On Sunday, September 18 I am going to complete a half-marathon. I will jog some and I will walk some (probably a lot) but I will complete it… And it will feel great!

It will feel great because I will have accomplished something that I’ve never done before. It will be something way out of my comfort zone and way more than most people would expect me to do. It’s going to feel great. I know it will, because I had that feeling last year when I completed my first 5K.

For whatever reason, last year I was inspired to train for and complete a 5K race, even though I had never done anything vaguely athletic in my entire life. My athletic history had consisted of being picked last for teams and living up to everyone’s low expectations of my performance. But I challenged myself and used the Couch to 5K program to help me get ready. On race day, it felt amazing from start to finish. I was so proud of myself and my accomplishment.

I am looking forward to that feeling this year as I prepare for and complete the half-marathon. It seems beyond what I can accomplish right now, but so did the 5K last year. We can do it.

I want to connect a community of people working toward their own accomishments. I am especially interested in connecting and motivating people who are new like me, but everyone is welcome. Here’s what we will do:

1. Set a personal goal for yourself that is based on a physical activity that seems just a bit beyond your reach. Commit to working toward that activity. (This is not a weight loss challenge, so a number of pounds should not be your goal.).

2. Be available to connect with other people on the challenge via Twitter. When you’re ready to accept the challenge, send me a message @BobbyClubbs and I will add you to the CouchRunners list. You can also use #CouchRunners to identify related posts.

3. Work toward your goal and keep your fellow #CouchRunners updated. We will motivate, encourage, and challenge each other. We will be your teammates.

4. Share your goal with friends and family so they can encourage you as well. You will be inspiring others!

5. Achieve your goal and feel great about it!

That’s it! There’s nothing to buy, no membership fees, no hidden agendas. Let’s just form a community of people dedicated to challenging ourselves and each other.

#CouchRunners, unite!

2. Enjoying some quiet time on the back deck this afternoon during her nap. Nice, cool breeze. I continue to be so grateful for that beautiful spot.

3. Pruning the tomato plants in the garden by hand. Their fresh scent lingers.

I’m not trying to sell you anything. I don’t have a book, ebook, CD, seminar, or even affiliate programs. I’m just here.

I write and talk about my life and my experiences. I am not an expert or a guru. I’m just me.

If you listen to any of my podcasts, I’d love to hear from you. It’s nice to converse with an audience… Or just know there’s an audience.

On Twitter, I generally follow back anyone who follows me. If they turn out to be negative, say ugly things, or constantly advertise, I unfollow or block them. But if you follow, I’ll get around to following back. Just be patient.

I use lists to stay focused on interesting people on Twitter. To get on those lists, just interact with me. RT’s and @replies are great!

I try to engage in conversations and do participate in some Twitter chats, so sometimes my stream can flow heavily. Sorry about that.

I do check in on my regular feed on everyone I’m following from time to time, particularly from my phone when I’ve got a few moments to pass. So I try to keep an eye on everyone.

I RT things that I find positive, meaningful, insightful, helpful, and funny. I tend to RT a lot.

I’m happy to connect with you! Let me know you’re out there!

A new episode of my podcast is up.  This time, I’m talking about using positive affirmations, which I share a lot of over on Twitter.

Have a listen and let me know what you think. I’d love to hear from you.

Read some affirmations shared by others recently on Twitter.

In celebration, here is a list of 5 Ways to Relax! (In no particular order.)

1. Step outside – I have been enjoying my deck at different times of the day.  In the morning, I appreciate the morning chorus of birds.  In the evening, the cool breeze highlights some stargazing.
2. Laugh –  Nothing lifts my mood and calms me down as much as a good laugh.  I’m a little ashamed to admit it, but I often turn to YouTube videos of people falling down.  Hey, it works for me.
3. Exercise – While we may not immediately think of exercise as a form of relaxation, I’ve found it really helps clear my mind and contributes to better sleep.
4. Color – Have you put crayons to paper lately?  No? You should.
5. Have a drink – Not necessarily alchoholic, but just allow yourself to just completely do nothing for the amount of time it takes to leisurely sip something you enjoy.

(I have reduced names to initials for privacy reasons.)

Friends, I want you to imagine what it would be like if later tonight after you walked across this stage to receive your diploma folder, you went back to your seat and opened it to find a check inside.  A check for half a million dollars.  The check is made out to you, and on the memo line in the bottom corner is a little note:  “spend it wisely.”  I’m sure that none of us would be at a loss for how to spend it, but how many would truly spend it wisely?

Well, I don’t want to disappoint you, but I took a peek in those diploma folders and there are no checks inside.  However, tonight I want you to focus on a gift that in my opinion is even greater than the money – the next year of your life.

