Reflections on the New Year

    First, don’t plunge headlong into another year.   Shut down the electronics from time to time.  Find time to read, to write, to take a leisurely walk, to think reflectively.

    Second, never underestimate the strength and power of your family.  My recent health issues have been well known around Collegiate and well documented in the local media.  Suffice it to say that I wouldn’t be typing these words without the abiding love, support, and encouragement of four generations of my family, especially as my situation became dire and the clock ticked to zero.

    Likewise, never underestimate the strength and power of the Collegiate Family.  During my 41 years of full-time employment, I’ve heard the term many times.  I long ago learned that it means a community of friends who share a common bond, a common ideal, a common desire to take care of one another.  Stick around long enough, and you’ll minister and be ministered to.  
    Never have I felt the spirit and warmth of the Collegiate Family more powerfully than this past fall when I faced the toughest race, and the defining moment, of my life.
    Though the crisis has passed, the challenge remains, but I move into 2013 with optimism and joy, thanks in part to the all-embracing Collegiate Family.

    Fourth, outperform the performance list.  That’s what determines where you should finish in cross county and track championship competition based on past performances.
    We coach our athletes to strive for more, to surpass the status quo, to exceed expectations.
    Applies to life as well.
    Accept nothing less than your best. 
    How will anyone know? 
    Doesn’t matter.
    You’ll know.

    Fifth, always be positive. Look for the good in everyone.   Find opportunities to learn and grow.  Don’t harbor grudges.  Don’t waste valuable energy on negative thoughts.

    Sixth, approach each moment with a beginner’s mind.  School days can seem long, and, yes, oft-times tedious.  Expectations can seem overwhelming.
    Search for uniqueness.  Search for the lesson. Better yet, see how you can move past the moment and apply that lesson to new and exciting experiences.

    Seventh, listen.  Just listen.  In this fast-paced world, I fear that it’s a dying art.

    Eighth, respect diversity.  We teach it, we preach it, but only the truly enlightened live it.
    We share each day on North Mooreland Road with an eclectic mix of individuals whose goal is to do right by the children entrusted to us.
    All are vital members of our community.  All have value as we move forward together.
    In mid-October, I took up residence at the VCU Medical Center and remained (through two stints) for 27 days.
    While I was there, individuals representing more nationalities, cultures, backgrounds, languages, and belief systems than I can count served me as if I were one of their family.
    Never once did I doubt their dedication, their desire to ease my discomfort, or, most important, their steadfast commitment to save my life and enable me to fulfill a promise of walking onto 11th Street under my own power.

    Ninth, don’t quit.  Don’t ever quit.  
    Sometimes, the outcome is positive.  Sometimes not. 
    Either way, you’ll have no regrets.

    Finally, enjoy the miracle of life.  
    Be grateful for the beauty of each moment, each day, each experience, each relationship, the new year.
    Trite, perhaps, but oh, so true.
    Trust me.  I know.
        -- Weldon Bradshaw