Gratitude

by Laurie Caswell Burke


As I observe the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, I sometimes marvel at how frantic people allow themselves to get. They rush around at warp speed trying to find the perfect gift, make all the cookies, buy the tree, trim the tree and pen holiday cards. For me, the holidays have always offered a chance for reflection. I make an effort to not get caught up in the hubbub, and instead make time for friends and family any time they want to see me. 

I notice more and more that the line after Thanksgiving is often, "We should get together after the holidays." That seems ironic—isn’t getting together with good friends and being grateful for family what the spirit of the holidays is all about? Each year, my husband Tim and I try to take time to look back on the year and remember all the things that we have to be thankful for.

Our daughters Kate and Molly are always quick to come to mind. And we will be eternally grateful for the Stern Center and the role it has played in helping them both achieve their accomplishments. 
Kate, who was struggling with reading, first came to the Stern Center kicking and screaming when she was in the third grade. She was one of the “curriculum casualties,” being promised by each teacher she had, “Don’t worry, you’ll get it next year.” But her third grade teacher realized what was happening and finally confirmed our concerns. It was then that the Stern Center changed our lives and saved hers.

Kate was fortunate to work with several different instructors over the years, including Pam Billings, Michelle Szabo and Neil Shapiro. And now she loves to read. Our biggest concern quickly became figuring out a way to get her to stop, as she was oftentimes caught reading with a flashlight under her covers after being put to bed, always begging for “just one more chapter.”

As for Molly, our oldest, the Stern Center helped her when she preparing for the college standardized tests. Taking tests had never been her strength in school and while she had excellent writing skills, and other academic strengths, timed test taking was always a struggle. We were once again fortunate to be able to take advantage of the Stern Center as it offers one of the best personalized SAT/ACT prep courses in our area. 

I immediately signed Molly up and a wonderful six months of working with instructor Chris Shaw—a person she looked forward to seeing every week. She was excited to attend her classes and her confidence grew from week to week. The personalized instruction was just what she needed and was exactly what we, as parents, were looking for. She is now a thriving college student at Denison University in Granville, Ohio.

This holiday season, we are grateful for how far we have come and for all of our close family and friends.

Laurie Caswell Burke is a Major Gifts Specialist at the Stern Center. She is a writer and teacher. Skinny Dipping with Loons is her first book. She lives in Shelburne, VT.