“I’m not lacking work. What I’m lacking is time to study.”
I’ve heard that phrase so many times, it’s become part of me. And every time someone says it, I pause — because there’s truth behind it. Generations who gave everything just to survive, but never had the space to imagine something more.
Our people work hard. We know what exhaustion feels like deep in the bones. We rise early, stretch the days, the dollars, the dreams. But in the urgency to endure, we sometimes forget to grow. Studying is not a luxury. Learning is not a waste of time.
Asking questions, taking a class, and picking up a new skill, these too are acts of dignity.
I’ve seen women go back to school after raising children. Men learning English after endless shifts. Young people enrolling quietly, almost secretly, because no one in their family has ever had that chance before. And they do it for themselves. But also, for those who come next. Because opening one door today might open many tomorrow.
Yes, work gives us dignity. But it can’t be the whole story. We also deserve to grow, to choose, to find out what we’re made of.
That’s why moments like the back to school giveaway by Big Erv BBQ & 910 Sweets on Aug. 23 at 670 N. Reilly Road matter so deeply. It’s not just about notebooks and pencils. It’s about telling every child, every parent, every family: we believe in your future.
These gestures may be quiet, but they’re powerful. They remind us that yes, it’s hard. That time is scarce. But it’s still possible.
It’s never too late to rewrite the story. If you’re reading this and thinking, it’s too late to learn something new.
Let me tell you, from the bottom of my heart: You’re not alone. There’s always a class, a workshop, a conversation waiting to bring your hope back.
And if that space doesn’t exist yet, we can build it together. Because in the end, real transformation doesn’t come only from knowledge … It comes from the deep belief that something else is possible. And from knowing that others are walking beside you.
Read CityView Magazine’s “The Back To School Issue” August 2025 e-edition here.
