My original title for this post was “Laugh, Think, Cry” but I decided to shuffle a bit since my first born and I were in cheese country recently (more on that shortly). For those not familiar with Jimmy Valvano, take the time to watch this special clip please…
“How do you go from where you are to where you want to be?”
Jimmy Valvano won the Arthur Ashe Courage and Humanitarian Award in 1993 at the inaugural ESPYS and delivered his famous “Don’t give up … Don’t ever give up!” speech. He said during that speech that he would fight his brains out to be back the next year but unfortunately, he lost his battle with cancer two months later.
Jimmy V’s speech is a sure fire tear jerker – along the way he tells us you should laugh, think, and cry every day. His perspective is powerful and prophetic. I was exactly 17 when I watched Jimmy V give that speech live – at the time I likely thought he was a super cool dude. With age, I now better understand how extraordinary his speech was – Jimmy V made tidal waves. For whatever reason, I remember this event vividly even as it was only a couple of months before I graduated from high school.
For those who don’t watch the clip, Jimmy V basically boogered up his most important pep talk in his early days of coaching. And as for Green Bay, my oldest and I recently flew into Milwaukee to check on a prospective school. During that time, I turned my little friend onto a speech I have personally long found insightful and powerful:
“If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.”
The University of Texas is another school we are considering and I thought it was important for him to hear the message from this alumnus.
As we wind down 2021, I’m reminded of the title of this post and the rhetorical question I suspect Jimmy V asked. Christmas time has grown hard for me due to loss and my wife is very good at sensing when I’m drifting and distancing. She’s even better at redirecting and focusing on the positives. I hope all educators take time this holiday to reconnect with those they lose sleep over. I hope collectively we take time to absolutely do nothing with those we love the most (as in you do nothing together). And I hope reflection is a part of this break. I suspect many times during the day I lose votes for dad of the day but I’ve never been more proud of my two offspring and for very different, unique, and personal reasons. Both proved their mettle this semester and it gives me great hope for the future (and my credit card :). I have a principal buddy who’s a Baylor Bear and ironically my oldest and I were on college tours when they beat Texas and then Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Championship. We watched both games at out-of-state restaurants and I texted the principal often during both. My sister was a Baylor Bear and even though this Christmas marks year 12 in her absence and her husband was a huge Packers fan, I’m learning family and religion heal all wounds.
Happy Holidays and Happy New Year.
What if? Why Not? 