Blazin' a Trail for Greater Things to Come

All this looking back that I’ve been doing lately has got me to thinking about how much of my life has been spent blazin’ a trail for those coming behind me. So, since you asked, let me share with you a few examples to illustrate my point. These examples relate to my younger brother and my two sons. After all, they are the ones that followed after me.

In junior high school, I took on a paper route. (This was back in the olden days when boys delivered papers in the afternoons after school.) The route was in some disarray when I took it over, but I managed to get it straightened out and was able to “grow” the route to the point that it had to be divided because it was getting too large. During that time I was honored by being selected, Paperboy of the Month. I even got my picture in the paper along with a nice write up about me.

Later, when I decided to go onto other things, my younger brother, John took over the route. He was also selected as Paperboy of the Month, but additionally was selected as Paperboy of the Year, clearly taking advantage of the trail that I had blazed for him and having learned everything that he knew from me.

Later, in high school, I decided to try out for the high school musical, “Lil’ Abner.” It was a big move for me as I was a very shy and awkward teenager. But I was determined to push past those insecurities and as a result, I landed a part. And it wasn’t just any part, it was a speaking part--okay, just one line. But I did get to do a song and dance routine with three other kids--and my dance partner was none other than the Homecoming Queen!

Following my example, my brother auditioned for and won the lead role in the high school production of, “Carousel,” and as a result, became famous, and the rest is history. Would this … could this have possibly happened had I not been there first, laying the foundation?! I think not!

And so the pattern continues with my sons Chris and Mike. As you may have already read in my last post, one of the first businesses my brother and I had was a marginally successful Kool-aid stand.

Now while Chris and Mike’s first business venture was not quite as successful …something about trying to sell drawings that they had done door-to-door … they did hit pay dirt when they built Black & Brew Coffee House and Bistro from the ground up. And where do you think they gained their insight and business savvy from? One can only assume the obvious.

I would like to say my “trail blazin’” has always been positive, but that simply is not the case. After all I did shoot my brother, John, with a bow and arrow, (see my post: The Deadly Weapon). And unfortunately, following my lead, Mike shot Chris with a bow and arrow. For the full story on that episode--at least from the victim’s perspective--click the following link:

http://thoughtcombustion.blogspot.com/2008/08/deadly-weapon-full-circle.html

But setting that misfortune aside, here’s my point. Don’t ever think that what you are doing is small or insignificant, you may only be blazin’ a trail for greater things to come. At least, that’s how it looks from here!