A Winding Road

 

The sun was going down, the wind was coming up.  Even so, I pedaled on.  It is mid October and earlier on this day I had decided to end a busy week of classes by riding my bike on the Linear trail in Manhattan, KS.  As I rode on I checked my phone for the time.  It was nearly 9:30 pm, and I had started riding at 9.  “Why is this ride taking me so long?” I asked myself.  I felt as I was in fairly good shape and moving along at a good pace, and there was no way that this 4 mile trail should take more than half an hour to complete.  Even with my doubts, I continued on riding on top of the dike protecting Manhattan from the Big Blue and Kansas Rivers. 

Finally, I decided I had had enough.  I stopped at the next sign with a map of Linear Trail.  As I stood there frustrated, I looked at the map and noticed something.   Linear Trail was in fact not 4 miles, but rather 10.  Somehow I had gotten the incorrect distance online before I started.  Mad at myself, I jumped back on my bike and sped off.  After a short while I noticed that my seat had sunk down, so I slammed on my brakes, jumped off my bike, and readjusted it.  At this time I choose to take a deep breath and look around me.  In all of my previous frustration, I had managed to not take in the sights around me.  As I took in a deep breath I noticed how beautiful the stars were, and how the wind gently rippled through the grass as it blew over the meadows.  It was definitely a sight to see as the lights from Manhattan glowed in the distance.  Before I could get back on my bike, an idea came out of nowhere and smacked me right in the back of the head. 

“Just because you don’t know the turns in the path doesn’t mean you won’t get to your destination.” 

Bam, talk about a revelation.  At first, I rejected this idea, as I am a very detailed orientated person.  If I want to do something, I will stress over every single detail so I can see how it will pan out.  But within seconds, this philosophy started to grow on me.  We may know what we want our end destination to be, but there can be a lot hidden in the valley between mountains A and B. Most of the time we don’t even have control over what that is. Now I’m not saying that we shouldn’t put work or effort into preparation, or no thought into our actions, but rather we need to put our strength and trust in others as well as ourselves, and know that God has a plan for us whatever that may be. Life can work in mysterious ways, ones that we may push away from us at first, but once we reach our destination we couldn’t think of doing it any other way. 

I hopped back on my bike and continued on, pedaling a little slower this time.  I gazed about me and took in every sight I could see.  I trusted this mighty trail, as I knew that many have ridden it before me and finished successfully.  I heard the wind rustle the few leaves still on the trees, felt the rock crush underneath my tires, and smelled the fog coming off the river. 

It wasn’t long before I pulled back into the driveway and locked my bike up for the night.  As I got off I couldn’t help but smile in thought of the previous situation.

As the end of this semester comes closer, we may find ourselves wondering what our future has in store for us.  As high school seniors, we may still be deciding on what path we are to take after graduation, college students may be questioning their current major or class schedule, and each and everyone of us always has something in our future that we may not know how to reach.  Don’t allow your frustration with not being in total control prevent you from enjoying this ride.  You are in good hands, have faith in yourself, and keep pedaling onward towards that horizon. 

Warning: Not Very Friendly

It read, "Please do not put your hands inside my pen, I am NOT friendly."  Taped to the outside of a pen, this sign warned visitors about Chance, the 1287 pound crossbred steer that received the honor of being named the Grand Champion Market Beef at the Kansas State Fair.  Chance wasn’t a bad tempered steer by any means, just a little ornery as he showed us that he liked to scratch his forehead on the bars of the panels.  But since many visitors to the Kansas State Fair may not understand his antics, we decided to post this appropriate warning to ensure no one would be injured by unknowingly putting their hands in a position to be pinched.

While I was helping take care of Chance, I entered his pen numerous times to bring him water or brush off all the wood chips off of him.   At no point did he ever show aggression or put me in a situation where I didn’t feel safe.  However, some visitors took the posted caution to an extreme, and wouldn’t even allow their children to come within several feet of his pen. 

Just because of his appearance of being unfriendly, individuals did not feel comfortable in approaching him to marvel at his attributes. 

I believe that this situation happens in numerous places, many of which take place not at the fair, but in our schools and communities.  Just like Chance, we all have attributes that make us great, but we have a small problem.  Others will never approach us for help or to learn our skills if we have a large yellow paper taped to us that exclaims “Not Friendly.”  We must be more open and willing to welcome in others that may not feel at home so that they can benefit from what we have learned.  We need to commit to an approachable attitude and show that we are friendly by working with our fellow members, whether it is practicing for a CDE as a team, sharing some successful tips about your SAE with another member, or helping freshmen out with the transition to high school.

