town. As a 16-year-old, I had never been led to speak by a leader of silence. I nervously inquired if they allowed teenagers to speak, and they replied anyone in need of breaking silence can open the door of speech. Another step of life occurred that Saturday leading to being invited to the college on Monday to learn about an evening class in sociology followed in June by the research portion for which my father had to pay $2,000 a little sooner than he expected.

The research incorporated visiting eight-countries, staying one week each in 13 cities, visiting universities and government leaders to learn more about their culture, and their educational methods and access. The summary paper was due two weeks after we returned to complete the class. My world view expanded in knowledge and how much more I would be learning for my future life.

Learning philosophy with my father, participating in a silent meeting, high school graduation, and a Whittier College class, changed my life forever.

Jarryl Larson

Edgecomb