Completions

I'm reminded once again the power of finishing what you start.  This past week has been a time of celebrating the end of the school year and with that comes high school graduation.  Part of my job is that of consulting with high school students, making sure they are on track and keeping up with their work and grades.  For most of those I see this is an easy task, but there was one that I had to constatnly remind, over the past 4 years, that the end would come.

I met Josh his freshman year.  He was a little quiet guy who would easily smile but didn't have a lot to say.  His grades were okay the first semester and then he suddenly disappeared.  No one seemed to know where he was.  After a couple of weeks one of the teachers came to me and said that Josh was in Russia.  His father had suddenly died and he and his family had gone back to be with family.  My heart broke for this young man and I knew that grace would be something he would need once he returned.

After about 6 weeks he returned and it was obvious that his life had changed.  His eyes would often well up, but the smile so familiar to his face would remain.  There was no denying this young man had a broken heart and school was the last thing he cared about at this time.  I understood.

By the end of the year, sadly, he was not able to make up the work necessary to pass all of his classes so we set his schedule for the following year to include a repeat, or recovery, of classes needed to get him back on track.  Though his sophomore year was better than his freshman, he still struggled.  Again, there were a class or two that would need to be redone but he was still moving forward.

By the beginning of this year he had to focus and pass a couple required classes to graduate on time. Over these past 9 months we have had multiple discussions about the need to stay on track and that it would be worth it in the end.  There were many times he would not show up to a class and I would have to once again remind him that all he had to do was show up and do the work to complete what he had started 4 years earlier.

There was one point a year ago that I asked if he wanted to quit to which he answered yes.  Not seeing the purpose in the madness and never really liking school were hard points to fight in an almost 18 year old young man.  But, thankfully he continued on and did what needed to be done to get him to where he needed to go.

Last Thursday I had the honor of introducing him to the audience at the graduation ceremony.  As he came up on stage he did a backflip which ended with a huge smile.  I know that some of the teachers thought that perhaps he was lazy and didn't care and that this backflip was confirmation of those thoughts.  However, that backflip was his celebration of a completion that he really didn;t think would happen.  Hanging in there through hard, discouraging, and seemingly pointless times had allowed him to put on a cap and gown and proudly accept a diploma of completion.  Was this task done well, not really, but it was done and sometimes that is what is important.

He came in to see me the day after graduation with a card and a flower.  Looking me in the eyes with his huge smile he said, "Thank you for not giving up and for pushing me through"  I believe this completion has given him hope for his future.  A hope that he can do it and a knowledge that anything really is possible.

Sometimes I think we are too quick to see failure because of the lack of perfection when simply completing a task is a victory.  I think doing something through to the end can build a heap of character and confidence.  As Josh was leaving I wished him well.  When I brought up one of his dreams he said, "Oh, that's just a dream" to which I said, "Josh, dreams can come true". He looked me in the eyes and said, "I know they can" and I know he now believes it.

Look to complete whatever it is you have set out to do.  It might not be perfect, but in the end you will gain more than you could ever imagine simply by finishing what you started.


Monday:

10 minute warm up

7 rounds:
10 push ups
10 knees to elbows - Hanging from a pull-up bar
10 dumb bell thrusters
5 minute bike, row or eliptical

Cool down/Stretch

Tuesday:

10 min warm-up

6 rounds:
400m run
10 Kettlebell swings with a challenging weight
400m Run
10 Up dog Down Dog

Wednesday:

45-60 minute yoga

Thursday:

10 minute warm-up

10 rounds:
100m Run
5 jumping lunges
10 sit-ups

Cool down/Stretch

Friday:

10 minute warm-up

6 rounds:
5 minute moderate Bike or row
8 Push-ups
5 Pull-ups

Cool down/Stretch

Saturday:

10 minute warm-up

5-10 mile run

Cool down/Stretch