If I Were 17 Again by AChuckAllen
Even with the odd graduations of 2020, it would appear that we will be going back to school this fall. As a result, I started thinking about the things I would do differently if I were about to start my senior year at South Gwinnett High School again.
I enjoyed my high school years, well at least a couple of them. My dad moved us several times during my four years, but I wound up attending three schools, but two schools for three years. I know, it was odd.
I have fond memories of my short time at Southwest Dekalb High School, which I attended for one fall and then we were off to South Gwinnett. There we stayed for almost two full years and we made a stop in Lubbock, Texas. I attended a few Summer School classes attempting to avoid sitting out a year of varsity football. That summer turned out to be a great year and held one of my favorite adventures of high school. I was 15 years old, living with Mom and Dad in Texas. I would have had to sit out a football season and so, moving back to Georgia was my highest priority. So, I left Mom, Dad and the sweetest little girlfriend, Deanna and drove myself (remember-15 years old) from Lubbock, Texas directly to Camp Bow and Arrow for football camp with my teammates – The Not So Mighty South Gwinnett Comets. That trip at 15 years old included a night of sleep in the back of my Monte Carlo in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Sometimes being stupid will cause you to grow up in a hurry. So, after that little bypass, here are my re-wishes.
If I could relive a few of those senior days, I would have:
1. I wish that I had been less of a butthead and been a nicer human being. Especially to kids that were struggling.
2. I wish I had been a real Follower of Christ, not a convenient Christian with no spiritual guts at all.
3. I wish I had played every single play like I was one yard away from winning the Super Bowl. I loved playing ball!
4. I wish I would have said yes to Troy.
5. I wish I would have focused more on literature and actually listened to Mrs. Adair. I didn’t particularly like her.
6. I wish I had started intentionally reading earlier in life…like as in at 17.
7. I wish I would have made that one tackle that got away from me while playing the coldest game of my life at Elbert County. That dude was big.
8. I wish I would have kicked the guy playing over me as I was long snapping while at Habersham County in the privates. I don’t even know his name, but I still hate him.
9. I wish I would have treated my Mom and Dad with more respect. When you are 17-18 years old you really are an idiot.
10. And finally, I wish that I would have honored my coaches for the painstaking efforts they poured into me. I’d still try and run through a wall for any of them..especially Coaches Strickland, Johnson, Carter and Sawyer.
We don’t have the luxury of reliving our past, but we can pass along our hard earned knowledge to those that come behind us. So, feel free to share these and your desired mulligans with the kids that will start their Senior years this Fall.
Go in Peace, AChuck
