I often reminisce about my high school days and the people that touched my life. When I think back about those people, individuals that stood apart, they fall into two groups. The first group seemed to be remembered for their obnoxiousness. They did things that were offensive, distasteful, and utterly atrocious to get attention and stand out from the crowd. Two people immediately come to mind that fall into this category. These persons (we will call them Scott and Drew) were notorious for their abuse of others. They were intimidators. They harassed anyone unable to defend themselves and persisted in tormenting them until they felt totally defenseless or inferior. They needled, bullied, and belittle others to prove their own importance. Often together the two of them picked fights with those unable to stand up for themselves. These guys made desperate attempts to gain popularity at the expense of others, and amazingly, they were commonly accepted by the majority in school as “being cool.”

The second group was remembered for their day to day efforts. Accountability was a common trait among these people. Not only were they responsible, but they were usually good natured and compassionate. One person that comes to mind (we will call him Conrad) would fall into this category. Conrad didn’t have wide spread popularity, however that wasn’t his objective in school. His objective was being the best student he could be, as well as being a sympathetic and faithful friend to his classmates. Another person that fell into this category was an English teacher (we will call him Mr. Jones). Mr. Jones was dedicated to his students and his hard work. This devotion to task was demonstrated every day of his life without hesitancy. His skills as a teacher were outstanding. He took personal interest in each and every student, regardless of their abilities or dispositions. At the time most of these people were overlooked or taken for granted. Neither Conrad nor Mr. Jones were as cool as Scott and Drew, so many thought. However over the years I have come to realize just how special they truly were and what a positive influence that had on my life. As I look back I see now how much Conrad meant to me, and just how much I too have become like Mr. Jones. I realize that Scott and Drew were not as cool as I or they thought.

So how now do you wish to be remembered by the people you work, play or learn with? If you are a student in elementary or high school, what will your classmates think of you ten years from now? Better yet, what will you think of yourself? Will notoriety be your goal? Will you be remembered as the class bully? Hopefully not. Hopefully you will be remembered as being the best possible person with an unrelenting desire to help others, a true friend. Now is the time to consider how you want to be remembered.