Youth4Youth

My grandmother was always about fairness. When people would say, “That’s not fair, life’s not fair,” she would look at us smile and wink. Mom, as we called her, saw life differently. She would always say, “The more a person tries, the more fair life becomes. You can go through life complaining about things or you can do something about it.” 

 

Her favorite saying was “Be fair to yourself.” Her favorite question was “Are you being fair to yourself?” It was a great way to get her point across without preaching.

 

When I didn’t understand my math homework, I became frustrated, threw my pencil down and quit. Mom would say, “Be fair to yourself: when you don’t understand something…ask a question.” I asked and I became very good at math.

 

When I couldn’t make a basket because the basketball hoop was too high, Mom would say “Be fair to yourself; give yourself a chance to become good.” I became good and in sixth grade I played on the eighth grade team and we won the CYO Championship.

 

When I started playing little league baseball I would always strike out and spend most of the game on the bench. Mom would say, “Be fair to yourself; give yourself a chance to improve.” I improved and became very good at getting on base. I became a great coach and understood that fairness was to help kids learn and encourage them to continue trying.

 

Year’s ago my grandmother’s had her Fav Five

Be fair to yourself; ask questions.

Be fair to yourself; try something more than once.

Be fair to yourself; believe you can do it.

Be fair to yourself; do not give up.

Be fair to yourself and you will know how to be fair to others.

 

Be fair to yourself and give yourself a chance to be all you can be, at math, as an artist, reader, writer, athlete, friend, parent or teacher.

 

At the end of a recent Youth4Youth Student Leadership Training, a student shared because of knowing the information we learned, she would have an unfair advantage over others in school and she felt that wasn’t right. I realized at that moment, sometimes we tend to hold ourselves back in the name of, or what we perceive fairness to be. I asked her, “Would it be fair if you returned to school and did not use the skills you learned today to make your school a better place?” In that moment she saw the strength of fairness and we closed our leadership training by reading the following:

 

A Leader’s Call to Fairness

When fairness calls for me to stand-up or speak-up for another,

it allows me to show true strength.

 

When fairness calls for me to listen to someone’s different point of view,

it allows me to understand.

 

When fairness calls for me to decide what I believe in,

it allows me to lead with passion.

 

When fairness calls for me to have a vision;

it allows me to have direction.

 

When fairness calls for me to see the potential in someone else;

it allows me to encourage them.

 

When fairness calls for me to play fair,

it allows me to be proud of accomplishments.

 

When fairness calls for me to think things through,

it allows me to see all life’s possibilities.

 

When fairness calls for me to tell the truth,

it allows me to live freely.

 

When fairness calls for me to follow my heart,

it allows me to do the right thing.

 My grandmother was about fairness. She taught me the more I tried, the more fair life became. © 2008 Larry Tracey All Rights Reserved 

 

Larry Tracey is founder of Youth4Youth, which teaches success, leadership and promotes school safety by treating everyone with respect. For Ultimate Leadership Training for your school or organization contact Larry Tracey at 216-410-4307 or email.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites