Everything is Possible

I am currently about halfway through Sir Ken Robinson's newest book, The Element, and I am finding myself more and more inspired as I read on. The majority of the book is a collection of real stories of successful people, such as rocker Paul McCartney, actress Meg Ryan, cartoonist Matt Groening, choreographer Gillian Lynne, author Arianna Huffington, physicist Richard Feynman and so many more that are "passionate about what they do and couldn’t imagine doing anything else." Story after story is shared detailing each persons struggles trying to "fit in." Each person struggled to try to fit the mold of what their cultures idea of normal in education is supposed to look like with little success. In spite of this perceived difference and perceived inability, they have all been able to reach new heights within their own respective field. It is a truly inspiring book.

A lot of people definitely did not view me as normal growing up as well. I was never told by my mother or stepfather that education was important. I did okay in school but was never really motivated and really did not care for the whole mess anyway... I really only did well enough to continue to play sports and that is what kept my grades at least at a functioning level. The funny thing is, I was in advanced classes and several AP courses and didn't even care enough to know what that even meant. My teachers always told me that I had lots of potential... so what does that mean? My grades were so poor and my background so gloomy (I was the first Shepherd to graduate High School) I even had a guidance counselor tell me to start looking into a skill instead of a college after my senior year. Glad I didn't listen to her. I had a best friend whose dad made him go to a local community college that summer and he talked me into enrolling as well.

Two degrees and almost 20 years later, I am now an administrator in a middle school where most of my distant relatives live. I am doing what I am passionate about and can’t imagine doing anything else and I have a chance to show the students I work with that Everything is Possible. They are working through a lot of the same struggles that I had to overcome in my childhood and I use myself as an example to show them they can do anything they want to and stress the importance to never allow anyone to tell them that they can't. I also use myself as a model for my teachers as well, by sharing my childhood stories of struggle and doubt with them as well in order to help them see the potential in every child we touch. This past week I have had several conversations like that, in addition to reading this book. All of this has caused me to reflect on what is possible in this world. I grew up believing that anything within the laws of physics is possible. Now, in a world full of technology that is moving at the speed of change, I truly believe that Everything is Possible.