It is amazing how much of a difference and an impact you can make on others by just opening up and being willing to help them.  As we get into the swing of things this year, let’s take down that warning sign on our backs, and replace it with one of advertisement for our enthusiasm to help others.

Venturing West

This past Friday, a pickup truck packed with 3 guys, a tent, 20 pounds of trail mix, and a map bumped along Hwy 96 headed for Colorado.  For the first time in my life, I was headed out to the mountains.  This was a new experience for me, and sometimes I imagined myself as a pioneer venturing westward toward a new chapter of life.  However, the cold A/C and the speedometer reading 65 miles per hour brought me back to reality.  For this three-day getaway we had no concrete plan, just the goal to visit Pike’s Peak and camp out under the pines.

We passed through nearly a dozen small towns as the elevation rose up toward Colorado Springs.  However, one stuck out to me specifically.  Before entering Eads, Colorado, I noticed a sign along the highway painted a familiar blue and gold.  “Eads FFA Welcomes You,” it stated.  It was just a sign, but it made a connection to me and gave me a sense of belonging even though I was 400 miles from home. 

As August and the beginning of a new school year rolls around, we will all have the opportunity to welcome new members into our FFA chapters.  Just as pioneers venturing west, students entering high school are creating a new chapter in their lives.  It is vitally important that as an organization we welcome those new students. They may have a general idea of where they want to go in their life, but we must be there to help fill in the gaps and develop their skills.  As FFA members and leaders, we have the great opportunity to help fellow members unlock their potential and discover their passion for agriculture. 

After a few days of exploring the Rocky Mountains, my dad, brother, and I headed back east on Hwy 96.  We had survived a surprised hailstorm, explored numerous miles of logging roads, and made a lot of memories.  And once again, I saw a familiar blue and gold sign outside of Eads, Colorado.  “Eads FFA Welcomes You.” 

I believe that we need to remember to welcome not just new FFA members, but also those community and past FFA members who impact our organization.  Our communities provide an amazing amount of support for our organization, and without them we would not be able to accomplish nearly as much.  This year, let’s make sure to show our true appreciation for those around us and also welcome in a new group of members who will help us venture to new heights. 

But before I end my first blog post, here are some quick facts about myself. 

1.  My family consists of an older brother and my two parents. (They are quite amazing!)

2.  Our family enjoys building vehicles to thrash at the off-road vehicle park (This one didn't survive very long).

3.  I have a lot of fun showing hogs at the county fair.

4.  The Meats Evaluation CDE was definitely my favorite.

5. I love FFA!!! and my great teammates! 

Kansas FFA, how will you welcome others this year?

The Power of Words

Have you ever sat back and thought about words? I mean really just thought about what they are and what they do. Go ahead and take a second to do that. Impressive, right? In case it hasn't dawned on you let me elaborate. The English language has a total of twenty-six letters that make up every word used in any conversation, every word ever written, and every thought you have probably uses words comprised up of those very same letters.

Here's some more perspective. The Harry Potter series has over 1,000,000 words in it, but only twenty-six letters. It blows my mind that such an elaborate story can be told by simply rearranging such a limited number of letters.  

It's quite possible I have an awkward obsession with words. Not only do I love books, speaking, and poetry, but I want to write, speak, and be poetic. My heart definitely falls prey to the ability of quotes to portray emotion and thought. I keep an inspirational quote written on my mirror to see every morning to kick start my day. Five quotes are written on my pawn shop acoustic guitar to show my love for music. Four documents on my computer are full of quotes to inspire, provoke thought, and motivate. However there is one quote written on a piece of paper that I've never lost. It currently hangs above my desk so that I can look at it anytime. It reads as follows.

"You will have many careers during your lifetime, so don't be pressured into thinking you have to decide what you want to do for the rest of your life. Just decide what you want to do first."

Now I do not who originally said these words but the man they came to me from makes them all the more special. My dad found this quote and wrote it down to give to me my senior year of high school. When he gave it to me I was at a point where I hadn't a clue what I wanted to do with my life. These words really set in my mind not to worry and just work towards what comes first.

FFA has been one of the biggest guides for my working towards a career. Through Career Development Events I have learned about many jobs I would love to have, and even more about ones I hope to never have. Through public speaking I can now better express myself through words. From the socialization in FFA I have great friends to share words with. Simply FFA has me feeling comfortable that whatever career I start in I will be successful.

