"You have tremendous "potential" but it is only potential unless you do what is needed to succeed."
If your house was on fire, and you can only take 3 of your most prized possessions, what would you take?
I haven't really put much thought into the answer personally, but I know that if I were to run back in the house up in flames, I'd most certainly reach for my wallet. But not for my insurance cards, my ID, my money and debit card or anything like that. I'd rush back into the blaze for all the letters my dad has written me throughout the years.
My friends like to make fun of me for having a "Costanza" wallet because of how fat it is, but the bulk of the contents of my wallet are things that cannot be replaced...they are simply invaluable. Over the span of my 21 years on this earth, I've made my fair share of mistakes, and I've definitely failed to rise to my parents expectations on some occasions. My father isn't much of a yeller, he isn't much of a complainer, but rather he likes to take some time out of his day to write...to me, my brother, my sister, and my mom. There's always a time when you can find my dad writing to us, no matter what the case.
A few years back, I was struggling with my schoolwork and it was becoming detrimental to my success as a student, not only in high school, but for my future academic career post-high school. We got our third marking period report cards sent home, and low and behold, there sat my first ever F. Before I even got the chance to snatch the report card from the mail box so I could burn it, my parents had it in hand as I walked through the front door. Disappointment on their faces is an understatement. I heard the spiel from my mom about me being an underachiever and my "potential" to go nowhere in life. My dad didn't say a word. Later that night, when I went up to bed, resting on my pillow I saw the paper labeled "Jordan." I unfolded it and it read:
"I hope for you that this semester was an aberration and will not happen again. You're not doing your homework and not studying as much as you should is only hurting you. You are not fooling us, you are only fooling yourself. You have tremendous 'potential' but it is only potential unless you do what is needed to succeed. "Don't be a could-have-been, be the best and exceed your potential." You have the means to do it, but do you have the desire? Only you are in control of your future.
I know you can do it so just reach for the stars. Just remember this phrase and I hope it will motivate you: 'The harder you work, the harder it is to give up.'
Love, Dad"
I haven't really put much thought into the answer personally, but I know that if I were to run back in the house up in flames, I'd most certainly reach for my wallet. But not for my insurance cards, my ID, my money and debit card or anything like that. I'd rush back into the blaze for all the letters my dad has written me throughout the years.
My friends like to make fun of me for having a "Costanza" wallet because of how fat it is, but the bulk of the contents of my wallet are things that cannot be replaced...they are simply invaluable. Over the span of my 21 years on this earth, I've made my fair share of mistakes, and I've definitely failed to rise to my parents expectations on some occasions. My father isn't much of a yeller, he isn't much of a complainer, but rather he likes to take some time out of his day to write...to me, my brother, my sister, and my mom. There's always a time when you can find my dad writing to us, no matter what the case.
A few years back, I was struggling with my schoolwork and it was becoming detrimental to my success as a student, not only in high school, but for my future academic career post-high school. We got our third marking period report cards sent home, and low and behold, there sat my first ever F. Before I even got the chance to snatch the report card from the mail box so I could burn it, my parents had it in hand as I walked through the front door. Disappointment on their faces is an understatement. I heard the spiel from my mom about me being an underachiever and my "potential" to go nowhere in life. My dad didn't say a word. Later that night, when I went up to bed, resting on my pillow I saw the paper labeled "Jordan." I unfolded it and it read:
"I hope for you that this semester was an aberration and will not happen again. You're not doing your homework and not studying as much as you should is only hurting you. You are not fooling us, you are only fooling yourself. You have tremendous 'potential' but it is only potential unless you do what is needed to succeed. "Don't be a could-have-been, be the best and exceed your potential." You have the means to do it, but do you have the desire? Only you are in control of your future.
I know you can do it so just reach for the stars. Just remember this phrase and I hope it will motivate you: 'The harder you work, the harder it is to give up.'
Love, Dad"
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