"There is no shortage of good days. It is good lives that are hard to come by." - Annie Dillard in The Writing Life
The principal advantage of youth is the expectation of having a long life to accumulate experiences and wisdom. Having a philosophy to guide you along that path helps create those good days and good lives.
An ICU physician's assistant asked those he met for an idea. He didn't specify from what domain. Perhaps he got recipes for Brussel sprouts, movie or book recommendations, or famous quotes. I told him, "share something great."
Your Volleyball Life
Drink deeply from the wellspring of coaching around you. You never know when a nugget of wisdom will change everything. It might be, "Speak up. Don't be a church mouse." The best ideas, unseen and unheard, are invisible and wasted. Or as Gia told Sadie Jaggers, "Make a good pass, not a great one." Good passes won't become overpasses or trap the setter at the net. Or "press the block."
Your Home Life
My father described some children as "street angels, house devils." Make your first priority being a good person everywhere - home, school, sports. "How can I help?" crafts a lot of good will. Thank your family for the opportunities that allow you to become the person you are today.
Your Academic Career
A patient came in with a complex problem and a difficult personality. The two best answers are often "I don't know, but I'll find out" or "That's a good idea, we should do that." Mine was, "I'm just a simple suburban doctor; you need to go to Boston." She said, "We both know that's not true, I do my research."
Your "burden of proof" is your track record. You cannot plead ignorance. The seniors left early last year for National Honor Society induction. Many of you 'frequent' the "Excellence" list or Honor Roll at MHS. "I do my research."
The Mr. Robinson Standard
You are not an island, a recluse, or a "lone wolf." What you do impacts those around you - what you think, what you say, and what you do. As the poet Maya Angelou said, "People will never forget how you made them feel." None of us can choose to be perfect; all of us can choose to be better.
Lagniappe. Shoulders are vulnerable to the forces applied to them. Warm up well.
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