Barneyisfat

I just finished Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. Outliers aims to prove that being truly great doesn’t depend on IQ or ability level, but rather a myriad of factors including dumb luck, upbringing, and ancestries stretching hundreds of years. He uses data to show that lower-income children only learn less than upper-income children because of summer vacation. He proves odd and random facts, and lines up family histories for generations to show how many factors had to fall into place for any one person to become who they are – and how we can change things to create more opportunities for more children to make more truly successful people. An interesting read, but one that has the potential to change the world if we truly took its message to heart.

In one section he discussed the role that parenting plays in a child’s upbringing. On the way to the doctor the wealthy mother asks her son if he has any questions to ask the doctor. She encourages him to ask the doctor the questions he comes up with. She gives him a sense of entitlement. Few of the lower-income children’s parents encourage them to question the doctor, to speak up for themselves, or to interrupt an adult.

I realize, that although I come from a lower-income household, our mother always taught us that we were entitled to the best the world has to offer. Our mother taught Rebecca and I that if we were doing good, people would want to help. I had no qualm about raising money to do mission work. I knew I wanted to be an exchange student and I just did it. I fundraised the money and got my shots and filled out all of the paperwork. The year I was an exchange student; 10,000 Russian high school students spent the semester in America – 10 Americans spent the semester in Russia. The last academic exchange student we sent from my high school was in the early 70s and she had to be sent home early after being beaten by her host family and hospitalized for organ damage. I decided I would do it ... and I did it.

When I wanted to move off campus, I knew I would move off campus. If they wouldn't let me off for medical reasons I would have married a girl who also wanted off campus. The first time I saw my house I knew I would live there. I was the youngest student living off campus when I first recieved permission. I had been rejected on three levels and my last course was to go directly to the board of trustees. I began looking up bios of the trustees to see with whom I could naturally connect.

I'm in the application process to be a GBGM missionary. I spent a little time on the GBGM website looking through the missionary biographies. I realize that I don't look much like most of the missionaries. Most have a masters, the youngest missionaries I could find were in their thirties. Most were old men and women who had served their time in the states. But, I know that this is where God is calling me. I don't care what it takes, I'm going to be a GBGM missionary.

I love this particular postsecret, because I identify in so many ways. That tremendous feeling of being ready to go, keys in the ignition, a destination on the brain - and no idea what roads will end up being the right ones. It's a thrill of a journey, and I'm ready.