Noah Graham

As I write today, I am reminded of a long held dream of mine. To put it into context, I am writing this post from the cab of a brand-new 2023 John Deere 8r 410. Now to most people, this might not seem like much, but for me, it’s an amazing experience. Ever since I was a little kid, tractors have always amazed me. There’s something about them that evokes a feeling of sheer joy.

I remember going into our local convenience store and always snagging the newest version of the Tractor House magazine. As I rode around in the farm truck with my father and grandfather, I would recreate the all-too familiar “wish list” that everybody makes, even the older people that claim they don’t. What I didn’t understand was that every item on my wish list had about five too many numbers beside the word price. Nonetheless, I kept on circling and telling dad, “Look I found a good deal!” over and over again, to which he would say, “Good job, son,” and go about his business. 

When we are young, we constantly see things that attract our attention. If it attracts us enough, a dream is then implanted within our minds. It doesn’t matter if that dream has a half a million dollar price tag, we still pursue it. As we grow up, a little thing called reality begins to set in and we are almost immediately filled with doubt, fear, and uncertainty. I for one, know this happens, as it has happened to me time and time again. But then I have moments such as these, where that childish spark is lit inside me, and I am reminded to continue chasing my dreams, no matter how impossible they might seem. 

Reading about my tractor experience might not connect directly with you, but nonetheless you have had a dream. Whether it was when you were little or even now, every person in this world has had a dream—something that we dearly yearn for, but seems so very far away. As I write this today, I am presenting a challenge to you. No matter what the price tag is, never give up on your dreams. As I leave you, I would like to include one of my favorite quotes. It states, “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” – Oscar Wilde 

One might say that this would be common sense, but we as intelligent human beings forget this crucial aspect all the time. Excitement might come in the form of something as large as a new car, but it can also come in the form of something as small as a drop of dew forming on a blade of grass. The thing is, we become so used to the everyday events that are around us that we take them for granted. 

The week before July 4th, I had the opportunity to attend FFA camp and to assist in leading the leadership activities. When I showed up to camp, I pulled the door latch on my cool, 70-degree- climate-controlled car and the searing heat hit me like a brick wall. As the sweat started to form, I stepped out of the vehicle and moseyed up to the office so I could begin my week. 

We ended up having a hot but nonetheless successful week at camp and in the end, everyone said their goodbyes and left to return to our ordinary lives. As I was driving home, I looked up at the storm clouds and realized just how beautiful they were, and how lucky we were to experience them. This thinking then led me to a realization. All week, I had forgotten how exciting this experience was, and I let the extreme heat inhibit my fullest potential for excitement. I began to wonder how I could prevent this distraction in the future, and I came up with an answer. I decided that in the future, every time I would get hot I would look back to this experience and remember to drown out all of the distractions.

As time goes on, we will continue to have new and exciting experiences. I ask that each one of you not let anything get in the way of embracing every bit of excitement in each opportunity.