Keeping Promises
I consider myself an honest person (probably to a fault, but never mind). I try really hard to say what I mean and mean what I say. I try even harder to not make promises or commitments lightly. The old adage says, "You're only as good as your word." I try to keep that in mind before I spout off randomly about something I'm going to do, especially if it has potential to come back and bite me in the...uh, back end. Sometimes circumstances change. Sometimes I'll have a lapse of judgement or memory. But overall I try to keep my word. I tend to like myself better that way.
In this particular case, I was a 7th grader in junior high (not even legally binding!). My English grammar teacher had submitted a short story I wrote for class to a student competition of some sort. I did fairly well, as I recall, and I even had it published in the compendium the organization put together of the top entries. (My parents and I didn't spring for the $100+ volume of Junior High written stories, but it was printed there in theory!) My teacher was pretty excited and said that if I ever published a book I needed to bring her a signed copy. Filled with excitement and wonder, I told her I would.
Twenty-six years later, after a crash course through the scenic route, I made good on that promise. Her reaction was pretty awesome. Given the day she'd had (she's a principal at the elementary and junior high now; I don't think it needs much more explanation than that), I think my timing ended up being pretty good for her too. Twenty-six years of waiting? Totally worth it.
So, to Dr. Beck, I say thanks for encouraging a kid to love reading and writing. Thanks for making it ok to dream big. Thanks for taking a chance in asking for a promise you may never have heard back on...
As it turns out, some promises are worth keeping.
