Unexpected Outcomes

I was watching the Lions game the other night and at half time I thought for sure the Lions would beat the 49ers and get their ticket to the Super Bowl. However, that thought quickly escaped my mind once the 49ers scored 17 points in the 3rd quarter. That night the Lions unexpectedly lost. Sometimes in life, we experience unexpected outcomes. For the Lions, this outcome was less than ideal. However, on the flipside this unexpected outcome made the 49er's dreams come true. In life, we will have highs and lows accompanied by surprises. It's important to celebrate the positive surprises and reflect on the not-so-positive outcomes.

When it comes to unexpected outcomes the first memory that comes to my mind is being awarded the Albright Gemlick Scholarship through Parkview Hospital. This scholarship is open to 3 students from every school or sports club that uses a Parkview Affiliated Athletic Trainer Program. This amounted to 80+ students competing for 8 scholarships. Upon hearing news that I had been nominated for this scholarship the first thought that came to my mind was that no one from my school had won this award and they were way more qualified then me. 

Nevertheless, I still applied boasting my commitment to athletics with my 12 Varsity Letters and my commitment to academics with my 5 Academic All-State Recognitions. Sometime after turning in my application, I received my invitation to the awards banquet where they would announce the 8 that will receive this scholarship. I sat and listened to video after video of these seniors who broke school records, started charity organizations, and went above and beyond at their school. After naming 7 of the recipients they get to the final award and pause. This award was different; this award was dedicated to a student who had passed away. This student was known for their outstanding character and compassion. As a result it became a tradition to name a recipient who has outstanding character and compassion. That recipient was me. I still don’t know if it was my essay, my letters of recommendation, or simply my list of accomplishments that aided me in winning this award. All I know is that it was an unexpected outcome, one that I celebrated. Remember that surprises will happen more often than you think and that we have to celebrate the good times and reflect on the hard times. 

Conner Keeslar, State Northern Region Vice President