My teacher, Dr. Kennedy Shultz, used to say that every single person was valuable to the world….even if only as a bad example.  As he said, even if you were a horrible failure of a person, you were someone who a Mother could point to and say to her child, “Do you want to end up like THAT?!?”

Of course, we all want to be a good example.  As musicians we want to be great performers with class and proficiency.  As teachers we want to educate our students to be disciplined self-starters who can appreciate all kinds of performances and who know that every band kid, in every kind of band, is working hard and doing his best.

From a fitness point of view, it’s important to live a lifestyle that shows that you value your health, exercise to keep your body fit, and respect your body enough to fuel it with healthy foods.  I am far from having the ideal body I am striving for, but I really do enjoy walking around in a physique that I feel shows the world that I work hard to treat my body well and make it strong and fit.

All throughout our day we interact with people and make an impression.  A friendly hello, or taking the time to be a bit courteous while driving, goes a long way to help us all get through our day and shows everyone you meet what kind of person you are.  Be conscious of the example you are setting.  It’s fun to feel like an accomplished and healthy citizen of the world.  Enjoy!