Today was move-in day for students living in the residence halls at my local university. Thanks to a fender bender, I had the opportunity to take a long look at students and parents moving in. Hit me hard — I was one of those students nine years ago. It doesn’t seem that long ago — until I say the "nine years" part.
Since I started college, I’ve gotten my degree; produced, written and performed my way through a CD; met the right woman, gotten married, bought two houses (sold one), had a baby, and begun a career. That’s a lot in nine years. But it all began on that campus with one scary weekend. Scary and exciting and wonderful and outstanding and all that and a whole bunch more. All Much of what I did in my time in college got me to where I am today.
As I watched folks move about and get excited, I remembered a news story I read a couple of days ago.
Based on recent trends, odds are that at least one of those students won’t be alive at the end of the school year. And that’s a lifetime of excitement and fear and hope and dreams that is far too important to lose.
Be careful, everybody. Teach people first, students and lessons second.
Sappy — Feel Free to Skip
