blessings aplenty :)

So I realized tonight how good I’ve had it up to this point in my life.

I’m blessed to have been born into a thriving and dependable family in the greatest nation on earth.
My parents aren’t divorced. I have a bed and a roof.
We are blessed to be in the 60% of humans who actually get to eat at least one meal per day.
And by the grace of God my father accepted a transfer to Pace, Florida twelve years ago.

So Allie and I we’re out and about after work tonight as usual, and we stopped by to see our long lost friend Erika whom I haven't seen in probably two months. Afterwards we stopped by Walgreen's to pick up some sunglasses for the beach tomorrow (and Allie got “Bumpits,” this supposedly awesome hair tool). On the way home I saw Pace Patriot Boulevard, and I just thought about good ole Pace High School. So we stopped by to just see the school and sure enough the gate to the field was open! We passed the old field house, the red concrete all speckled from cleats, the gazebo, and we eventually made it to the 50 yard line. It was mind boggling to stop and think about how many hours I had spent on that field; Every Thursday football practice (and the end of some Wednesday practices too), every Gasser ran after weightlifting, every football game, track meets, Relay for life, I could seriously go on forever.

Then I thought about graduation. How we all were there together for one last time. How we got our diplomas, dipped in one last Alma mater, and we all threw our hats.

I thought about relationships with teachers and administrators: How I know most every teacher on campus and have a relationship with them.

I thought about homecoming and how we all really came together for the first time and had the best skit Pace High School had ever seen! I thought about field days and how we would all try to escape haha.

I thought about pep rallies, the twirlers, the football players.

I thought about those cool fall nights in the stadium all huddled up with my best friends under a blanket, yelling ‘till I couldn’t yell anymore. And smelling that smell in the air that only fall can bring. You know the one that I mean.

And then I thought about how we will never have any of these things ever again.

We took the time right before we left to pray for the school, that everyone that walked through the doors of PHS would have the same indescribable experience that we had. We prayed for the upcoming senior class and for leaders to reveal themselves this upcoming year. Last but most DEFINITELY not least we prayed for Mr. Lay. Whether you agree with his actions regarding consent decrees or not, one thing is certain: he IS Pace High School. He is the one who has allowed us to have the clubs that we had and the memories that you and I share, and it is a sad day for the ENTIRE community when that man leaves the halls of that school.

At this point I cried like a baby all the way to the car. Thank God I had tissues :)

Whether you choose to acknowledge it or not, we are blessed to live in this special place. I have been inspired to reach for the stars by my peers and teachers, shared experiences that I will never forget, and made friends that I know I will have for the rest of my life. It was after I realized these things that I realized that I am truly blessed. I know its cliché but its true: money doesn’t buy happiness. It doesn’t buy long-lasting relationships, and it can’t buy the experiences and memories that Pace High School has given me. Make fun of me all you want but I’m about to say it: there truly is no better place to live. Yeah I’ll eventually go off, be stationed somewhere and start a family, but mark my words: my children will grow up here. They WILL experience the emotions and joy of finding a new friend and acing a Coach Martin test, and they will experience the sorrow and let down of the Patriots losing a OT thriller by one point. That’s just the way it’s gonna be.

Well I hope everyone sleeps well and don’t forget to count your blessings!
GOD IS GOOD!
Kyle