My grandfather, James Herbert White, was the Founder and First President of Mississippi Valley State University he kept the family constantly involved with the activities that went with having an educational institution. As a son and grandson, you would do as you were told to do. It was easy, because my older brother and I did care and we didn’t want to disappoint. Not saying that I didn’t make mistakes, but it is a testament to choosing to do what was expected of me.
It’s been a while since I have had to be in a meeting setting now that I am retired from the Houston county board of education. I just wanted to teach/coach to the best of my ability. Meetings . . . well.
Yesterday, I joined my wife at a networking luncheon meeting. She said “you should meet the people I network with because I have told them about you and the ZUMBA party that’s coming up.” Did I mention that I’m a coach? So I pulled out all the things mama use to say when we attended events on the campus of Mississippi Valley State University. I did go and enjoyed meeting some new people and even saw some familiar faces there. Glad that I went.
The segment for announcements, near the end of the lunch, my wife introduced me to the group. Before I began to tell them the abbreviated story of my transplant and about the Anniversary ZUMBA Fitness & Health Fair on October 22, 2011, a former student, Courtney, stood and reminded me of why I did what I did for 32 years. It made me feel real good and after I got myself together I started to try to talk. Because I do care, "Chip'n Away at Heart Disease" is my passion and I am writing a book that will tell someone of preventive measures so they don't have to go through what I did.
I still remember many of the faces of former students (male/female) their hobbies, jersey numbers, character traits, funny stories and nicknames I might have given them. When I see them, I will ask them about siblings or if they have followed their dreams. I do that because I care.
