I earned my undergraduate degree from Hood College at 41 and my graduate degree from the University of Maryland Global Campus at 45, becoming the first in my family to attend college. While this achievement fills me with pride, the journey was not without challenges. For years, I struggled with both gratitude and quiet resentment toward my parents for not sending me to college despite my academic potential. Instead, I worked to support myself, watching my peers advance through opportunities I did not have. Yet, with time, I understood that my parents did their best with what they knew. Their values have profoundly shaped who I am, and I am deeply grateful.
They taught me that true wealth lies not in material success but kindness, generosity, and human connection. Only after leaving my birthplace in Indonesia did I fully appreciate their values—contentment found in giving, even with little to spare.
Both of my parents have since passed, and my only regret is not expressing my gratitude to them in person due to the 2020 Pandemic. But today, I hold no resentment—only appreciation and peace. Their values live on in me, and I hope to pass them on to my children through how I live my life.
Terima kasih, Ibu dan Bapak. I wish I had told you sooner how much you meant to me. I love you both.
“Volunteering gives me a great sense of meaning and purpose in life. It fosters empathy, gratitude, and integrity. Volunteering reminds me of the abundant blessings given to me, for which I am truly and always grateful” – Nia.