Never Stop Looking Ahead

By Dr. William H. Kraus

Motlow Buzz Contributing Writer

             

            SMYRNA – I recently asked myself, “What does the future hold? What am I looking forward to?”

            I have been most fortunate throughout my life. I’ve received a great education, served six communities with a total population of approximately 170,000 as city manager over a period of 25 years, and managed more than 20 non-profit associations in the health field and community/residential for another 20 years. I’ve also served as both adjunct and full-time professor in California and Tennessee since 1974. Related to that, I have just completed 15 years of service with Motlow State, beginning at our original Smyrna campus at the Tennessee National Guard here in Smyrna.

            I have always been a very active and enthusiastic “futurist,” welcoming the new, exciting and unpredictable events that will, without doubt, unveil in the days and months ahead. However, as I reach my current age and stage, it has come to my realization that I still see the future through the dreams, hopes and aspirations of our students here at Motlow State. Each class that I have the wonderful opportunity to be a part of has men and women who are just starting out on their individual journeys of life, with great mountains (and sometime valleys) to cross.

Dr. William H. Kraus

            Thus, my passion today is to be able to pass on the “spark of hope, optimism and dedication to excellence” to all of the students I see in class. I try to encourage them not to get bogged down in the details and the little steps that they may experience, but always keep the “eye on the prize.” 

            What better poem could I share than the following that came from the Journal of Humanistic Psychology, written by an 82-year-old man who was dying and accepting the death.

‘If I Had It to Do All Over Again’

"If I had my life to live over, I'd try to make more mistakes next time. I would relax. I would limber up. I'd be crazier than I've been on this trip. I know very few things that I would take seriously anymore. I would take more chances. I would take more trips, I would scale more mountains, I would swim more rivers, and I would watch more sunsets. I would eat more ice cream and fewer beans. I would have more actual troubles and fewer imaginary ones. 

You see, I was one of those people who lived prophylactically and sensibly and sanely, hour after hour and day after day. Oh, I've had my moments, and if I had it to do all over again, I'd have many more of them. In fact, I'd try not to have anything else… just moments, one after another, instead of living so many years ahead of my day.

I've been one of those people who never went anywhere without a thermometer, a hot water bottle, a gargle, a raincoat, and a parachute. If I had to do it all over again, I'd travel lighter, much lighter than I have. I would start barefoot earlier in the spring, and stay that way later in the fall. I would ride more merry-go-rounds, I'd watch more sunrises, and catch more gold rings, and greet more people, and pick more flowers, and dance more often… If I had it to do over again.

But you see, I don’t

Something That We All Should Ask Ourselves

By Bill Kraus

Motlow Buzz Contributing Writer

 (Dr. William H. "Bill" Kraus has served Motlow as a professor of Political Science since 2005. He also serves as a Writing Center tutor.) 

         This prose was written by a dying 85-year-old man who imagined how he would have lived his life differently if given the chance. It is found in the book "Living, Loving & Learning" by Leo Buscaglia, who discovered it in an issue of the Journal of Humanistic Psychology.

         As we get older, we are more likely to ask the question, "If I had to do it over again," and look to the past in reflection. Yet, I would urge all, regardless of your age, to review what you have done and what you are currently doing, to determine whether you are doing the very best that you can. Please take a moment or two to read the following prose that has been in my file for a long, long time. It has served as a guidepost for me to take stock, from time to time, to adjust what I am doing, what I am planning, and what I am hoping for tomorrow.

Bill Kraus

"If I Had It To Do Over Again"

(Following are observations from a man who was dying and accepting his death. His prose was originally published in the Journal of Humanistic Psychology.)

         "If I had my life to live over again, I'd try to make more mistakes next time. I wouldn't try to be so perfect. I would relax more. I'd limber up. I'd be sillier than I've been on this trip. In fact, I know very few things that I would take so seriously. I'd be crazier. I'd be less hygienic. I'd take more chances. I'd take more trips. I'd climb more mountains. I'd swim more rivers. I'd watch more sunsets. I'd go more places I've never been to. I'd eat more ice cream and fewer beans. I'd have more actual troubles and fewer imaginary ones.

         You see, I was one of those people who lived prophylactically and sensibly and sanely hour after hour and day after day. Oh, I've had my moments, and if I had it to do all over again, I'd have more of those moments. In fact, I'd try to have nothing but beautiful moments -- moment by moment by moment.

         I've been one of those people who never went anywhere without a thermometer, a hot water bottle, a gargle, a raincoat, and a parachute. If I had to do it all over again, I'd travel lighter next time. If I had to do it all over again, I'd start barefoot earlier in the spring and stay that way later in the fall. I'd ride more merry-go-rounds, I'd watch more sunrises, and I'd play with more children, if I had my life to live over again.

         But you see, I don't."