We’ve all had those rough moments in life where we ask ourselves, “Why is this happening to me?” When we ask ourselves this question, we tend to only respond with negative answers. In the moment it’s hard to think of the positive things that can come from it. Growing up I always heard, “Everything happens for a reason.” Both the good and bad things happen for a reason, even if we don’t realize that reason until years down the road.
On graduation day my school does a parade that goes around town where the graduating class decorates cars, trucks, and floats. I had my brothers new Chevy Silverado. We had decorated the windows, and hung banners and streamers all around the bed of the truck. All of the cars are about to leave the school parking lot and I start the truck. I try turing on the truck and the battery is dead. My parents are a few blocks down the road to take pictures and I can’t find my phone. I am stressed out and don’t know what to do. The cars start leaving the parking lot and I’m just siting there. Our school secretary asks me why I’m not going. I tell her that the truck’s battery is dead. My friend Krishaun and his brother, who are behind me in his truck overhears and say to hop in with them. Krishaun and I are in the bed of the truck tossing candy to people watching and I am having so much fun that I forget that the truck battery was dead.
Looking back to this day makes me grateful that the truck battery had died. If this hadn’t happened I wouldn’t have been able to experience the car parade with Krishaun. I was able to make an amazing unforgettable experience out of a what started off as a bad situation.
Smile, by the Sidewalk Prophets is a song that I listen to frequently. There are a few lines to the song that remind me of graduation day and a lot of other experiences I’ve had. It makes me think back to the quote, “Everything happens for a reason.”
“Life is gonna pull you down
Make it hard to see
But a little change in your point of view
Could be just what you need
There’s always a reason
To always choose joy
There’s something deeper
That the world can’t destroy”
Over the past few years I’ve learned to always be grateful for everything in life. I may not be enjoying everything in the moment, but I look back and think of a lesson I could learn from that moment.
Oregon FFA, thank you for this year full of opportunities. I am very grateful for every camp, classroom visit, business and industry visit, and member interaction. You have all made a life lasting impact on me.
Signing off,
Uriel Aguilar Torres
2022-2023 Oregon FFA State Sentinel
