Thursday, 19 April 2012. Towers High School in Decatur, Georgia. I was but one of the Speakers participating in Career Day under the direction of, and in concert with, The Stewart Foundation and the Administration of Towers High.
To three different groups of teenagers I was able to impart the truth that each of them has a dream in place. It tells them what they would like to be when they grow up. I call that dream their passion, or the voice inside. Most were able to let this voice speak, knowing their passion and dream precisely.
At Towers High there are pro-football players, pro track and field sprinters, cosmetologists, forensic pathologists, artists, actors, musicians, a young man who wants to be the first pro athlete to compete in the NFL and the NBA, and video game artists among other professions and occupations.
We talked about the nuts and bolts of living out their passions; the promise and the obstacles as well. The other speakers with whom I shared the ‘stage’ proved to be on the same page as I, and we delivered a cohesive message of hope.
A couple of months ago I addressed the lunch crowd of an Optimist Club with a message entitled, Caretakers of the Voice. The gist of my remarks established my sincere belief that we as adults are the caretakers of the voices inside our youth – our future.
Young people today have mighty dreams and aspirations! In high school, for the most part, no one has yet attempted to quash their dreams, written their dreams off as unachievable, assaulted the practicality of lofty aspirations, or insisted they stop dreaming and get a job. That’s good. On 19 April 2012, more than 140 speakers validated the dreams of our future, and encouraged them to continue to strive toward those dreams they now hold dear; to stubbornly hearken to the voice inside.
Interestingly, I was blessed to also encourage a teaching professional who desires to be a published author. Having self-published my first book, I was able to provide keen insights into the process, and deliver great hope to his efforts. You see that voice inside does not go away with age, we just get too busy to listen any longer. Four years ago I listened again and it has profoundly changed my life. Let us therefore not only be caretakers of the ‘voice’ inside our youth, but in ourselves as well.
Fearlessly,
JD
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