A Dreamer's Legacy

It was five years and five days from today, 12/18/2011, for which I was faced with a challenge. On December 13th, 2006 my father unexpectedly and suddenly passed away due to a heart attack while playing basketball with teenagers at a suburban Nashville park. He passed and left in his wake a grieving family, friends who have missed him, a legacy of giving his life for others, and so much more. My father taught me several things during his time here on Earth. He taught me to value education, to seek to serve rather than be served, to sacrifice for faith and family, and to value others above myself. I do not do any of these things perfectly. That is why I also hold true another teaching from my father: take advantage of new beginnings. My father, a man who had to file for bankruptcy once due to some financial missteps once told me with the greatest resolve... "It's okay, this is a chance for a new beginning." The consummate optimist, my father, always looked at each new job as a chance to start something new, to dream big. You see, my dad did not have a college education and had to rely on faith and dreams. He was a dreamer... He dreamed of a better life for his five children. I am convinced that if he looked at us all now, he would be proud. He would be proud to see how we all have made a choice to embrace (despite all of it's imperfections and hurdles) this new beginning of living life without an earthly father. I, for one, have taken up the banner to dream. Today, I choose to dream and dream big! For starters, I am dreaming of a better way to educate ourselves and others. Whether, we are educating our local church parishioners, or educating our children in public, private, or home schools, I am dreaming of better ways. The positive changes are limitless. Join me in my dream by following me on twitter @drizzinkwine and contributing to the conversation at #edudream