Recently I was on the campus of a school where I teach as an adjunct professor. I was walking through the student center and saw this – a massive list of that university’s graduates for this year.
It was really gratifying to see the names of people I recognized. To a random stranger these were just 470 some-odd names on a really big page. To me they were much more.
The List wasn’t able to capture the sleepless hours, the frustrations and insecurities, and the enormous energy invested. And that’s just the professors! (Just kidding.)
It couldn’t detail the hours of work, the sacrifices and support of families, or the poignant life stories behind each of those names. Behind every name is a story worth telling and a future worth finding. (That, friends, is why they call it “commencement” when people graduate.)
My joy was in knowing I had planted some things in some of those students and they had nourished it to a point of fruitfulness. And what was I doing when they were celebrating this big accomplishment?
Planting some more in a future crop of leaders. And grateful for the privilege.
There are lessons in The List. For you. For me… [click to continue…]
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