Mom and I arrived home before the rest of the family.I was glad.I wanted some time alone.With my chin almost touching my chest,I pulled off my coat and hung it in the closet.When I turned around my mother was standing right in front of me.She didn’t say anything.She just stood there looking into my eyes with tears running down her cheeks.Seeing her cry was too much for me.Before I knew what was happening,I was in her arms bawling like a big baby.A few minutes later,she led me into the living room to the couch.
“Sit down,honey.I want to talk to you.”
I rubbed my eyes with my sleeve and waited,plucking at the crease in my trousers.
“You heard what the doctor said about your not finishing school.I don’t believe him.”
I stopped sniffling and looked at her.Her mild blue eyes smiled into mine.Behind them lay an iron will.“We’ll have to work very hard,you and I,but I think we can do it.Now that I know what the problem is,we can try to overcome it.I’m going to hire a tutor who knows about dyslexia.I’ll work with you myself evenings and weekends.”Her eyebrows drew down as she peered at me.“Are you willing to work,Peter?Do you want to try?”
A ray of hope shone through the hazy future.“Yes,Mom.I really want to.”
The next six years were an endurance run for both of us.I studied with a tutor twice a week until I could haltingly read my lessons.Each night,my mom and I sat at my little desk and rehearsed that day’s schoolwork for at least two hours,sometimes until midnight.We drilled for tests until my head pounded and the print blurred before my eyes.At least twice a week,I wanted to quit.I had the strength of a kitten,but my mom’s courage never wavered.
She’d rise early to pray over my school day.A thousand times I heard her say,“Lord,open Peter’s mind today.Help him remember the things we studied.”
Her vision reached beyond the three R’s.Twice I won at statewide speech competitions.I participated in school programs and earned a license to work as an announcer on a local radio station.