The Call

Since Jan 18, when I received the call from Dr. Madden while I was sitting in my car, telling me the news that would change our path that we were all currently traveling. I have since made and received many telephone calls, some of those to my immediate family, of course, were as only some can imagine the most difficult to have to share.

I want to share one of those calls with all of you.  All of us can look back and tell you one, two or maybe more individuals who in our scholastic lives left that lasting impression that made a difference in who we became or believed we could become.  It is very ironic that on one of the boards that I currently serve, we are about to have something to honor just that type of individual for the local high schools here in Midland, but in my life, on February 2, I received a message from that individual in my life.  My High School coach, Carolyn Franklin.  It had been over 15 years since we had spoken to each other and hearing her voice, just brought me to tears, it just amazed me how the word had spread and so much support was coming my way.  She was one person who literally taught me how to NEVER QUIT.  I was never the star athlete, but I always remember trying my best. We experienced it all, from losing to the worst team who we had never lost to- to playing in the State Championship game at "The Pit" in Albuquerque. Through it all she taught me so much, but the main thing I always remember is "I am not a quitter, I am a winner". It took me several weeks to get call her back, Brian would always ask me "have you called your coach?", not yet, I just needed time process all of my emotions.  When I did call her last week it was as though we had just talked yesterday.  She too, has gone through a lot, losing her husband to Lou Gehrig's in a short 6 months, he was my FFA and Shop instructor, yes, I know how to build and weld because of Jerry Franklin!

There have been several calls that I have received or had to make that have brought me to tears and then those that I have made that I get to laugh and smile and remember "life's little moment's" yesterday, today and tomorrow.