The Heart of One
Retiring Address of State Sentinel Joseph Maxwell
Introduced by Tucker Demaray Musical Selection: Live Like you were Dying by Tim McGraw © 2004 Curb Records
W
hen I was little I loved the start of a new school year. I would have a new backpack, crayons, new clothes, and usually some pretty cool shoes. I was so excited to see all my friends and learn new things. Now I want you all to think back to your first year of school . Yes, I am talking about kindergarten when we learned stuff like the alphabet, shapes, the fun stuff. In kindergarten any time the teacher asked a question everyone's hand would shoot straight up in the air, “Oh pick me! Pick me!”. The teacher would pick someone and ask them for the answer; they might look up at and say, “I don't know.” They may or may not have known the answer, but they had that excitement and enthusiasm. Now, think back to seventh or eighth grade, when the teacher asked a question you may have slowly raised your hand with the answer. When you looked around you realized no one else was raising their hand, so it must not have been cool. You would quickly pull your hand down, hoping no one had noticed. Then you move into high school; most of that kindergarten enthusiasm you began with is now long gone. Your teacher may ask a question but it‟s highly unlikely of you to raise your hand. I know this because when I got into high school I too was one of those students. I was the guy who did his work but was just kind of there. Each day was just another day; it was nothing exciting, and nothing new. I just..... existed. My junior year, however, my life was forever changed the day I met Kevin. You see Kevin had had a rough life. He had moved to town, in the middle of the year, a completely new place, and knew no one. Kevin also had a problem with his speech and his weight, and in a high school atmosphere he was the butt of a lot of jokes. Yet, Kevin was always so happy and so excited to see everyone each day. He had the purest heart of anyone I have ever met. The remainder of that year I got to know Kevin a little and I would see him from time to time in town over that summer. It wasn't until August of my senior year that I really got to know the true meaning of heart, and how Kevin was going to change so many peoples‟ lives. You see it was the start of football season. My buddies and I were goofing around in the locker room getting ready for the first practice of the season. We were seniors in a small school and already knew we would be varsity starters. To us it was just going to be another season of football. Then Kevin walked through the door and everyone stopped what they were doing. One of my friends walked up to Kevin and asked him what he was doing there. Before my friend could even finish his sentence Kevin told him I am here to play, and I am going to be good. I asked Kevin if he had played football before he had moved to Idaho. He said no, he hadn't, but he was ready to now. His confidence was booming and remarkably amazing. The next couple weeks Kevin kept showing up for practice, but in the state of health, and at his heavy weight, it wasn't safe for him to do the same practice as the rest of us. So he talked to our coaches and they told him if he could get in just a little better shape they would give him pads and he could play. Every day from then on he would show up the same time as the rest of us but instead of the usual standing around and burning time Kevin would run, and man do I mean run. He would push himself as far as he could and then go some more. He would only stop to catch his breath for a minute and then go back to pushing himself. He would do this for two hours straight and bring himself to the brink of complete exhaustion. One day I asked Kevin why he put himself through so much hell just to play football. He turned to me and told me how people in his family did one of two things; play football or do drugs. Kevin told me how drugs had ruined a lot in his life but by God they weren't going to ruin him. He fully believed football was his one chance to do something great. Boy was Kevin right. The 6th game of the season Kevin got his chance. When he came running onto the field he had the biggest smile I have ever seen. He ran with pride and he ran with heart, Kevin showed me that if you really, really want something then you have to go for it. Anytime I think of Kevin I think of one of my favorite quotes. “A man with the right mental attitude can accomplish anything, a man with the wrong attitude only God can help”. Kevin had that right attitude; he wasn't just the student that existed, he was the student that lived. He had his goal and dream and he accomplished it. He may not of had much, but the things he had he never took for granted. He taught me how each day is truly a gift. Once that day is over there is no getting it back, no matter what you do. Each day is truly a gift and an opportunity to do something great. Yes, there are those rough days that are hard to get through and sometimes seem so tough. When you have those days just beat yourself on the chest, and 15