I was a child of the 70s and a teen of the 80s. Valley talk was the trend, even in my southern Ohio suburb. We learned that “totally” was an exclamation, and that “Grody to the maximum!” was a complete explanation. To add a bit more of a twist, my freshman principal was Mr. Grody. Oh, teachers, just imagine the jokes…
Each day, Mr. Grody ended the announcements with his “quote of the day,” an inspirational saying that was meant to motivate us to do our best in the classroom that day. Most of his quotes were commonplace, or were expressions we had heard our entire lives from our parents, grandparents, and even on television. Then came this one:
“If you want to make an impression on the sands of time…”
I remember sitting up straighter in my seat, waiting to hear the end of this one. It sounded like it was going to be profound. It was going to be a life lesson I could live by. And then he finished:
“Wear work boots.”
What? Wear work boots? How lame! Where did he get this crap from? What was he thinking? That was just silly!
Or was it? I am now 44, almost 45 years old, and I still remember that quote from 30 years ago! And I think of it often, especially when life makes that lesson oh so real!
It wasn’t the message I was waiting to hear. It wasn’t about breaking down barriers, or forging new paths, or even starting a revolution (I was very much a little revolutionary!). But it was about something much more important… You must work, and work hard, for what matters most to you in life. We don’t make significant lasting life impressions by sitting still. We make them by doing.
I taught with this in mind. I worked hard, and I taught my students to do the same. Class was not about a quick lesson; it was about learning what was important, no matter how long that lesson took us to learn.
What will be your impression in the sands of time?
Happy Teaching!
Michele