Dear Friends,

I started this company one month after my husband Art was pronounced in remission from an aggressive, stage IV cancer. At that point, starting a business seemed like a difficult decision. Ha! Turns out that was an easy one. 

Over the last two years I have had to make decisions that many people never have to make. Today’s decision is the fifth hardest I have made in my adult life.

I have decided to close down Get Into Private School.com. It is time to open another door in my journey. Sometimes one has to close one door and stand in the dark for a bit to see the light from the next door one is to open. GetIntoPrivateSchool.com is the door that needs to close. 

To put it all in perspective, here are the four hardest decisions I have made in the last 2 years and 5 months:

4. I committed to end my eating disorder and enrolled myself at The Nelson Center for Emotional Healing.

3. After Art died from the return of the cancer, every single day I got out of bed was proof of the decision I made to keep going. Many days my feet being on the floor and standing up was the only proof I had. 

2. The second hardest decision still makes me cry: I had to decide how to tell our three children that their father would die in a matter of days.

1. The hardest decision I have ever made was one that I will never, ever regret. Four weeks before my husband died, when we still thought there was a battle to win, I let him go. “Honey,” I said, “I see how hard you’re fighting to stay alive. I see how much pain you’re in.” And this is where I lost it. “It’s okay. It’s okay if you have to go. We’ll be okay. The kids and I will be okay. So if you can’t do this anymore, you need to know that’s it okay.”

It was the only gift I never wanted to give him, but it was the one he needed. 

I tell you this not for your sympathy. I share this with you so that perhaps for one moment (or several), you can see that in the grand scheme of life (so sorry for the cliché!) getting into private school is not as important as loving fiercely and honestly. Your children will be okay no matter where they go to school because they have you. My children are living proof of that. They would gladly go to the worst school ever if they could have their father back. 

I want to thank you for your time and trust. I am grateful to have been of service to so many of you. The private school journey is full of worry, doubt and fear, which requires you be uncomfortable. This is as it should be. Easy does not bring results! Thank you for allowing me to show you that and how to be successful in all that unease.

If you want to live vicariously and read about my experience as a cancer caregiver turned widow, visit www.ArtNagle.blogspot.com

If you want to know what to do when your friend is in crisis, go to www.ExactlyWhatTheyNeed.com

For guidance regarding the private school admissions process, the best place is Christina Simon’s blog, www.BeyondtheBrochure.blogspot.com. I will occasionally do guest columns there that will center mostly on financial aid and the private school community. 

Best of life to you!

With Great Fondness,

Kim Hamer