Hold Tight to What You Have

Our youngest daughter, Annie, graduates from Indiana State University this Saturday morning.  Like her Mom, she is smart, pretty, and sure of herself.  Like her Dad, she has a heart for kids and chose to be a teacher.  I believe that she will be a good one because she genuinely wants to make a difference and her track record of service supports that. She has a tremendous sense of humor and seems to bring this trait out at just the right times.  We have watched her grow from a little curly-haired girl full of vigor to a committed young woman who knows where she is headed and is joyful in the pursuit. Mary and I will watch her take that walk in the Hulman Center and be pretty grateful.  She will receive the President’s Award for Scholarship/Leadership/Service at the commencement ceremony.  22 years ago, I didn’t know if we would see this day or any others.  In the middle of the night, we found her in her crib unconscious and not breathing.  Trust me, it is pretty nerve-wracking to hold your limp little girl tightly in your arms with your wife giving her mouth to mouth resuscitation while praying desperately at the same time.  Thanks to the grace of God and the skills of my wife, Annie survived and after a few years of medication, she was healed of her affliction.  You realize just what you have when you are about to lose it.  We didn’t lose our daughter that day.  Saturday, our curly-haired girl becomes a college graduate.  I am thankful that this day has come.  It’s going to be a good day and one that I am going to hold tightly to.

Realize that as teachers we are making a personal investment into  futures.  Our job is to get them ready for the next grade level…. that’s just on the surface.  If that’s all it is, I would suggest that you are putting your influence in a box.  Do not diminish the effect you have on your students far down the road.  The lessons aren’t always about finding the “X” in an equation, it is also about finding the “X” in life.  It isn’t just about knowing the causes of the Civil War, but understanding the ramifications of these causes and how they can be avoided in the future.  It’s not just about a simple hypothesis and a two day lab.  It’s about transferring that methodology to solve problems down the road.  While we teach fitness and healthy lifestyles, we would shudder if our students are not heeding our advice a few years later.  Pushing nouns and verbs together is great as long as this is transferred to other disciplines and outside of school.  The list could go on and on.  One of the best compliments that I had ever received was this – one of my former athletes, who I had not seen in 13 years, reunited with me at the same wedding reception.  I asked how she was doing and her reply was simply this:  “You know, Coach, I am just doing what is right and avoiding what is wrong.”  Yep, I have been saying that for some time.  My point is this – do not put a limit on yourself on how much you can influence others. Be the example that so many are looking to find.  Success is knowing that at least one other life was made easier because you were in it.  Have you succeeded today?  Realize the influence you have and don’t ever lose that realization.  Hold tight to what you have.

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My Browns play their final home game of the season against the Washington Redskins this Sunday.  I wonder of anyone is “scalping” tickets?