2011 Proceedings - National FFA Organization

tiffAny rogErs continuEd
the first time in all of my life that I had seen
my dad cry.
That image of my dad in so much pain
stuck with me. To this day it still makes
me sick to my stomach but nothing like
the feeling I had on the car ride home. I
couldn’t believe how selfish I had been.
The whole time I had been thinking about
myself and not given a second thought to
the people around me, not even my family.
My dad had needed me but I hadn’t
noticed. I could have been there for him
but first I would have to get over myself.
That’s when I realized my presence hadn’t
been about me at all.
Selfish. Such an ugly word but too
often we let it describe our actions, our
thoughts and ourselves. We live in our
own little world and fail to notice that our
not many of us ever know
of the impact we make. we
don’t know how a simple
word, note, gesture or just
being ourselves can mean
the world to someone else.
purpose is not about us, that there are
needs of others that are greater than our
own. Excuses are one of the ultimate
forms of selfishness and somehow they
become a part of our daily routine. “I’m
busy.” “I’ve got my own things.” “Why
should I have to worry about problems
I didn’t create?” “Why should I care?”
We allow excuses to dictate how we live
our lives. We exhaust ourselves trying to
explain things away. We are convinced
that our problems are the most important
thing and that we are more important than
the people around us. But we’re not.
When we’re focused on others, we are
devoted to something bigger and greater
than us. That’s when we have a proper
view of ourselves. That’s when we’ll be
able to see the needs of those around us.
That’s when we can make a difference.
Instead of concentrating on if we won
the plaque given at the awards ceremony.
Why not celebrate the accomplishments
of others? What do they need? Instead of
focusing on our reputation and what our
friends think, what about the classmate
that sits alone at lunch? Instead of
spending hours worrying if we have the
latest iPod or cell phone, what about the
family in town whose dad was recently laid
off? Will you help someone in need, or will
you turn away?
Ok, ok, I get it. Get over ourselves. Put
others first. I’ve heard it all before. But I
can’t possibly make a difference. Here’s
the deal though. Each of us can make a
difference and it’s one that only we can
make. Because we all have the power
and responsibility to do something…
anything…
I’ve shown draft horses since I was
seven years old when I could barely
even reach the horse’s shoulder. There’s
nothing like taking the lead of a 2,000
pound horse with hooves the size of
a dinner plate. In my opinion they are
some of the most amazingly beautiful
creatures. But the thing is, they can also
be amazingly unpredictable.
Two summer ago I was traveling with
the farm I show for along with Steve, Amy
and Joe. We were at the Indiana State Fair
doing morning chores and I was given the
option to be the one who exercised the
horses or shovel the stalls or, as I prefer
to call it by its classy name, the equine
excrement disposal engineer. That day I
chose to walk the horses. I took Apollo,
out for his walk and brought him back
to the barn. I led him in the stall and as
I reached up to undo his lead rope, he
reared up. As he came down, he hit me
with his front hoof, shoe and all, right
above my eye.
You know that feeling- your body
is going in slow motion but your brain
is going in fast forward? That’s what
was happening. I was trying to process
what had happened but couldn’t really
understand. I knew that I should be in pain
38 Believe Proceedings 2011
but I couldn’t feel anything. I remember
seeing Amy running toward me hollering
for Joe to get help and seeing Steve rush
toward Apollo and the stall door that was
still wide open. All of this went through my
brain in like point seven seconds.
After that things start to run together.
There was me getting sick to my stomach
and getting to the trash can just in time,
then getting dizzy and things starting to
go black. Next thing I know I woke up on
a stretcher in the ambulance. I reached
up to my face and felt what seemed like a
soft ball coming out of my forehead.
Before this I had only been to the
hospital for check ups. Now I was in
the emergency room, which is never
a good sign, in a strange town, hours
from home, without my family, and I still
didn’t completely remember what had
happened. I was alone. I was scared.
Cue Joe, Steve and Amy. They walked
into the room where I was and I had never
been so thankful to see a familiar face.
They made all the difference just by being
there. A difference only they could make
at that point in time in my life. They were
there when I needed them the most. I’m
not sure if they even know the difference
that they made that day.
Not many of us ever know of the
impact we make. We don’t know how a
simple word, note, gesture or just being
ourselves can mean the world to someone
else. Most of the time we have no idea of
the things we teach or share with others
or the direction in which we move them.
Maybe you’re just in the right place at
the right time, maybe it’s because of your
own experiences or the story you have
to share, maybe it’s because of the gifts
you have. But no matter the reason, we
each have the ability to make a difference
just as we are, one that no one else could
ever replicate. Each of us comes into
the world with certain gifts designed to
make a better place for others. If we don’t
use those, something wonderful is lost
because we each have something that
only we can give.
We all have the ability to leave our
mark and one that is unique to each and