Tired, alone, and scared. You can bet that’s how I felt at five in the morning at the top of a mountain. I was in the middle of nowhere, Arizona, and I, along with 400 others, was about to run 26.2 miles. With clammy hands and a pounding heartbeat, I questioned my decision to run a marathon. When the race finally began and I started putting one foot in front of the other, my fears dissolved. Moving silently through the morning, each runners’ feet pounded to the beat of their own drum.

As another school year closes and summer begins, we are faced with the decision of simply coasting or finding opportunities to discover our beat. Whether you are preparing a speech at Public Speaking Academy, are forging new connections with members from across Missouri at FFA Camp, or are preparing for the state fair with your supervised agricultural experience, this summer provides the opportunity to better yourself. Our journey in the blue jacket is a marathon and each summer a new leg of the race begins.

Missouri FFA members, it’s natural to be nervous at the beginning of a new adventure, believe me, I’ve been there. It’s in those moments outside of our comfort zones that we grow the most. When planting a seed, we don’t look at the seed for what it is, we look at it for what it can be. I challenge you to immerse yourself in new opportunities this season and work to be the best you that ever has been.