Post by coachorr on Apr 26, 2009 18:21:27 GMT -6
There is a lot you can do in life, you can make money, you can be powerful, you can have a fancy house and a hot wife, you can be the big man at your church, but in the end the treasures on earth can't buy you your soul. I just want to be the guy who did what he loved and never regretted a day in his life and lived every day like it was his last. Because in the end, when it all fades away, what I did will have meant something to someone. Reminds me of the starfish story, you can either be the one who doesn't care the fate of a single star fish, or the one who spends his time throwing them back. I want to build my monuments in young men.
Here is the story if you never have heard it before:
One day a man was walking along the beach at low tide. He came across a ragged old man who didn't look like much who was picking up starfish and throwing them back into the ocean to safety so they wouldn't wither and die on the beach.
The observer walked up to him and said, "what are you doing?" The man picked up another one paused briefly to look at the observer and threw it back into the ocean and proceeded to do so as if the question was never asked.
The observer, now somewhat annoyed said, "Why are you throwing those star fish back into the ocean, it's not like you are going to make a difference and besides most of them wash back up on the beach and die." The ragged man continued throwing starfish into the ocean.
Then the observer was really disgusted and grabbed his arm and said, "Look, you're not going to make a difference there are so many, what your doing isn't going to matter'.
The poor man smiled through his young looking eyes and across his old beard and hard skinned face, took back his arm picked up another starfish flung it out to safety and said, "It mattered to that one".
The fact that I have the opportunity to model professionalism and a caring demeanor to students gives me satisfaction to know that maybe just someday I will have loved the wrong one enough to empower him to be a better person. At the end of a day, I usually go home and play with my kids knowing that I had a good time at work and I probably made a difference for someone.
Am I the person who is present, or who has a presence?
One thing I have realized over the years is that excellence in teaching and coaching is not a location you arrive at in your career, but it is a constant struggle and a journey. I used to look forward to Friday, I still do, but I also look forward to Monday.
Here is the story if you never have heard it before:
One day a man was walking along the beach at low tide. He came across a ragged old man who didn't look like much who was picking up starfish and throwing them back into the ocean to safety so they wouldn't wither and die on the beach.
The observer walked up to him and said, "what are you doing?" The man picked up another one paused briefly to look at the observer and threw it back into the ocean and proceeded to do so as if the question was never asked.
The observer, now somewhat annoyed said, "Why are you throwing those star fish back into the ocean, it's not like you are going to make a difference and besides most of them wash back up on the beach and die." The ragged man continued throwing starfish into the ocean.
Then the observer was really disgusted and grabbed his arm and said, "Look, you're not going to make a difference there are so many, what your doing isn't going to matter'.
The poor man smiled through his young looking eyes and across his old beard and hard skinned face, took back his arm picked up another starfish flung it out to safety and said, "It mattered to that one".
The fact that I have the opportunity to model professionalism and a caring demeanor to students gives me satisfaction to know that maybe just someday I will have loved the wrong one enough to empower him to be a better person. At the end of a day, I usually go home and play with my kids knowing that I had a good time at work and I probably made a difference for someone.
Am I the person who is present, or who has a presence?
One thing I have realized over the years is that excellence in teaching and coaching is not a location you arrive at in your career, but it is a constant struggle and a journey. I used to look forward to Friday, I still do, but I also look forward to Monday.