Today I'm thinking about that little shepherd boy from the Bible named David and that giant he faced called Goliath and the metaphor that their story is ... for life.
It's probably because we went to San Antonio for the State-level Science Fair this weekend and what we saw, felt, and experienced just blew us away;
project after project with words we couldn't pronounce,
research that would never cross our mind to pursue,
and experiments that we wouldn't know where to start to reproduce.
And then there was our Joshua David.
His project, which came out of the Houston Science Fair a first-place winner in the Earth and Space Science category, really seemed small and somewhat insignificant at State in comparison with the others, the upper classmen with their professional-looking double-board posters and their equally impressive business dress. Some of the participants even did their projects in an Independent Study Mentorship (ISM) class. With a mentor. In some cases, as an extension of a summer internship. Joshua wasn't feeling very confident. At all.
But he had taken pride in his work, his experiment was creative, and he enthusiastically explained it to anyone who wanted to learn. He wasn't sure that'd be enough, but it must have made an impact with the judges, because Impact Craters: What Your Angle? took second place against the giants.
On our way home, we stopped at the same Freddy's where {this story} about custard kindness happened just last week.
So let's upack this metaphor with some reflections:
What giants are you facing?
Who is there to support, help and encourage you?
How will they know what you want and need from them?
How will you know when you've done enough?
How will you celebrate your victory?
On another happy note, we got to see our billboard yesterday,
beautifully-framed by the San Antonio skies.
Turns out, you don't have to be a giant to be a superhero.
and hopeful that our inspirational message might
equip, encourage and empower
a present-day David (or two) to face those giants
with strength, purpose, and grace.
As always, when I am looking for inspiration, you never fail to deliver. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't mind driving by that billboard on my daily commute to work especially on days when I don't feel like a superhero. Some days I just need to see it in writing.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great way to think about the Davids and Goliaths in our own time. Thank you, Joshua, for not turning and running when seeing the competition. Congrats on your achievement!
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