I hope & trust this post finds you all having a great day on this beautiful, hot & steamy, Sunday afternoon on the Texas Gulf Coast.
I am sorry this Happy Friday is getting to you a couple of days later than normal. My middle Tender Warrior, Gehrig, graduated from high school on Thursday night and with family in town, many celebrations, etc., this has really been the first opportunity to write something. Besides, as you will see in a moment, this Happy Friday was written on my heart in the last couple of days.
At Gehrig's graduation they did one of the neatest things I have ever seen at a graduation; they had all of the principles from the elementary & junior high schools that feed into the high school that Gehrig went to up on the stage with the high school administration, district administration, etc. The pre-high school principles, representing all the teachers that serve at their schools, were recognized for all they did to contribute to this special night. It was beautiful - way before there was a 9th - 12th grade, there was a 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc. None more important than the other really...all steps leading to the next step which led to this special moment.
The reality of this moment really hit me. My mind raced back to all of the coaches from T-Ball through Little League to Junior High School to all the different levels of High School. And I didn't even mention club or travel ball if your child participates in those.
And then, in comments on graduation & celebration pictures my Beautiful Bride posted on Facebook, there are people who remember teaching Gehrig in Awana, former players who remember him in diapers and friends who have been a part of the journey of the first 18 years of his life. Yes, all of these people, the coaches, the former Awana teachers, the friends...they are all a part of his story.
And then there is family. Some members of the family got to be here and some did not. Some that weren't here physically were here spiritually, the only way they can be here now. Regardless of whether they could be there on the night Gehrig actually graduated, they have been a part of different seasons of life, critically important to Gehrig being the young man he has become today.
Then on either Friday or Saturday, I got to see a video of Danny Farquhar throwing out the 1st pitch at a Chicago White Sox baseball game. If you aren't really into sports you might ask, why is this a big deal? Well, Danny is a pitcher for the Chicago White Sox. During a game against the Houston Astros on April 20th, Danny "suffered a brain hemorrhage caused by a ruptured aneurysm." You can watch the inspiring video about his recovery and throwing out the first pitch at www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/23673000 If that doesn't work, simply Google "Danny Farquahar first pitch" and you will find it.
As a sports family we had followed Danny's story closely after he collapsed...and we had prayed for he & his family. As the video retold of Danny's journey you learn of the paramedics who got him to the hospital within 15 minutes of him collapsing that night, of the neurosurgeon who performed surgery, of the amazing care he received from a team of people at Rush University Medical Center, of his White Sox teammates who loved on & encouraged him and of course, there is is his wife Lexie and his children, Madison, Landon & Liam. The picture of Danny throwing out the 1st pitch, the first pitch he had thrown since the 6th inning on April 20th, with 50, maybe 60 or more, people behind, each one who had played a critical role in getting him this moment is almost indescribable. Every one of them mattered in his journey. So powerful!
So, of course, as I thought about all this I thought of the saying, "It takes a village to raise a child." In doing a little research I found that I actually had that wrong. The actual saying, an African proverb, is, "It takes a whole village to raise a child." One, critically important, word..."whole."
I want to share an excerpt of the explanation of this saying from Afriprov.org. It says,
This Igbo and Yoruba (Nigeria) proverb exists in different forms in many African languages. The basic meaning is that child upbringing is a communal effort. The responsibility for raising a child is shared with the larger family (sometimes called the extended family). Everyone in the family participates especially the older children, aunts and uncles, grandparents, and even cousins. It is not unusual for African children to stay for long periods with their grandparents or aunts or uncles. Even the wider community gets involved such as neighbors and friends. Children are considered a blessing from God for the whole community. This communal responsibility in raising children is also seen in the Sukuma (Tanzania) proverb "One knee does not bring up a child" and in the Swahili (East and Central Africa) proverb "One hand does not nurse a child."
In general this Nigerian proverb conveys the African worldview that emphasizes the values of family relationships, parental care, self-sacrificing concern for others, sharing, and even hospitality. This is very close to the Biblical worldview as seen in scripture texts related to unity and cooperation (Ecclesiastes 4:9,12) and a mother's self-sacrificing love (Isaiah 49:15-16).
A few thoughts to wrap up this Happy Friday:
1. While the saying pertains specifically to a child I believe we all need others, regardless of our age or season in life. You & I don't have to, and in fact can't, do this life alone. At some point, at some time, we are going to have to raise our hand - literally or figuratively - and ask others for help. It will take a humble spirit or a humbling moment but either way, we are all going to need others if we are going to survive & thrive.
2. Let's remember and thank those who have helped us along our life journey's. Maybe it was a parent, sibling, teacher, coach, friend, mentor or maybe even a physician who performed a life-saving procedure. Whatever the case I pray that we will not forgot the people who have helped mold & shape us into the people we are today and that we will thank them.
3. You matter in the story of other people's lives. Your role may be large or it may be small. Regardless, please know that the things you say & do matter in the lives of those you touch. While you might not physically be at the graduation, your fingerprints are all over the person that is graduating and know this, they could not have done it without you.
Please don't hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.
Have a great day, enjoy the rest of your weekend, have an awesome week and please cherish your precious families.
Kev
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