Know Your “Why”

I have a confession…I sometimes wonder what I am meant to do…why did I spend so many years in school? Is it really to teach college students? Is it to work with Veterans? Am I meant to do something greater? No, I really don’t think I am…I think I’ve found my why. 

My why of doing all that is what I am meant to do—teach. Educate. It might be first-year college students, first generation college students, non-native speakers, student-veterans–I am meant to teach College English (or composition, writing, writing skills)—that I do believe. My what is sharing stories, narratives, essays, articles–materials to help students write.

When I started teaching at John A. Logan College, I knew I was meant to be there. A long, long time ago I was a college freshman who played a little basketball and walked those very halls as a student-athlete. Full circle? Maybe. But, I knew that all that hard work was going to pay off.

I attended a faculty meeting (like an adult meeting–with other professionals, administrators, you know–big time stuff), and I felt like I belonged. I was with “my people,” others who had a what and knew what they were doing but maybe needed to understand the purpose or the why...(example: why did they become a teacher, why did they want to be at Logan, etc.).

I was introduced to this video by Michael Jr. I absolutely love this concept of understanding your purpose. I believe we all are meant to do something. Maybe you’ve taken a long road to find that purpose, but we are all put on this Earth to do something…do good, do right by others…do our best…and well, this short clip hits home for me.

You see, for a long time, I didn’t know my purpose. I didn’t know what I was supposed to do. I didn’t have a why…

Watch Michael Jr. interact with an audience member…and also…be prepared to be “wowed” when you hear this audience member. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZe5y2D60YU

Did you get goosebumps listening?

Did you think about your purpose or your why?

You see, as Michael points out, the first time the music teacher was asked to sing he knew what he was doing—singing…but the second time, when he was given a few specific details, he knew why he was singing.

After watching this in a meeting I was definitely motivated. I knew why I was meant to be at John A. Logan. But what I didn’t know is that this also applied to this very thing right here—a blog.

I knew what was going on when we would be out in public with Memphis. I knew what people were saying. I knew what Sam went through at times during his time in the military…I knew that because of these experiences we had a why. 

This Able Veteran gave Sam so much. So many people have supported us, prayed for us, been with us through ups and downs…the why has much more of a purpose now than just sharing what we hear or encounter during our journey with Memphis.

My why has become so important to this blog—I know it has a purpose.

Our why, my why, is to give hope. Because we’ve been given hope. My why is to educate, because some people don’t know much about the opportunities for Veterans, or service dog organizations, and we’ve had the opportunity to be educated on those very things.  My why is write content that can provide support and maybe help someone who is struggling or who has questions, but they aren’t sure where to go or who to ask. It’s like knowing how to sing Amazing Grace, and then being asked to sing it with a little bit more oomph.

If you get stuck in a rut, feel down about your job, get frustrated with a situation at work…just remember why you started doing that in the first place. I know I have moments of wondering “what should I write?” And then I remember why I write…

We all have a purpose. Sometimes we just have to remember what it is and why…