[ican'tbelieveit]

I may have survived a public school education, but it was far from a successful experiment. I could have accomplished much more and been a much more productive member of society much earlier in my adult life had I not been exposed to the public school mess.

Then, I cannot begin to discuss the pain and misery I inflicted on my parents because I was rebelling to be accepted by my cool school "friends." Guess how many are still in my life: zero, zip, nada. But, the scars of those years are still there for everyone involved.

[bannie]

Essential to remember in this experiment of life: We can't know the absolute, finite differences our lives would have held if certain aspects of our lives had been different. If your high school experience had been another, you might have cause your parents different horrors.

Personally, I'm grateful for the paths of my life--many of which weren't ideal--because they led me to where I am.