I Connick the Terminator

Chapter 2: Stay on the Path, Stay off the grass!

We had an eyesore removed from in front of our school. The new landscaping included grass and some decorative shrubs that spelled out BHS on this sloped hillside. My job was to keep the students from walking on the grass, next to the sidewalk. Therefore, for the first weeks of school, I commanded the students to stay on the path and off the grass. Then, the light came on! This was a saying or truth for life. Stay on your path and stay off the drugs! Grass is the slang word for marijuana. I know that the United States has found its way to legalize this stuff, but here in the state of Alabama it is still illegal. The message is the same, "say no to drugs". These drugs have ruined the paths of potentially great people.

I also noticed that the students were walking off the path and creating a rut on the side of the sidewalk. This lead to another great discovery of truth. Here comes the Terminator! If you look at the word "Truth", rut is right in the middle of it. A rut is considered by many to be a shallow grave. A person that continues to do the same thing gets into a rut in life. You could say that they take the short cut off their natural path. They cut the corner, they get off the path, and life becomes mundane. Living in the truth of your existence and fulfilling the purpose that only you know to be true is the freedom that you long for.

The saying "the truth will set you free "is a loaded saying because you have to ask yourself; "what has you imprisoned?" Working with high school students all these years, I have come to recognize the two strongest bars on the planet. The bars of what others may think or say about you. These bars have kept many potentially great people from doing what they were meant to do for many years. I encourage students to find out about the truth of themselves, embrace it, and develop it.

The next part of this story has something to do with the width of the path. You see, many students veer off their path because the walkway is too narrow. They get pushed off the path. There is a truthful saying "only a few will enter the narrow gate". I see it daily! Many people are shown their path in life, but very few have the discipline, determination, and drive to make it through the narrow gate of their life.

Lastly, I position myself on this path, and prevent students from going down this set of stairs. How true is this for all educators, parents, grandparents, relatives and friends. Oftentimes you are the tour guide. You are the one that tells the person, "do not go down those stairs". You are the one and only person trying your best to try and prevent them from going to a place that is a dead end. Tour guides come through at key points in your life and direct you on the path that will lead you to where you need to go.