Cutting the Ribbon
Milestones and mementos are very important in both our personal and professional lives. They give us perspective as well as something to strive for and celebrate. This week we will be holding the ribbon cutting ceremony for The Stovall Center for Entrepreneurship at Oral Roberts University. There is nothing terribly significant about cutting a ribbon, but what it represents can be momentous. This journey began when I was still a teenager attending the university without an idea or clue what I was going to do with my life. Forty years later, The Stovall Center for
Entrepreneurship celebrates a dream come true and highlights the power of entrepreneurship which has given me everything I could have imagined and much more.
It’s important as we go through life to create memories and celebrate achievements along the way. Life is more like an ongoing highway than a series of short steps, but sometimes we need to pull into a rest stop and examine where we are, where we’ve been, and, more importantly, where we’re going. Always remember that these milestones are not just for you. As the great poet John Dunne told us so eloquently, no one is an island.
Your individual journey may be a private pursuit, but there are many colleagues and loved ones who have made it possible. You should celebrate them and their contributions to your success as you celebrate each step along the journey. This week I’m enjoying The World Series. After the last game, there will be a tremendous celebration enjoyed by the winning team, but there have been a series of milestones and mementos that go all the way back to spring training.
As a blind person myself, I have never been terribly fond of posing for pictures or creating videos, but my colleagues and family have encouraged me to collect these memories throughout the years. I am grateful to have them today.
Periodically, people stop by our offices and studios for a tour. My colleague, Beth Sharp, actually put together a highlight sheet for those who are taking a tour of Narrative Television Network. Until she had the entire document compiled, I didn’t realize the walls and shelves throughout our building hold photos, awards, and trophies that are a virtual museum of our efforts, progress, and success.
A wise person once said, “Those who do not learn from history are destined to repeat it.” In much the same way, those who do not remember and learn from their past journey, may have to revisit some of their previous challenges.
As you go through your day today, examine where you are, review where you’ve been, and celebrate.
Today’s the day!