Humble And Kind
I sang this song
to the seniors, the class of 2016, at our commencement. For those of you who
don’t know, rather than give a speech or a principal’s address, I select a song
that “fits” that particular class and I sing it to them. I use musicians who
are graduates, but sometimes use former grads or grads to be. It’s something I’ve
done for the last twelve or thirteen years. The song is kept a secret, which
can be hard at times, especially this year, since my daughter, Emily, was one
of the graduates. But I was able to keep it from her, too.
I picked the
song, Humble And Kind, currently on the radio and sung by Tim McGraw, because
more so than other graduates, they embody both qualities.
Our
Valedictorian not only graduated from high school, but he also graduated with
an Associate Degree from our local community college. He is an all-state golfer
and an all-state jazz musician. By any measure, he is bright. But what I like
most about him is that he is Humble. I’ve never heard him brag. I’ve never seen
him lord it over anyone else. He goes about life with a smile on his face and a
ready laugh.
Oh, and about a
month ago, he and his family woke up in the middle of the night because their
house caught on fire and burnt to the ground. They lost most everything. For
several days, they were in a hotel. People rallied around them. Our school
rallied around them. Clothes, keepsakes, family treasures, all gone. But he
didn’t complain. He kept his smile and he kept his spirit. Humble!
A teacher told
me a story about one of the seniors. She had come in to see him inquiring about
her final grade for the course. The teacher had told her that she had earned a
B+. She began to cry, but smiled through it. She told the teacher, “This is for
my mom! She never graduated from high school.” Humble!
I rarely get
political in my posts and this is on purpose. It’s not a lack of interest or
concern, but only because that I see my opinion as only my opinion, not worth any
more or less than yours.
I think there is
too much arrogance in our world today. There is too much meanness as a result
of that arrogance, and I haven’t decided whether or not that breeds ignorance
or if ignorance breeds the meanness. But one just has to look at the current
political campaign for president. A whole lot of arrogance, meanness and
ignorance. ’Nuff said about that.
In my
introduction to the song, I apologized to the grads because I felt our
generation didn’t do enough to negate the arrogance, the meanness and the
ignorance. I challenged them to make a difference, to bring about the change we
failed to make.
I also told them
to not mistake being Kind or being Humble as a sign of weakness. I believe it
takes so much more strength to be Kind And Humble than it does to be arrogant,
mean and ignorant. I see arrogance, meanness and ignorance as signs of
weakness.
When I sang that
song, I couldn’t make eye contact with the kids. From what I’m told, there were
tears. From what I’m told, the thousands of parents and grandparents, family
and friends were silent, eerily so. Guys, I’m no Tim McGraw- far from it. I did
the best I could, honest! I’ve known some of these kids since they were in
fifth grade. Many have been over at my house for sleepovers and movie nights. With
my daughter, Emily, sitting in the front row, I dared not look in that
direction. I only faltered once, towards the end, but I made it through.
I got into
education way, way back because I like and enjoy kids. I learn so much more
from them than I think I’ll ever teach them. Really! And I know that they know
a thing or two about being Kind and being Humble. I think we can learn a lot
from them. God help us if we don’t. And worse, God help us if we don’t walk
with them down that path called Humble And Kind. God help us if none of us take that path. Something to think about . . .
Live Your Life,
and Make A Difference!
To My Readers:
You can follow me:
Twitter at
@jrlewisauthor
Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/Joseph.Lewis.Author
If you like to
read thriller/mystery, check out:
Book One of the Lives Trilogy, Stolen Lives:
Two thirteen
year old boys are abducted off a safe suburban street. Kelliher and his team of
FBI agents have 24 hours to find them or they’ll end up like all the others-
dead! They have no leads, no clues, and nothing to go on. And the possibility
exists that one of his team members might be involved.
Book Two of the Lives Trilogy, Shattered Lives:
Six men escaped
and are out for revenge. The boys, recently freed from captivity, are in danger
and so are their families, but they don’t know it. The FBI has no clues, no
leads, and nothing to go on and because of that, cannot protect them.
Book Three of the Lives Trilogy, Splintered Lives:
The FBI knows a
14 year old boy has a price on his head, but he and his family don’t. With no
leads and with nothing to go on, the FBI gambles and sets up the boy and his
family as bait in order to catch three dangerous and desperate men with
absolutely nothing to lose.
The Lives Trilogy Prequel, Taking Lives:
FBI Agent Pete
Kelliher and his partner search for the clues behind the bodies of six boys
left in various and remote parts of the country. Even though they don’t know
one another, the lives of FBI Kelliher, 11 year old Brett McGovern, and 11 year
old George Tokay are separate pieces of a puzzle. The two boys become
interwoven with the same thread that Pete Kelliher holds in his hand. The three
of them are on a collision course and when that happens, their lives are in
jeopardy as each search for a way out.
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Thank you for your comment. I welcome your thought. Joe