Why not?

In her commencement address thirteen years ago this season Majora Carter (an American urban revitalization strategist and public radio host from New York City) said to the graduating class of Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois: 

You guys will rock! 

It was an interesting dichotomy… An urban revitalization strategist rocking in farm country.  You can’t get much more rural than Galesburg.  Unless you take into account the “greater Galesburg metropolitan area” that includes, East Galesburg; Wataga; Altona; Galva; and the like. 

Galesburg, home to many famous people and a few less-than-remembered events is where I graduated from the college of “hard Knox”.  In those days, I loved the feel of being out in the country.  Growing up in a Chicago suburb, I knew the odds were high that I would live the majority of my adult life in or near a city.  You too? 

Knox College, surrounded by corn fields, was one location of the famous Lincoln-Douglas debates – a series of debates that literally shaped the future of our country.  Here’s one excerpt of that event: 

Both men arrived at the Knox College campus by carriage and walked into the college’s impressive new building that later came to be called Old Main.  The debate was held on the east side of the building.  As the two men, along with other dignitaries, stepped through a window on to the stage it is reported that Lincoln said, “Well, at last I have gone through college.”

                                  Owen Muelder

This spring will again witness a friend or relative’s high school or graduation ceremony for many of us.  Do you remember any of those past commencement speeches?  Maybe this year we should pay closer attention. 

I always enjoy the unbridled hope and enthusiasm that comes from these events.  It reminds me of the proclamations made back in the day, “We can accomplish anything!”; “We will rock!”  Today, how well are we maintaining the spirit of those commitments?  Sometimes growing up dampens our enthusiasm, yes?  Susan Jeffers put it this way: 

Life is what happens when we’ve made other plans.

I understand.  When we work for a living the idealism from high school and college can collide with the demands of Corporate America.  So many people today are trying to “Rock”… as an employee; a parent; a friend; a family member; a community contributor; and so many other responsibilities that it’s easy to forget those happier, simpler, “rural” days. 

It’s not too late.  Before we continue spiraling down the black hole of trepidation, political strife, over-commitments, or despair, let’s refocus on Mason Cooley’s perspective: 

            "Why not?” is a slogan for an interesting life.

I think we’re up to the task.  Why not recommit to hope; enthusiasm; positivity; a better night’s sleep?  Why not strive to simplify our over-energized, over-stressed, “over-urbanized” life styles? 

Why not go out on a limb? Isn’t that where the fruit is?

Frank Scully 

If we take a moment and think about it, I believe we already have the ability of adding fruit to our daily routine.  Why not follow Charles L. Bromley’s guidance: 

Why not make the best of things?  Any fool can make the worst of them. 

If you’re like me, our college experience was a bit different from Abraham Lincoln’s.  But if he was here today and looking at our possibilities for a better world as compared to the challenges he faced during his presidency, he might offer us these words of wisdom – Why not? 

GAP 

When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or… we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.