Life will be alright, that’s my motto!
If there is one thing that I have learned in my travels this year, from chapters deep in the heart of the Salt Lake Valley, all the way to the end, and I mean the end of the state, like Monument Valley, we all have many differences, but we all seem to have one thing in common besides proudly representing the old blue and gold. We have all faced challenges in one way or another. It may be losing a CDE that you worked so hard at, or failing a really important test. Maybe you have a disability that makes life really difficult for you. Whatever it is, one thing is for sure. We all have trials.
Having said that, I am no different than the rest of you! My life has been very difficult at times and very awesome at other times! But you need to know, no matter what life throws your way, everything will be alright.
At 17, all my buddy Gavin lived for was extreme mountain biking, you know, like flying off of cliffs, and getting some wicked air. He loved the feeling of the adrenaline pumping through his veins as he soared off huge drops to pound that perfect landing. If he wasn’t working, or at school, he was on his bike.
For years Gavin had been seeing doctors because he knew something was wrong with his back. Doctors diagnosed him with Kyphosis which is a bowing or curving of the spine that causes a severe hunchback, and it was complicated by his Scoliosis. When Gavin turned sideways, his back kind of looked like a question mark. Together, it was a horrible combination. If he didn’t have his back fixed, it would put pressure on his heart and lungs render him crippled or dead.
So, in July, he underwent major surgery and doctors installed 2 metal rods, and 20 screws in his back to reinforce his spine and make it straight.
I remember the first time I went to see him at the hospital following his surgery. To my surprise, he was up and walking! (With a little help, of course)
Recovery has been slow, and at times, I know he thought he would never get to ride again. But, because he is stubbornly determined, he deals with the pain, and hikes his bike and those metal rods up the hill for an exhilarating downhill explosion.
A valuable lesson I learned from Gavin is best said by Lucius Seneca. He said, “A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor a man perfected without trials” Gavin was handed a trial to test him, and through that trial, he has let it shape him into a better person.
Trials Happen, to make us better.
A success story was once told by Congressman Wes Watkins, a seven-term congressman from Oklahoma about himself, once a member of the F.F.A. As a young Greenhand, he was very quiet, shy, and didn’t have much to say because of a speech impediment. After attending his first State Convention, he set the goal of becoming a state officer. He began to work towards that goal. He participated in the Creed Speaking Contest, and read many, many magazines and newspapers. He overcame his speech impediment, and went on to become the Oklahoma State President. He stated, “I can honestly say that if it weren’t for the F.F.A, I wouldn’t be standing here today as Congressman Watkins.” It took years for Congressman Watkins to achieve his goal, and he eventually overcame his challenge. He was patient and persistent.
To overcome your trials, be patient.
Two frogs fell into a deep cream bowl.
One was an optimistic soul.
But the other took the gloomy view.
"We'll drown," he lamented without much ado,
and with a last despairing cry,
he flung up his legs and said "Goodbye."
One was an optimistic soul.
But the other took the gloomy view.
"We'll drown," he lamented without much ado,
and with a last despairing cry,
he flung up his legs and said "Goodbye."
Quote the other frog with a steadfast grin,
"I can't get out but I won't give in,
I'll just swim around till my strength is spent,
then I'll die the more content."
Bravely he swam to work his scheme,
and his struggles began to churn the cream.
"I can't get out but I won't give in,
I'll just swim around till my strength is spent,
then I'll die the more content."
Bravely he swam to work his scheme,
and his struggles began to churn the cream.
The more he swam, his legs a flutter,
the more the cream turned into butter.
On top of the butter at last he stopped,
and out of the bowl he gaily hopped.
the more the cream turned into butter.
On top of the butter at last he stopped,
and out of the bowl he gaily hopped.
What is the moral? It's easily found...
If you can't hop out, keep swimming around!
If you can't hop out, keep swimming around!
Trials take hard work. You might spend a lot of time “swimming around”. Don’t ever give up. Eventually everything will work out alright.
Overcoming your trials will require hard work, and when you can’t do it alone, let others lift you up.
Think back on your own life. Has there ever been a time in your life where you needed to be lifted up? When you felt like all you needed was someone there, to support you? I felt that way.
On January 7, 2011, I needed to be lifted up. I was in my room packing for my last winter campout as a scout when I heard a knock on the door. My Grandma came in a proceeded to tell me that my mother was found dead in her apartment earlier that day.
To be honest with you, this news was not shocking. My Mom did not live the best lifestyle, and I had not seen her in at least 5 months, but it did not change the fact that she was my mom, and losing her left me and my younger sisters completely parentless.
I decided to go on the campout anyway, knowing that I would have to face some hard decisions when I got back.
I chose to handle things that no 17 year old should ever have to face. I took the responsibility of cleaning out my mother’s apartment in Salt Lake, and it seemed as though it would be a daunting task. As the day neared to take care of these things, I was lifted by many. I received phone calls and texts from several friends and family asking if they could help in any way. A daunting task now, seemed manageable. With the help and support of my family and friends, I was able to go through what was left of my mother’s life and find closure.
I cannot even imagine how it would have been to face that alone. The support of my friends and family was really important to me. They made a difference in how I overcame that trial.
You might be the difference in someone’s life. Do not be afraid to offer your help to someone in need. It could be something really small, or really big.
Look for opportunities to serve people every day.
On the flip-side, let other people help you. It makes the hard things in life a lot easier when you have friends and family to cheer you on. Life is not a race. We are here to endure, and help others endure.
As I have served you this year, I have grown to love you. I am thankful for every last minute I spent with you. You have served me, and made my life better.
You have taught me that you are strong. You can do hard things. Remember trials in life are not easy. Take the time to learn from them, and let them make you stronger. Keep on swimming, the hard work is worth it. Help others along their way. FFA members, always know, that whatever life throws at you… it’s alright.
