Advice From An Owl

Make a mental list of the things you’re involved in. Are you in a club? Are you an officer of an organization? Do you have a job? Are you a part of a community service project? Whatever it is that you’re involved with, do you truly enjoy what you’re doing? Think about it for a moment. When you’re in the middle of a meeting, waking up for work, helping others, or doing whatever it is that you do, are you truly loving the effort and dedication that you’re providing?      This week we had the honor of hosting the Retired Agriculture Teacher’s Luncheon at the Indiana FFA Leadership Center. Let me tell you, I’ve never been in a room with so many elderly, energetic, and passionate people. These retired teachers reconnected with fellow teachers, shared memories that are worth tons, and truly felt at home. As they were sharing their wise words, one retired teacher from Jay County High School, Bob Lyons, said something along the lines of this- if you go to work and you feel like you’re working, you need to find a different job. You should be having fun with your profession and truly enjoy what you’re doing. I let these words soak in for a moment and took them to heart. I realized that what I’m doing right now in life, doesn’t feel like work at all. It feels more like happiness, passion, and dedication.      As we all know, teachers are some of the wisest people to walk this earth. They truly transform their purpose into action when they take a shy and reserved student and make them the best speaker or communicator in the school. Or when they take a lost student and give them purpose and hope. They not only have seen the transformation that they initiated, but they are the transformation. Agriculture teachers are the type of people who can give advice in the most random times (like in the greenhouse or shop in the middle of a school day or by a random phone call that wakes you up on a Saturday morning) and it always prove to be true. Part of the advisors opening ceremony even says, “I hope that my advice will always be based off of true knowledge and ripen with wisdom.” Two of my genuine owls, Mr. Younts and Mrs. Keffaber, who have given me advice since my first day as a FFA member.      The advice that Mr. Lyons gave are some of the truest words I’ve heard. Not only should we never feel like we’re working in our profession, but we shouldn’t feel like we’re working with anything we do because that is the moment we know that we’re doing it for the right reason. When the long hours put into that club, organization, volunteer work, or anything humble you rather that make you bitter, that’s when you know you’re doing what you love.      As we go about our days, let’s take a moment to reevaluate the things we do and ask ourselves if we truly do love what we’re doing. If so, that’s fantastic and I hope you continue to stay humble. If not, search for those things that you love and genuinely make you happy. Love what you do and never dismiss advice from an owl. Happily Living Life, 2016-2017 Indiana FFA State NRVP Sneha Jogi