Here is just a little bit about where I have been and how my perspective has evolved over 65 + years on this amazing Planet, with its amazing people. I have been excited to be here most of my life.

I have devoted my life to understanding Human Behavior in all its variations. I grew up poor and uneducated, but definitely inspired to fullfill my family’s desire that I go to college and become someone who helped and served others. I came from a religious family that believed in service to others.

My journey started out very well. I talked very early and was a tremendous success in Pre-School, Kindergarden, and 1st Grade. It all fell apart in 2nd Grade. I was absolutely not equipped for Dick and Jane Readers, Math Fact and Spelling Tests, and my worst experience; standing up at the Blackboard and attempting to regurgitate memorized data that the teacher recited. I Flunked 2nd Grade!

It all went down hill from there. I will be brief; I became enraged at how I was treated, how I was told to Just Try Harder, how I was told my behavior Made No Sense, but mostly how I must Change to fit the Society I was In! The result… I violently rejected the society that was rejecting me!

At 19, I was headed in a very wrong direction to achieve what my family had instilled in me earlier. I ended up in jail and the jailer, who became my mentor until he died, offered me an opportunity I was moved to accept.

John, my mentor, told me he would get rid of my juvenile and adult criminal records If I would try to go to College! John told me he would pick all my professors and let them know that I did not have the type of Intelligence required to take tests or write papers. The skill he told me I had was to link with and understand Ideas, communicate with and connect others, and synthesize information and ideas.

John only gave me two weeks to convince my professors of my abilities. He told them he was just giving me a chance to succeed and become a teacher for students like me.

He was right! College was considerably different in many ways from regular school. Professors gave me better grades than I earned on tests and papers. I did what John said and never took a class where the grade was determined, solely, by Mid Term, Final, and Term Paper. He suggested I live in the Professors Office as much as possible and convince them I understood how to Use the Subject, even though my tests and papers were Not Adequate.

If Jr. High and High School had been like College; I would have not become so detached from Society.

College was not even easy for me. John told me I would have to work Ten Times as hard to get a “C” as someone else did to get an “A”. He was right and extreme hard work by me Paid Off. It took me 5 years to get my BA Degree and my General K-8 Teaching Credential. I took me another 10 years to get a Master’s Degree in Human Behavior and Counseling. I also earned a Standard Secondary, 8-12, Teaching Credential and a K-14 Counseling Credential. John was extremely proud!

After John died, I went back to San Diego State University. SDSU was just a State College when I started in 1961. At 50, I went back and received another 200 + units of classes in Sociology, Theology, and Counseling in order to better prepare me for my future in Education, Counseling, and Ministry.

I am not sure what the future holds, but I want to be part of improving the lot of the least of these, my brothers and sisters whom I can help; Just as someone helped me.

Post from: Stephen P. McDaniel

The Birth of my Perspective on Life