I've been reading all the stuff in the news about the pope, and one thing that has come through is the level of maturity he had even as a youngster. Sure he would have the sports games and kidding around that all adolescents do, but his peers all recall how he stood out as being more serious and purposeful with anything he was at. There was a conviction to do something with all earnestness and seriousness.
Interestingly my cousin who is still in high school asked me today to help him come up with a speech as he is running for high school treasurer. I told him to think about why he wanted to run for the position and what he would like to accomplish. It was interesting how his response was that most people wouldn't care. He suggested trying to find wooden boards and break them karate chop "metal-head" style. Thinking about this, and my own attempts to run for high school student organization positions, it seems so true. Most high schoolers could care less if you have a dream or goal. They would probably vote for you because you could break wood with your head, and not because you had some good ideas that you wanted to try and share with others. I'm not saying this is true for all students, and I'm certainly not saying that once in high school we should all be serious, no-nonsense and forget how to goof around. But it seems that there isn't much reward, particularly amongst one's peers at that stage, if you are slightly more mature, in the sense that you aren't just bogged with thinking about hw to finish, who is dating so and so, and when gym class is coming around.
I don't think its fair to argue that since its only high school, it doesn't matter anyhoo. It's all just for play at that stage right? But I would say, as was in the case of the pope, this early maturity is a sign of greater things to come. Certainly, having a goal in life early on prevents you from mucking around in ambiguity and wasting precious time.
Anyhow, just reflecting on things. To note, I never got elected for any positions I ran for. I think I was just too darn serious. There's a lesson there too---how to be a little more charismatic and sell a message without boring people to death!
Interestingly my cousin who is still in high school asked me today to help him come up with a speech as he is running for high school treasurer. I told him to think about why he wanted to run for the position and what he would like to accomplish. It was interesting how his response was that most people wouldn't care. He suggested trying to find wooden boards and break them karate chop "metal-head" style. Thinking about this, and my own attempts to run for high school student organization positions, it seems so true. Most high schoolers could care less if you have a dream or goal. They would probably vote for you because you could break wood with your head, and not because you had some good ideas that you wanted to try and share with others. I'm not saying this is true for all students, and I'm certainly not saying that once in high school we should all be serious, no-nonsense and forget how to goof around. But it seems that there isn't much reward, particularly amongst one's peers at that stage, if you are slightly more mature, in the sense that you aren't just bogged with thinking about hw to finish, who is dating so and so, and when gym class is coming around.
I don't think its fair to argue that since its only high school, it doesn't matter anyhoo. It's all just for play at that stage right? But I would say, as was in the case of the pope, this early maturity is a sign of greater things to come. Certainly, having a goal in life early on prevents you from mucking around in ambiguity and wasting precious time.
Anyhow, just reflecting on things. To note, I never got elected for any positions I ran for. I think I was just too darn serious. There's a lesson there too---how to be a little more charismatic and sell a message without boring people to death!
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