Leadership Lesson...........Priceless

It would seem that every time my two boys and I leave the confine and comfort of our home; and head out for a time of exercise and fun at the local high school football field - not even ten minutes from our neighborhood - we encounter some unexpected life lesson that are unavoidable and priceless.

Perhaps you've seen those MasterCard ads plugging the priceless value of life's moments. I suppose if a commercial was made for me and my boys, it would go something like this: "Round-trip cost to the local football field..............20 cents. Football used to play catch with your sons.............$14.00. Water to rehydrate your body from the excessive fun...............free. Life lesson learned from simply playing catch with an oblong ball..............priceless."

To say that our family is active is an understatement. We love being active and unapologetically enjoy the great outdoors as often as we are able. Our schedule bustles with soccer and football practices, matches, and games. Not to mention......slip in a few tournaments here and there. When there aren't any scheduled practices, matches, or games (and tournaments), we love to visit the local high school football field, which is not even a stone's throw from our home church, Calvary Austin. We often would run a few laps around the track to get our hearts pumping; and then the boys and I would get on the football field, which is artificially lush and koosh - to do our pass, punt , and kick thing. If it were up to the boys, we'd be there until we can't see our hands in front of our face. I suppose that's where I come in as a responsible parent (and avoid potential wrath from my wife by keeping the boys out too late).

On this particular outing to the field we noticed a group of older boys playing a friendly game of touch football. They were perhaps in high school or just a year or two removed from graduation. While my sons and I were enjoying our time of pass, punt, and kick, we noticed the group of boys finishing up and making their way off the field. It didn't take long afer the group of boys had dispersed that my 6 year-old noticed the inordinate amount of trash that they had left behind. There were empty and partially empty bottles of water and Gatorade; and not to mention fast food containers and bags. Ironically, the garbage receptacle was no less than 5 feet from where the boys were. It was there for the convenient disposal of trash and there openly for use. It was sad to see that there were not any takers of the convenient garbage receptacle. Not one.

Before I can utter a word of disapproval and give my audible observation of their act of irresponsibility - not to mention lack of stewardship and care for a public venue for which they have been given the privilege to use - my 6 year-old son, Parker, offered his perspective and solution to the problem that he had observed. "Daddy, those big boys left their garbage. That's inappropriate, right? Maybe we can throw it away for them after we play." I cannot begin to tell you how his sweet words made me SO proud. At that very moment, my 6 year-old preciously and simplistically gave a lesson in the essence of leadership - in that leadership is about serving. It is not in doing things, but doing the right things. Let's face it, giving leadership lessons is far from the thought of any 6 year-old boy whose main interest is running, falling, laughing, tackling, and occasionally wielding his swords and sticks in warrior-like fashion. Admittedly, Parker is the warrior in our family. He's our tender warrior, but nonetheless a warrior.

After our play, we put down the football and picked up all the trash and put them in the convenient garbage receptacle. It took us no less than 30 seconds to gather and dispose. I told the boys how proud I was of them for initiating the clean-up and how they had shown leadership through their action and attitude. We took one more lap around the track as darkness begins to settle. I encouraged the boys to have the courage to do the right things even in the face of resistance, ignorance, and/or apathy - knowing that they will be tested. As we drove away from the field, my 9 year-old, Jaz, asked this poignant question..........."Daddy, if we didn't ask you if we could pick up the garbage, would you ask us to pick up the garbage?" My response to him was........"ABSOLUTELY."