Words for Wednesday (on Thursday)

Words for wednesday is a weekly meme using words or pictures as prompts. 
Bloggers are encouraged to make what they will of them

Lee has chosen these words to use on this second Wednesday in JuneAttitude, Uphill, Insight, Lessons, Upheaval, CanopyPatience, Engage, Humility, Strategy, Fortitude, Forbearance

This is what I’ve made of them – using one set or both, why don’t you have a go
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Old love – New love

‘If you have the right attitude you can’t fail to obtain the degree you applied for, said the facilitator of Heather’s class. 

Leaving the lecture the three friends pottered over to the Uni cafe, grinning at each other as they stood in line. 

Heather listened quietly as the other two chatted on, ‘Old Higgins must have the patience of a saint having to deal with a new intake of students every March’

She knew that her Pa had been chums with ‘Old Higgins’ at Melbourne – Father’s constant companion had been Higgin’s son jokingly called Higgins Minor by all and sundry.  Although of similar ages Mother had had a fling with ‘young Higgins’ as she called him but father won through because…..in her mind…..he rode and played tennis in a far superior manner and didn’t talk about excavations, artifacts or midden heaps. 

Heather couldn’t understand her mother’s reasoning because she herself disliked horses intensely and as long as she could remember all she’d wanted to do was go on a dig, walk uphill and down dale to visit an archeological site and maybe find something of interest.  Each time he visited she would constantly engage with her father’s friend, trying to gain an insight into the lives of those who’d gone before. 

Family all agreed she had faced the upheaval caused by her father’s death with strength and fortitude beyond her years.  Her mother had shown great humility in coming up with a plan of action that would allow Heather to continue attending her prestigious city school.  This strategy had involved asking the school for forbearance on school fees, then organising in association with the local club a summer programme of tennis lessons on their personal court at home. 

All through this Heather, much to her mother’s chagrin, had kept alive her desire to study archaeology.  And here she was, about to begin her first year, and she just knew dear Old Higgins would become her favourite professor. 

There was just one thing she couldn’t understand though. 

On one of the recent hot days she’d wandered down to the tennis court and even further on towards the back of the block where some trees with high branches had formed a shady overhead canopy; she’d stopped in her tracks when she saw her mother and ‘young Higgins’ sitting together on one of the wooden benches – holding hands and looking longingly into each others eyes.