Jimbo's Jots

I saw a video of a college graduate giving a commencement speech that resonated with me. The student’s name is Kelsey O’Conner, 2023 graduate from NC State. In her speech, she began by asking everyone the same question that they had already been asked, “Now that you’re graduating, what are you going to do?” She continues in her speech to talk about being a student athlete on scholarship, her grades and degree, having to pull away from sports due to medical trauma caused by too many concussions.

Then she said this, “Do-ing is not as important as Be-ing. What does it mean to be a human being, not a human doing.” She explained this by saying that we are often measured by how much we accomplish. As her example, she was an accomplished athlete in softball, social work student, and researcher. Kelsey states that when her injury happened that ended her athletic career as well as changed the other labels she lived with. She says as a part of her recovery, she began to look at three criteria as she transitioned from focus on the human do-ing to human be-ings.

Here are her three items:

• Attitude
• How they treat others
• What makes them uniquely beautiful

Then I started thinking about David. You know the King, the Shepherd, the Song writer, the Giant Slayer. Certainly David was known for those doing those things. But God even called him a “man after HIs own heart.” (Acts 13:22) It makes me wonder if David created spaces for people like God does. Did he treat people with grace and mercy? Did he love with patience, kindness, gentleness? Did he see people as uniquely beautiful?

I often sit across from someone who struggles with these very thoughts. How many times have we heard someone say, “I wish I could do more.” Maybe just being is enough. Being present with someone who has lost a loved one. Being kind to someone who is emotionally broken. Being joyful with people who are celebrating a life of recovery from illness or substance abuse.

And as I always say . . .

BE blessed! BE a blessing to others! After all, we are human BE-ings!