Magnificat

When I was in 8th grade, I was informed by my mother that my choices for high school were going to be Mags or Mags or, oh yeah, Mags. I had spent five years in the Westlake public school system and this news was more than upsetting to me. I was not prepared to leave the friends I had made and attend an all-girls Catholic high school. It was a long summer of fighting and pouting. I can not remember if I ever came close to getting my way, but I know in the fall I donned my navy blue pleated skirt and embarked on my mother's path for me. That same year, marked the end of my parents' 23-year marriage. My mom decided that being married to a man was rather inconvenient for a lesbian so off she went to discover her own path.

A crazy thing happened after I spent some time at Mags; I actually loved it. I made great friends, and I loved the comfort of not worrying about guys while I was at school. Of course, as soon as I liked it, my bitterly divorcing parents couldn't decide who was going to foot the bill anymore and informed me that I would not be able to return for my junior year.

So... I guess I got what I had originally wanted, just two years later. Let me just say, dividing high school between two schools, two groups of friends, and two different standards of education,,, that's a blast. I didn't realize the difference then, but the truth is, as good of a public school as WHS is, Magnificat grooms its girls for success.

With the advent of MySpace and Facebook, I have been able to reconnect with classmates from both schools, and I can tell you, the girls from Mags are insanely successful and driven. It wasn't just about getting good grades, it was about finding a path that would lead to a career to be passionate about. I don't know what my life would be like if I had a different Alma-mater. I am too old and have seen too much to believe that where I am is the result of any one life experience. But, still, I can't help but wonder . . .