I encourage all of you reading this to find some words that comfort you and give you motivation. Whether it's the motivational story of Oh the Places You'll Go by Dr. Suess or a quote by a revolutionary mind such as Ralph Waldo Emerson or Henry Ford, even song lyrics can be your choice for comforting words. Just take a moment to marvel at the power of  words made up of only twenty-six little letters.

I'm proud to say that this post uses all twenty-six letter (I checked) and has a total of 561 words (thanks word count!). Now I'm going to get myself a cup of coffee, read a bit, and maybe even start writing some poetry. It e quote written o

Decide with Confidence!

           Every day we are faced with at least a few decisions. According to studies the average human makes about 612 decisions in a single day. This adds up to 4284 decisions a week and 223,380 decisions a year. I'm awake for somewhere around 16 hours every day. Assuming I make the same amount of decisions in a day as the average person and those decisions are equally spread out over time then I am making a decision once every minute and 34 seconds. That seems quite frequent to me.

            I don't like to think of myself as "average" and I hope you don't think of yourself as "average" either. Everyone is a unique individual with knowledge and talents specific to them and them only. I have noticed many people don't seem confident in who they are. This worries me. Every decision you make defines who you are so make them with some confidence! Be proud of yourself and your uniqueness. If you do something that seems weird to the "average" person but it makes you happy then why should you hide it? Next time you make a decision make it with some confidence and be happy with yourself for doing so.

            Yes I know being "different" can be scary. Very few people want to be the one who sticks out in a crowd. However is it not a leaders responsibility to stick out? A leader cannot simply blend in with a crowd or they will not be noticed and will therefore have a difficult time leading.

            Here's the kicker though. I find oftentimes the first follower is the greatest leader of all. Without that first follower the leader is accomplishing nothing. The first person to follow sets the tone that what the leader is doing is acceptable. Every additional follower just ratifies this until the amazing moment when the act being done by the leader is completely acceptable.

            While this may all sound a little crazy take travel into space for example. Originally the people that tried were considered downright crazy. Many people thought that strapping some rockets to a chair would do the trick. Honestly as a little kid I probably wondered why that wouldn't work. Nevertheless the idea of travel into space was not abandoned. Eventually the space race ensued and later people even have had the opportunity to walk on the moon. Now there is even a private program that will send individuals to Mars on a one way trip starting in 2025. The entire plan is to start colonizing it. All it takes to be considered is an application (with some qualifications) and a small fee. By September last year 2782 people had sent in their application.

            At this point in time you will not be seeing me send in an application but by the time I have gone through the work force and then retired who knows. There might be an awesome retirement center on Mars. By that time it might even be commonplace to consider leaving Earth.

            Basically the whole idea is that being confident in an idea or decision can make great things happen. At the time you may seem crazy or out of place, but as more people agree and follow the idea becomes more acceptable and maybe even common. I challenge you to make decisions with confidence! You never know what it may mean down the road to yourself and others. I can personally guarantee that at least 598 of the decisions I make today I will make confidently and if I see someone trying something different I won't judge them. Their actions today may be the normal of tomorrow. Now excuse me as I go start building a time machine...

It's Banquet Season Folks!

Starting as early as the beginning of February and ending around the end of May, chapters across the state of Kansas are having their chapter banquets. At these banquets, the chapters award their FFA members, local community, and school faculty on their successes throughout the year. Many chapter banquets also give out scholarships to the senior members to either continue their education or begin their college career. Finally, chapters also elect new leadership to serve as chapter officers.

I have had the opportunity to attend quite a few banquets so far and get to experience all the successes that these chapters have had. Each one has been amazing and I can’t wait to visit more! 

This is the Logan FFA Chapter and myself! Such a positive, motivated, and caring chapter with tons of potential! Truly enjoyed every second spent with them.

This was my first chapter banquet of the year, Fairfield FFA Chapter! They were very welcoming, enthusiastic, charismatic! Can't wait to hear and see all the accomplishments they will have in the future!

Here are two seniors from the South Barber FFA Chapter, Ciera Houlton and Micaela Kirkwood. Both were recipients of FFA Scholarships that will go towards their college education! 

Here is the instillation of new chapter officers at the Marais Des Cygnes Valley FFA Chapter Banquet. The new team has got some great potential and really excited to see where they will go from here! 

Banquets are an exciting time of the year! If you're an FFA Member, enjoy your banquet. If you're a community member or high school faculty ask your local FFA chapter or area chapter when their banquet is and I encourage you to attend it to support the FFA chapter! Happy banquet season everyone! :)