Fifty
years ago today, September 4, 1967, I left home to begin my college career.
My
college of choice was Trevecca Nazarene College in Nashville, Tennessee. I had spent the previous year pouring over
the yearbook from TNC and memorizing names of upper classmen that I hoped to
befriend. I was excited is a grave
understatement. I was ecstatic to
finally be headed to the college of my choice!
September
4 was a Monday. I spent most of the
morning packing my drums, my clothes and other personal items that I would
be needing as I began college. By the
time I finished, my 1957 Chevy was jammed full with just enough room for me to
drive and a clear view out the back window.
After
my Dad arrived home we enjoyed one last noon meal with my Mom and
sister. At 1:00 PM I headed to my new
life as a college freshman.
I
arrived on campus at 2:15 PM, and went through the line to get my dorm assignment
– Room 317 in Tennessee Hall. After
unloading my clothes for the dorm, I headed over to the music building to put my
drums away.
I
then headed back to the dorm and proceeded to unpack my bags and put my clothes
away. After putting sheets on my bed I
was finished. Everything was in its
place and I was alone. Now what?
There
was no one else in the dorm at that moment and I didn’t know what to do with
myself. I lay down on my bed and had the
most overwhelming sense of loneliness and fear.
I
had a little conversation with myself.
“What
am I doing? Is this really what I want? I’ve wanted to be here for a year, and now I’m
here. I have got to get out of here, but
to where?”
My
lonely thoughts paralyzed me.
And
then I continued, “If you are going to make a go of this college thing, you have
to get off this bed and go meet people.”
It
took me another ten minutes to make a move, and I finally found the courage to
act. I walked three feet toward the
door. Those three feet were the hardest
steps I think I had ever taken in my life, and I kept going. I walked three feet to the door and found my
courage, and never looked back. I headed
down the hall and walked into my college career.
My
first stop was the T-Room – the hangout place for students, snacks and
sodas. I stepped up to the soda machine
and was digging around in my pockets for some lose change. My jeans were rather tight and I had a bit of
trouble getting the change out.
Three
students were at a nearby table and I could feel their eyes on me. One of the guys yelled out, “Hey, there’s
Ringo.”
Ringo
was a TV character played by Tim Conway.
He was a bumbling, stumbling sheriff who got his gun caught on his
holster every time he pulled it out. I burst
out laughing, walked over and began making friends.
I
found my courage on that Monday in September.
It lay just three feet from my bed when I left the dorm and began
walking toward my college life.
There
have been many more moments in my life when I found it necessary to walk toward
courage. And a few times when I have
avoided it.
How
about you? Are you walking toward
courage? Are you conquering your fears
and going for what you want?
Perhaps
a new job is just around the corner.
Maybe
a restored relationship is just a phone call away.
You’ll
never know unless you take those few steps toward courage.
Have
I always been courageous? No, not
always. It took me about thirty years to
launch my writing life.
The
important thing to note is this – courage comes when we make the first
move. We act first and then we find the
strength to continue.
For
me, courage really was only three feet away.
How
far do you need to go to find your courage?
Words of Hope
Encouragement Inspiration
One Word at a Time
