Starting Over at Forty-Five

At forty-five, after twenty years in accounting, I went back to school to become a nurse.

My friends thought I was crazy. My kids thought it was hilarious that we were all doing homework at the same kitchen table. My wife was the only one who said, "It's about time."

Nursing school was hard. I was the oldest person in most of my classes, and some days the twenty-year-olds learned things twice as fast as I did. But I had something they didn't yet: I knew exactly why I was there.

Last month I graduated. My daughter made a sign that said "Go Dad!" in glitter, and my son, who is sixteen and too cool for everything, hugged me in front of all his friends.

I start at the hospital next week. I'm nervous and excited and grateful. It's never too late to become who you were meant to be.