Dear 17-year-old Carter,
“There's still a chance. Those guys just have to put up a 45 on the back 9,” T-Mac tells you after choking a state qualifying round.
You’re looking at the scoresheets, hands in your pockets fiddling with a tee. Disappointment is etched across your face, as the reality of not qualifying for the state tournament sinks in. The once-promising season now feels like a missed opportunity.
As you drive home you reminisce about all the work you put in and start to realize that you didn’t put in the work. You didn’t give yourself a chance to go to state, nor let alone deserve to go. You spent the majority of the summer working and not practicing.
While gut-wrenching this teaches you a lesson. To go all out for what you believe is important.
This was reaffirmed by your success at the concrete pumping company you worked at during the summer. You built great relationships with your coworkers, and you were also a part of some amazing jobs. It was because you went all out for what you believed in.
In the coming months, you will start to prioritize your values more efficiently. You realized college golf wasn’t for you.
You took up DECA and qualified for state.
But what you will be most proud of is the suicide prevention efforts you will put forth with 3 of your classmates.
During study hall, Erik Michels invites you to apply to be a part of a new C.L.C. (Catholic Lifesaver Core).
You have no idea what it means but you apply because you value your life and your community life. In the next few months, you will spend countless hours training and reviewing your material to present in front of O’Dea faculty, you will convey the urgency of mental health needs today.
You will be greatly impacted by this and gain experience and knowledge you didn’t know you would need.
While continuing your interest in C.L.C. you will realize that some things that most people see as “important” aren't of value to you.
During your junior year summer, you will be encouraged to study for the ACT and get a good score for college.
You take a practice exam and you’re nowhere close to the mark.
You know that going test-optional is the best possible route for your success. But others are blindly leading you into hours of pointless studying when you could be working on things that will be applicable in your life.
You won’t study and when exam day comes you know you won’t get a good grade, because you didn’t believe it so you didn’t go all out.
The thing you lack the most in your life Carter, is balance. You constantly struggle with overuse injuries and overstress about schoolwork. This motto has shaped your life to have a balance between work and play and you wouldn’t change it for the world.
This outlook has helped shape you socially, mentally, and physically. While people and opinions may change throughout your life, just remember to pursue something that you truly believe in.
Don’t work a desk job that you hate.
Go pursue a job and a family that you love.
I want you to walk out the door every morning giving it your best because you love your life.
That’s how you will truly be successful.
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