Call your mom

It has been exactly 48 days since I left my home to move into Trafalgar as an Indiana FFA State Officer. I couldn’t wait to move in, get to know my team better, and learn how to be a better officer. It was a blur of a week at State Convention and I was so excited to begin the next chapter in my life. State Officer trainings, Executive Committee training, and preparation for State Fair all seemed to flow one after another.               I hadn’t even finished the first day of the State Fair before I left for Twinsburg, Ohio for the annual Twins Days Festival. It is something I look forward to every year. I become giddy when I see all the sets of twins together in one place. It reminds me of the fun times I’ve had meeting other twins and taking pictures together in the past. This weekend was also the most meaningful time I spent with my twin brother, Tanner, since State Convention. I didn’t realize how much I needed the time with my brother. We, in the past few weeks, had lost the sync we usually have. It was a great time to finally relax. We had a great time at the annual parade when we walked with twins our age. We walked around the festival grounds watching twin contests, dancing, and taking countless pictures with our twins. I loved meeting new people and spending time with my old friends catching up on life plans and genuinely caring about each other. It was great to spend quality time with my brother. At the festival, I made time to ask meaningful questions about where my friends were going with their lives. I simply enjoyed their company. One thing my brother said to me in the car really stood out. He said it quickly, almost in passing. It was a simple phrase with such great weight: “Hey, you need to call mom.” Not because anything was wrong, I just needed to keep my mom updated on my ever-busy life. As I look back on the experience, I think back to the phrase “you need to call mom.” There was so much meaning in it. I was busy with living at a fast pace and I forgot to take the time to have conversations of depth with my mom or anyone. I was flying through life. All I had to do is sit down, talk with someone that will listen, and enjoy their company. Coming back to the State Fair, I felt a difference. I was ready to get to know the people I was working with and go in-depth with conversations. Life can be too fast and too shallow if you don’t make the effort to slow down and be with people.                                                                                                -Cole Pearson