Happy Super Bowl Sunday
For some reason whenever there is a football game and especially this weekend with "Super Bowl Sunday" I begin to think about my "Early Years" and The Good & The Bad of my life...Please understand one thing: I would NOT change anything in my life because it has lead me to this point.
Before I get into my topic for this Blog, I want my readers to understand and know how important it is that no matter what "You" or I go through in "Life", it all, and I mean "ALL", happens for a reason. That is what "we" are meant to do is understand why something Good or Bad has happened and "Learn" from it...okay?
I realize now that I spent much of my time thinking about what I am to learn from something "Bad" happening in my life. I now realize it is just as important to "Learn" something from all the "Good" that has come into your life...
Okay getting back to what I wanted to say today, was about the memories and "Dreams" I think about especially on weeks like this when there is a Football game and in this case the Super Bowl.
I did a lot of thinking when I was younger and for that matter I still do but my process is different.
When I look back at my years in High School and middle school for that matter, having "Dreams" was so important and extremely helpful in getting me through some very tough & rough times.
It is so important for today �s "Youth" to have "Dreams" and they need to know not to dream small but "Dream" BIG and I mean Big....Larger than "Life"....Because anything and I mean ANYTHING is possible at any age and at any time in your life...
But when you are young and so influenced by what your parents want you to be, what pressures your friends (in some cases, so called friends) want you to do, what your teachers or guidance counselors think you should do or be when you grow up and the pressures on being in a relationship....those are just a few "Pressures" our Youth have on them. Our youth need to have "Dreams" and have a "Plan" on how they will accomplish those Dreams. No matter how extreme they think they are, no matter how many people believe in "You" and/or whether they think, you can do it.
I think back to the day I realize I was a good athlete and found football was my chance to go to University and live "My Dream"...
Some things you remember as clear as day and that day I went to see my High School Guidance Counselor and before he could say hello Mr. Croonen I blurted out...."I want to get a Football Scholarship to a USA University then get drafted in the CFL and play Pro Ball" ! ! !
He looked at me and without a blip of caring for what I just said he replied, "You are kidding, you are a Croonen and you are setting your
Goals/Dreams way too high and need to come down and come down a lot". His next words were, "Your father is a factory worker, yes"? and I replied "Yes he is"... He responded: "well I think you should set your dreams to something like your father?".
When at that moment I realized I was on my own and for a young boy being "Bullied" most days that was just fine for me....Because NO MATTER what anyone and I mean anyone said, Jeffrey Lawrence Croonen was going to receive a "Full Athletic Football Scholarship".
Guess what folks? I DID IT ! ! !
Not only did I receive a Full 5 Year Football Scholarship to an NCAA Division 1A University but I was drafted in the 5th round of the 1989 CFL draft and went to try out for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and I was told then I had a "Snow balls" chance in hell making that team because they just came of a Grey Cup winning season and did not want to change their roster too much...well "Too much" to me meant they were willing to change it by one or maybe 2 players so why cannot that ONE Player be "ME? And low and behold it was...now I do not wish to get into that at this point because that is another Blog in its self ;)
Please if you can take one message from my story above, that would be: Have "Dreams"....have as many Dreams as you wish...Life is not about listening to everyone around you tell you how you cannot do this and "YOU" cannot do that..?..
(PS. The Grey Cup picture in this Blog happened to me!!! Yes, the geeky, bullied, skinny, bad acne, bucked teeth average student and I did it because I had a "DREAM" ! ! !)
It is about "YOU" and only "YOU" having "Dreams" and take it from me, Dreams do come true because I am living proof that no matter how you were raised, where you went to school, how many friends you had or did not have, what your grades were like or whatever other excuse someone wishes to give you...all you need is a "Dream" and your passion....
Forget about yesterday, Live for today and have "Dreams" for tomorrow...!
Get Inspired
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