525,600 minutes.  I heard our friends in Concert Choir rehearsing “Seasons of Love,” one of my favorite songs from the musical Rent around the same time I started brainstorming for this speech.  In the song, Jonathon Larson wrote:

Five hundred twenty-five thousand
Six hundred minutes,
Five hundred twenty-five thousand
Moments so dear.
Five hundred twenty-five thousand
Six hundred minutes
How do you measure, measure a year?

In the next year, you will be given the gift of over half a million minutes.  Spend them wisely.  Tonight, as you mark this wonderful transition in your life, I hope that you’ll consider ways that you might spend your time to create some meaningful minutes in the year ahead.  It might be overwhelming to consider all that lies ahead for you:  college, or a career,  or family, or all of these, or none of these.  You all have plans, and tomorrow you will take your next step toward achieving them.

But before you get lost in the big picture, recognize that life is built minute by minute.  Lord Chesterfield said, “I recommend you take care of the minutes, for the hours will take care of themselves.” It’s the cumulative impact of our daily interactions with others that shape who we are and who we become. My challenge to you is to simply become more aware and purposeful in the way you choose to spend those minutes.

We’ll begin by examining how you’ve been shaped by your time in high school with classmates, teachers, friends, and family. Then we’ll turn our attention to how you can shape those minutes still to come in your future.

Senior A. R. came to a realization recently in her AP Calculus class.  She recalls a day when she and her classmates were strangely quiet and working diligently through a class work day.  A. said that she looked up and around the room at all of her peers – the people  she’s been in classes with for years, and realized that she will likely never see some of them again after tonight.  A. tried to cherish every moment in that class since.

For J. W., it took some repetition from Mrs. S. in order for her to develop a similar awareness.  J. says that at least once a week for the past three years, she has heard Mrs. S. say “our days are numbered,” usually with a sweet smile on her face.   After a while, this just became a part of J’s choir routine.  But one day, for whatever reason, those words resonated a bit more deeply for J.  “Our days are numbered.”  Since then, J. has tried to make the best of her days, choosing not to dwell on little annoyances, not taking as many things for granted, and not forgetting to tell loved ones how much they mean to her.

Now don’t worry, this isn’t the part of the speech where I tell you to “live every day as if it were your last.”  I’ve never really understood this advice.  If I lived every day as if it were my last, I’d probably never go to work!  You’d probably find me every day eating a Big Mac on a rollercoaster in Disney World with my family before flying to New York to see another fine Broadway performance.  Instead I tend to agree with Arnold Bennett who said, “The supply of time is a daily miracle.  You wake up in the morning and lo!  Your purse is magnificently filled with 24 hours of the unmanufactured tissue of the universe of life.  It is yours!  The most precious of your possessions.”  Spend it wisely.

We should spend our minutes conscious of the impact we are having on others.  Each minute of each day, we have the ability to impact those around us in a positive way.  As teachers, we sometimes forget the impact we can have on our students.  But several members of the Class of 2011 shared stories of teachers changing them for the better.  K. M. says that  the help, advice, criticism, and support she’s received from Ms. T. and Ms. C. have made her a better person and inspired her to be a writing teacher.  K. M. remembers a particularly challenging time when taking Human Anatomy.  After failing a test, K. had a conversation in which Mr. H. recounted an experience with his high school football team.  Mr. H. said “We were playing to not lose, we were not playing to win.”  K. realized the he had been taking that same approach when studying for Anatomy tests.  Because he was inspired by Mr. H.’s words, he prepared differently and passed his next test.  Teachers, know that the minutes you’ve invested in these students gathered here tonight have certainly paid off.

Students, understand that you’ve also had an impact on the lives of the teachers here at JHS as well.  Perhaps even if you didn’t realize it, some of the many minutes you’ve spent in these halls meant a great deal to us.  For example, Coach R. is very grateful for a note that T. S. gave her on the last day for Seniors.  J. T., Mr. B. thought it was really cool that you asked him to sign your yearbook.  Mrs. K. was happy to finally cave in and give L. W. a hug.  A. H., Mrs. T. wants you to know that even when she was, as she described it, “a big-bellied pregnant woman,” she really did think it was funny when you drew your “Pregasaurus” dinosaurs on the board.  A. F., Ms. J. still remembers the popsicle stick “Jueng  House” you gave her the last day of your sophomore year.  A. R., don’t be surprised if you see Mrs. S. stalking you with a camera later STILL trying to take your picture.  And T. P., you know I will think of you every time I give to the Lottie Moon Christmas offering.  Day by day, these minutes that we spend together add up, don’t they?  And while many of you were probably counting down the days, hours, and minutes remaining of your high school career, don’t  be surprised if pretty soon you wish you could have a few more.

