What is your something bigger?

Life here at the house is definitely in full swing. Together we are planning LDW, developing curriculum, and scheduling chapter visits; all while doing our day to day chores such as running to Wal-Mart for nothing of severe importance or picking up popcorn off the floor from the movie night the night before. Life as a state officer so far has been one of memories, friendships, and a family that will last a lifetime. If you didn’t already know, PLT was this last weekend. Be sure to ask your district officers about how our National Officer Candidate Cameron Mann facilitated an amazing conference. My team and I had only two tasks at PLT: Hold an Executive Committee meeting, and prepare flags ceremonies. Flags have always been one of my favorite parts of conferences. As a student, the way that they are able to make you think deeply, honor our soldiers, respect the flag, and take pride in our freedom in America is what shoots them to the top of my list.  This time it was a little different, and here is the story why. It was the night after the dance, bed checks had been completed and the team had gathered in the house to wait for Mr. Martin so that we could practice our flag ceremony for a final time. As we hashed out the details on where we were going to stand, how we were to walk in, and who was to put up the flag, it all got a little muddy. So naturally—at 1 am—we all threw on some shoes and headed to the flag deck. As I knelt there on the deck, wind blowing, not a cloud in the sky, and a big full moon overhead, a wave of emotion hit me. Now, it wasn’t like a sad crying emotion, but rather that emotion saying that I was here, I have reached my dream, now what? In that single moment I felt brave, confident, and part of something bigger.  I then realized that we all are part of something bigger. But what is this bigger thing of which you are a part? Maybe it is a sports team, or a church group, or an organization that nationally has nearly 600,000 members. What is your something bigger, but more importantly why is it there? For me my something bigger is FFA—Indiana FFA. But, why? This brings me to another moment from this year. During our blast off training we participated in a “chalk talk” activity where we all supplied questions and answers on a large sheet of paper that enabled us to dig deeper. A question came up and its answer left me speechless. “When will we stop serving? NEVER.” FFA is my something bigger and serving is my why. Through the rush that has been these last 11 weeks, time has escaped me, and I have been so caught up in the next item on the list or the next event on the schedule that I seem to have been overlooking what is truly important in life. It not the routine, or the schedules, or even the fashion fads that dictate our life. It is our why. Take a moment to just listen and observe. Are you missing the glowing sunset as it fades over the open field of corn? Are you passing by that smell of a fresh cut alfalfa field? Are the stars in the sky just a distant memory? Are you forgetting what your something bigger is? I challenge you. Take a moment, for it…could change your life.

Refreshed with a why, Skylar Clingan 2014-2015 Indiana FFA State Secretary