Differences in Attitudes & Head Coaches

Isn't it amazing how just the difference in sports seasons shows the difference in the students? How going from, say for argument's sake, football to basketball you can see a difference in the students themselves. They go from being polite kids who worked well as a team to becoming rude individuals who only work as individuals. It saddens me to see how one coach's teachings about being better men outside of school and sports can be thrown to the ground like trash and stomped upon until all of those teachings are hidden by profanity and horrible attitudes.

While we are on the topic of head coaches, a head coach is supposed to be helping to build an individual up, not tearing them down. A head coach is supposed to help a player get better, not tell them what they are not allowed to do. A head coach is supposed to make the player a better person overall, not a self-serving, egotistical individual whose only purpose is to make sure he himself stays in the game. A head coach is supposed to make players truly play as a team, not as individuals who are only interested in benefitting themselves. A head coach should emphasize the importance of grades rather than just getting another win because when it comes down to it, how many students will actually go on to play the sport at the professional level or even at the collegiate level? How many colleges care about your sports season when considering if a student should be accepted? Colleges are much more interested in grades. If you don't have the grades, it's see you never.

But quite honestly the most upsetting fact to me is that those individuals are allowing themselves to be influenced by their head coach. If he's tearing you down and telling you or someone you know that they can't do something if they want playing time, stand up for what is right!! Your previous head coach taught you how to be a better person. He gave you all of the tools that he possibly could and yet you don't use his teachings? You choose to have a poor attitude rather than be a good person? You cannot stand behind the defense that this season's head coach is pushing you to it. Take some responsibility for your own actions. While yes, he is guilty of facilitating the behavior simply by his actions, the blame also lies in you. Even if you are the only one, stand up for what you believe in, or you'll fall for anything.

Do you think colleges are interested in egotistical individuals who are only interested in self-preservation and "getting the win" or do you think they are more interested in a polite man who works well in a team setting and who obviously strived for good grades?

Affected By Music

Did you ever notice how music can affect you? I've noticed in the past couple of days just the difference it can have in my life. I also notice it especially when I'm listening to a specific playlist when I'm writing.

On the book that I'm currently working on I have a playlist with a range in music that includes Alternative, Hip-Hop, Pop and Rock. My favorite artist to listen to while I write the book is Linkin Park. I don't know what it is about them but I have a theory. It sets the tone for my book and it gets me into the right mindset when it comes to what is going on in the book. The funny thing about one of the main characters in the book? He's a country boy living on his family's farm. But there is no country music included in the playlist I listen to for the book. Amazing!

Normally when I just want to belt out the words to a song, I switch between two main playlists. The names of those playlists are quite simple - "Country" and "Life". I especially listen to "Life" when I'm feeling down or something has me just melancholy. I can't narrow my favorites from that list down. Basically it consists of songs from Sidewalk Prophets, Jamie Grace, Chris Tomlin, Tenth Avenue North and of course Newsboys. I find myself listening to "Life" more than any other playlist. I've noticed I just feel lighter so to speak. I feel that I can do anything. But it's not just these songs, it's the how the artists let their music and their lyrics. If you don't know me, let me tell you straight up. I'm a Christian and I believe in God as the creator of the universe. Artists like Sidewalk Prophets and Tenth Avenue North, their songs were meant for me. I can honestly sing "You Love Me Anyway" by the Sidewalk Prophets or "You Are More" by Tenth Avenue North, cry because something in the song has convicted me or because I just feel an overwhelming love for and from God. Then after I have finished singing that song, I hit repeat over and over just so I can remind myself how awesome my God is. The one that gets me every time is "Our God" by Chris Tomlin.

I know I took a tangent from talking about music but bear with me. Not only do the songs convict me or move me, but they make me realize what I've been doing and what I need to change in my life. Stuff that normally I could bury by hiding in my other playlists. I didn't have to feel those convictions and could ignore if I would only listen to a different playlist. But those songs aren't the same nor do they make me feel the level of intensity of emotion that my "Life" playlist does. Music is how we can get through to our generation. Music is how God is using people like Chris Tomlin to reach millions. You may think I'm weird, thinking that God is speaking to me through music. But He uses it to talk with me, to remind me that I don't always make time in my "busy" life for Him. It reminds me that I need to be reading His Word. And just like in the song "You Love Me Anyway" by Sidewalk Prophets, no matter what I do, no matter how badly I fail, God will always love me for who I am. Which is something I don't deserve, but He loves me anyway.

Delving Into My Mind

I’ve just been thinking about writing a lot lately and how as a writer you want to write down what goes through your mind. Otherwise it’s constantly there trying to break free of your mind to be on paper. But that’s not always enough, sometimes it doesn’t stop until you share it with someone or put it out there for several others to see. This happens a lot with me because I want to know what others think of my writing. If I go back to read it, the words still paint a vivid picture of what is going on or being said. But I sometimes wonder if that’s how it is for others who read it. If it isn’t, I want to know so that I can become a better writer and be able to captivate them in that way.

           

But then we come to the issue of what if some of the stuff I write is considered inappropriate or offends someone? I know that there are some stories that are supposed to get some sort of emotional response from the reader. That is to help them feel connected to the story. But what about a piece that is maybe a bit risqué or even very opinionated? While I may write it down, I don’t know that I would ever feel comfortable sharing it with others.

I have also heard that writing is supposed to challenge the writer. Believe me, this has challenged me immensely. Growing up, you learn that there are certain things you do not share with others or say. But what about when it’s running through your mind and begging you to write to share its story? How can you say no to something that makes you wish you could say yes? To feel as though you will cry and mourn if you turn such a story away? To share that emotion, that level of intensity through words is the ultimate goal. But how do you deal with people, even people who may be close to you, that would feel offended by it? To have them tell me that I cannot write about that which moves me the most is like telling me not to feel the emotion it calls forth. To block out the intensity that requires a level of self-control that I lack. I choose to lack though because if we restrict our writing, we lose the creativity that sparks the imagination.

In a sense this also shows how strongly I feel about the need to read and the need to write. Those two aspects are the motivation I use to complete my training to become an English teacher. I want to be able to share that passion with my students, and even greater than that I want my students to feel the fiery passion that such reading and writing requires. Somewhere between high school and elementary we as educators drop the ball and are responsible for the students’ loss of interest in being more than just literate. I know that I cannot help every student rekindle their love of words and stories but even if I can only help a few students a year that is enough for me. I will be making a difference in their lives that they can carry with them throughout their careers and their lives. Not only will they see my love of reading and writing, but they will also see that it is possible to enjoy my chosen career. Hopefully that will inspire them to choose the path that leads them to a career that will bring them just as much joy. No one said it would be easy, but if it was, it wouldn’t be worth the risk.