In addition to our bonds at school, many of us are also blessed to have families who have given us countless meaningful minutes in our lives.  Parents and loved ones, know that so many of these young men and women recognize and thank you for your love and support.  M. M. points out that even in the way you’ve lived day to day, parents have shaped their children.  M. says “when company is over for dinner my parents always eat last and stand so everyone else has a seat.  I hope I’m that gracious.”  N. B. credits his father for teaching him a key lesson in life.   Life might throw a hardball at you and you might catch it, but you just get back up.  N. thanks his dad for doing the right thing with his head held high no matter what.  Senior J. T. also remembers a special moment, and that’s when his stepdad married his mom.  J. said, “When my dad came into my life everything changed.  He inspired me to go far in life and achieve anything I want to.”  Parents and family, thank you for the minutes, hours, months, and years you’ve dedicated to these young people.

Unfortunately, I know that many of us have special loved ones whose lives didn’t include enough minutes here on earth for them to be with us tonight at graduation.  For those of us feeling the absence of a loved one tonight, we can’t even begin to estimate the value of having just one more minute with them.  This might be an odd moment to make a Star Wars reference, but I told you earlier that everything you need to know can be learned from it.  After the hero Luke Skywalker defeats the evil Empire, he’s at a celebration.  He suddenly steps away, deep in thought.  He sees the luminous figures of important people who have passed on:  his two teachers as well as his father.  The glowing figures smile at him, sharing in his celebration.  Friends, I’m confident that we are surrounded here tonight by the love of those who have gone on before us.  I know that if they could, they would say “I love you and I’m proud of you.”

Thomas Mann said “Hold fast to time!  Guard it, watch over it, every hour, every minute!   Hold every moment sacred.  Give each clarity and meaning, each the weight of awareness.”   Graduates, take a mental snapshot of this moment and cherish it.  Remember all of the possibility that this moment holds.  Catalog that strange mixture of excitement, relief, sadness, anticipation, gratitude, dread, hope, loss, and love that exists right now in your heart.   This is a milestone moment in your life that will never come again.  Pause and just appreciate this night when high school becomes the past.

This year, my drama club students and I were privileged to produce Thornton Wilder’s play “Our Town.”  In it, the central character, Emily Webb, passes away.  In her afterlife, she is then given the opportunity to go back and experience a day of her life over again.  She is warned , though, to pick an unimportant day, because it will be important enough.  When she does go back, she realizes the beauty and importance of each small aspect of her life.  In a monologue that was delivered so wonderfully in our production by L. M., Emily names “clocks ticking, sunflowers, hot baths, food, coffee, sleeping and waking up” as things that she will miss.  Then she asks “Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it – every, every minute?”  The reply comes back “No.  Saints and poets, maybe.  They do some.”

My hope tonight is not that you will realize every minute of your life, but that you will realize more of them. Spend your minutes wisely. Make the most of your minutes.  We don’t have to live each moment as if it were our last, but we can realize the great potential that each minute holds.  Ephesians 5:15 says 15 Be very careful, then, how you live–not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity.

And perhaps the great modern poet Marshall Mathers, also known as Eminem, summed it up when he rapped:

Look, if you had one shot, or one opportunity

To seize everything you ever wanted in one moment

Would you capture it or just let it slip?

You better lose yourself in the music, the moment

You own it, you better never let it go

You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow

This opportunity comes once in a lifetime…   yo.

Class of 2011, you are about to walk across a stage, move a tassel, and throw a hat in the air. Then, you will spend your first minutes as high school graduates.  I challenge you to spend those minutes, and all those that follow, wisely.

Thank you, friends.

If you enjoyed this, please check some related posts on my blog:

Don’t Wate Another Wasted Minute

To Do To Make Tomorrow Better

Famous

Bumper Sticker “Wisdom”

Knowing God

My wife Brooke and I with age-group winner ribbons after a race

MyTurn:  I have just completed my one-year anniversary of participating in 5K races.  Before running my first 5K, I had never done anything remotely athletic.  I’d never played on an organized sports team or done anything more vigorous than strike out while playing softball in PE class, or perhaps get picked last for a kickball game.

I don’t remember exactly how I got started on my journey, but I do know that it was the Couch to 5K running plan that made it possible.  When I looked at the plan, I seemed like an achievable goal.  So little by little I walked, jogged, and ran my way to my first 3.1 mile distance.  Not long after that, I was picking up my first race packet, putting on my first race shirt and safety-pinning my first bib number to my shirt.  I was so excited and proud of myself!

Since that first race, I have completed five more.  I currently have my heart set on a new goal:  completing a half-marathon in September.  I’ll soon begin the process of training for that, and I look forward to accomplishing another goal that seems out of my comfort zone.

YourTurn: What’s an accomplishment that you’re particularly proud of?  How did you go about achieving it?

What is MyTurn/YourTurn?

2.  An entire school hallways teeming with nervous, excited, giddy first graders going into their brand-new classrooms for the first time.

3.  Crisp, smiling teachers ready to greet them warmly upon their arrival at orientation, even though they probably feel like they have a million things to before school starts.

Beautiful.