New Beginnings

Over the last year I have had the privilege of getting to know Ken Faughn. I was his teacher and now I am his friend. He was a student and now he is a teacher.

When Maya Angelou said... "If you learn, teach. If you get, give."...she was talking about Ken. He volunteers in a senior center and teaches at his local community college. When I asked him if he would consider contributing to our blog, I was truly delighted when he said yes. So here is his first post...


My "new beginning" started with one of those light bulbs above my head.

I was working my way through the frustrations of dealing with service companies by deciding to use email instead of the telephone. I found that I could move the process forward over 1, 2, or 3 days time with a minimum investment of my time. Responses to emails came consistently within 24 hours of my inquiry.

I suddenly realized that if it was frustrating for me it must be really so for people who could not navigate a web site, find contact us, type an email or pay a bill online.

The new beginning got wheels when my research took me to see Deborah at the Greenwood Senior Center in Corpus Christi, Texas. An expression of doubt covered her face as I asked if I could help with her computer lab. “I can get back to you if you leave your name and number,” she said. I asked if her over 50 crowd was frustrated with utilities and others and she said, “When would you like to start”.

I will always be indebted to Deborah for allowing me to begin the experiences that have been so personally rewarding over the last 16 months.
I am looking forward to sharing with you on this blog what I have learned and been able to share with my students.

P. S. I have to take advantage of "bloggers bragging rights" and show you my other new beginnings, Presley, 8 years old, and Mia, 3 years old!