Destiny Loads the Gun

I read a book recently, well still am in fact. Its the story of  John Furlong, the man instrumental in bringing the 2010 Winter Olympics to Canada. He tells of a relationship with his father that is unique and to me at least, foreign. It was a close knit, looking up to his hero sort of relationship. Early in his life John's father told him, "What's going to separate you from others is how hard you are prepared to work." I read those words and it was like a blast of explosives that when off - an echo I still hear to this day. Call me empty headed or what but I really can still fell the effects of those words.
It was then I had to think of my life, up until that point. I thought back to the days of  of grad school and high school that I wanted to become the first doctor that my community had. My life took another direction - I still wrestle with the feelings if it was the wisest choice. By now you are asking yourself what happened, why did I not choose to become a doctor?  Well, it was the lack of encouragement from those who I looked up to the most during the most impressionable years of my life - my teachers. DESTINY LOADS THE GUN.  You know the usual questions, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" I would tell them I want to be a doctor. I can still see the smile - now to think of it a smile of amusement - well Randall you have to work really hard and get good  grades but you may want to think of something else. All throughout school, perhaps up until about grade 10 I gave up the dream! I did get one victory out of it though, I won the grade 12 Chemistry award for my high school year. He, my teacher was one of my biggest cynics. One of the few 'role models' who I told of my ambition when driving me home from volleyball practice in grade 9 - funny I never really spoke to him much again after that.  When I won my award I walked up to him and told him I was thankful for him teaching me and was so happy to prove him wrong. YEAH BABY!
DO I have regrets? BIG TIME. If I would of believed in myself I know to this day I would of achieved a dream that faded with the sun like the morning fog.What do I do about it today? FOCUS on a new generation of children who have potential, who are not scarred by damage done from a generation before them. I am willing and able to instill in my children a lifelong experience of believing in them, so that they can believe in themselves. DESTINY LOADS THE GUN. I am going to make sure that my children are going to have such a belief in themselves that it will almost seem arrogant. When they fail - and they will-  I will be there to help them up, cry with them, laugh with them and let them know, that their hard work is going to separate them from everyone else. Destiny loads the gun; but training pulls  the trigger. If only I knew what that meant years ago. If only's, will not get me from where I am today to where I want to be tomorrow.
If only I had someone to say to me, What's going to separate you from others is how hard you are prepared to work. Yet, more importantly believed in me.DESTINY LOADS THE GUN.
Tell someone today, that you believe in them. Do not let them throw away their potential without at first letting them know they can use it.