Winning through Strife

Things for me were finally looking optimistic back in August 2021. College was going well, I was helping with business development efforts for a few companies, I was building my own vineyard company, my career and family life was healthy, and everything was about to be "stable" for likely the first time in my life. I was about to see the top of the mountain I have been pushing the proverbial boulder up since childhood.

I am used to roadblocks and difficulties. I am fond of challenges and change. I can pivot and run with the best, but Hurricane Ida started a gauntlet of challenges lasting more than 3 months without stopping that I couldn't begin to describe in detail and it is still ongoing without an end in sight.

Losing my dad (Joseph "Kenny" Jaubert Jr) and my Mentor Mr. Jim Eddins was sure the worst of the last 3 months, but the demoralizing daily grind of dealing with a community deteriorating around us has made each day worse than the last. For 1.5 months We lived on generator power which meant constant maintenance, the AC and more kept breaking, sewage backed up. Waking up each day has been an adventure in problem-solving because there are no service people here anymore and everything just kept breaking, every day something posed a new insane level of increased demoralization. For 3 months we had no internet and even phone calls and texting were difficult at best.

All that aside, this post is about my recent win in college. See, I was about to complete my final paper in a Master's Psychology course when Hurricane Ida hit. The college put me on an extension which expired on the 17th of December. I was able to get Starlink Internet a week ago, and complete my 16-page paper on the deadline date! The reviewed paper was returned with almost a dozen "Excellent" remarks and was graded 100/flawless, making my overall grade for that class a 96.5. The paper itself is a reflection on Prison Reform and how Psychology and Cybersecurity can reduce recidivism and fill critical jobs shortage through a software program I am capable of designing and developing.

I did not crumble though I was on the verge many days. There were a handful of people who gave me strength during these difficult days. I did not stagnate, I actually became stronger, enlightened, evolved. Not a single one of my ambitions met its demise but instead has been tempered and enhanced.

To the few who have helped me these last many months, I will forever be in your debt.

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