Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Not an A+ Week


This past week was probably one of the most stressful that I have had this semester; papers to write, tests to study for, deadlines to meet. There were honestly times when I didn’t know if I was going to survive. I would lay down at night and the thought of sleep was the farthest thing from my mind…I just kept thinking about the 101 other things that I should be doing instead of trying to sleep.

There is a quote by Thomas L. Holdcroft that says “Life is a grindstone. Whether it grinds us down or polishes us up depends on us.” I saw that quote this weekend and immediately said that I had let this week break me. I really shouldn’t stress because in the end everything gets done…somehow it always does. The stress that I put on myself wears me down and is so unnecessary. The time at college is supposed to be the time of my life, so I can’t let this experience be one that wears me down…it needs to be one that molds, polishes, me into the person that I will become.

Growing up heavily involved in the ag industry I understand just how busy and stressful life gets. But what we all need to remember is that the situations we go through are meant to shape our future. We can let our experiences be negative and wear us down, or we can find the bright side to the story and learn from it.

The lesson I learned this last week: It isn’t about getting 100% on every project. It’s about preparing yourself, learning along the way, and giving it your all.

Friday, November 5, 2010

Carpe Diem


Carpe Diem…Seize the Day. A simple saying that can have life changing effects. You see we can go through life just living, just getting by. Or we can live each moment to the fullest, take each and every opportunity we have and run with it…don’t you think that is a life that is more meaningful? Don’t you think that if we seize every moment, every opportunity our life will make more of an impact?

Carpe Diem can mean many different things to many different people. For some it may mean that we need to try new things whenever the opportunity presents itself. For some it may mean that we need to talk to people about the important things in life. For some it may mean that we need to slow down, truly enjoy the simple things in life. We each have a different meaning for the term Carpe Diem, and that’s okay, the important thing is that we live out its meaning.

The perfect example of this saying, in my mind, is probably my dad. My dad comes to mind specifically because he is always challenging me to go above and beyond. The drive that I have to succeed is because it is something that he, and my mom, have instilled in me. By watching my dad take advantage of every opportunity possible I have learned the importance of not passing on opportunities. It is sometimes scary, challenging, and to be honest sometimes I just want to say no or even give up. The relationships that my dad has in the world of agriculture have opened so many doors; they have allowed him to take advantage of so many opportunities. For anyone involved in agriculture, there are so many doors that we can choose to open or just walk by. Unfortunately, especially in the younger generation, it is becoming so common to close the door on opportunities, or not even open them for fear of failure. When opportunities come knocking on the door of our life it can be scary, but exciting at the same time. If we would all just seize the opportunities handed to us, think of the impact we could make.

Our time is limited, but the impact we can have on all those around us is limitless. We have to take advantage of every opportunity possible. Stop walking by an open door. Open the door and seize the day…Carpe Diem