STORY.

Reilly and Oige met a man in the pub on Thursday who was telling them just how hard it was to wake his son for the first day back at school.

“Rise and shine. It’s the first day back at school,” says the father cheerfully, as he whips back the curtains.

Ten minutes later, when there still isn’t a meg out of the son, the father returns to the room, this time a touch more assertively.

“Come on now. Up you get. Time is pushing on. You want to be in good time for the first day of the new school year.”

“I’m not getting up,” says the son drowsily.

“Why ever not?” asks the father, reasonably enough.

“Three reasons,” says the son defiantly.

“Firstly, I don’t like school. Secondly, the other students are always slagging me. And thirdly, the teachers never stop picking on me.”

“Now listen here to me,” replies the father, a tad more testily.

“I’ll give you three alternative reasons to get up.

“Firstly, it’s your duty. Secondly, you’re 45 years of age. And thirdly, you’re the headmaster.”

Reilly loves that story and tells it to his tribe around this time every year.

THOUGHTS TO CONSIDER.

• Wake up. As long as you’re alive, there’ll be school.
• It doesn’t end after the Naíonra, the Leaving Cert or even the PhD. As humans, we’re on one thundering, continuous journey of learning.
• It’s our duty. We’re old enough. And ultimately, we’re the headmaster of our own lives and of the influence we have on all those we’re privileged to encounter.
• So wake up. Put on the uniform. Get enthusiastic, even if you have to fake it to begin with. And realise that school never ends.
• And don’t shoot the messenger. At certain times in our lives, we need mature and caring allies in our corner who have the courage to wake us up, listen to our concerns and give us feedback on our purpose, our abilities and our responsibilities.
• Sometimes the kindest thing somebody can say to us is: “Come on now. Up you get.”

QUOTE.

“Of course, I try to improve every day. If there’s a better outfit, I want to wear it. If there’s a better song, I want to write it. If there’s a better record, I want to record it. If there’s a better movie, I want to make it. I will continue to be as good as I can be. And I intend to keep coming up with new ideas all the time.”                                                                                                                                   – Dolly Parton, Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones

QUESTION.

Pick one room where you spend a lot of time. What is one item in that room that you no longer use or benefit from?

Keep what serves you or inspires you. Remove what distracts you.

POSTSCRIPT.

There’s one problem with being both the student and the headmaster of your own life.

The student will always have convincing reasons for staying in bed.

The headmaster’s job is to come up with better reasons for getting up.