Monday, April 2, 2012

Spring Training for Earth


Michele and I visited Austin this weekend for the annual Texas Orange and White Game.  A football scrimmage to show the coaches where the team stands at the end of Spring Training.  This right of passage was witnessed by about 40,000 die-hard fans who withstood scorching temperatures and even worse Austin traffic.  (Come on Austin, fix this mess.)

But as I sat in the stands watching next year’s team run its plays I realized we were surrounded by (in areas we could not get into because of NCAA rules) recruits from around the country and their families who had been invited to observe the goings on at UT.  It is quite a show, complete with the cannon, Big Bertha the giant drum, cheerleaders, flags and of course The Band, playing Eyes of Texas and Texas Fight with a great deal of volume and energy.

            There was a special unveiling of the new statue at hero’s corner of Ricky Williams along side the existing one of the other Heisman Trophy winner, the Tyler Rose, Earl Campbell.  All this had to excite a prospect into considering being a Longhorn.

            And thinking about being a freshman, I let my mind wonder what it would be like to return to school, freshly scrubbed behind the ears and ready to start out on life’s journey. Then behind me I noticed a parent had brought her three-year old daughter and I thought of what lay ahead for her. What was she going to have to learn to help our planet out of some major problems we face. Overpopulation. Lack of fresh water. Famine. Global climate change. Depleted natural resources.  Future energy sources. And the list goes on and on. I looked at her and thought how we were going to prepare her to take us into or near the next century.  For her children will be the pioneers into 2100.

And what will the Earth look like then.  It is a daunting task. On the way home, I told Michele I hope we can find a way to quit spending money on tanks, planes and bullets and start focusing our resources on the classroom and really teaching. Teaching for the future’s sake.  Not this STARR BS we put up with from our current and most out-dated governor and his cohorts at the stat legislature, but truly gifted teachers in exciting classrooms that equipment this young girl and others like her to become the leaders of tomorrow in ways we never had to.

We are depending on her.  Our species will be.

I wish all the current athletes and students good luck.  And luck to the next year’s crop, as well.  But to that little three-year old girl, my prayers are on her shoulders.  Do well, young lady.  You and your generation will have to save the world from the wretched job our parents’ and our generation have done.

Learn. Grow. Be creative. 



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