Growing up, I was a twerpy kid who ran my mouth too much.
I paid a price for that behavior, of course. In my Catholic elementary school days, it was not unusual for me to receive a checkmark in the behavior column; in middle school, I received enough paddle marks on my backside to humble me; in high school, I played (please interpret that term in whatever fashion you desire) football on a freshmen team that was pretty good, creating a feeling that my teammates and I were bad asses. However, it didn't take long for me to learn that freshman cockiness was merely a mask. All it took was Tom Kochman, a junior, slamming me into the lockers outside Mr. Riley's room, clearly teaching me that my twerpiness needed to come to a screeching halt. Although my mouth occasionally resurfaced, a valuable lesson was learned: stay in my lane.
As LaVar Ball, self-proclaimed expert in raising athletic boys and an insistent self-promoter, has been quoted, "staying in your lane" is the criticism we should expect if we speak out on a topic that exceeds our knowledge. While my respect for Ball is nonexistent, his comment struck a nerve in my adult life: play to my strengths and disguise my weaknesses. I have admitted in several blogs that I am an avid reader, exposing my thinking to various writers and perspectives. Additionally, I try to watch several informative news programs ranging from CNN to Fox to MSNBC. My point is that I choose to remain as independent as possible, not aligning myself with any political party or particular school of thought. I try to absorb as much information as possible before I solidify an opinion. While I realize that approach may be perceived as "straddling the fence," it is actually anything but. This, my friends, is where the "staying in my lane" comment comes into play . . . please allow me to explain.
*I do not like Donald Trump. Certainly, I am not an expert in politics, so my perspective is based on what I know. His "divide, conquer, bully, the devil is in the details" approach runs contrary to the world I live. As our President, he deserves the respect and integrity that goes with it--that I get. Believe me, I have tried to like him, but "my lane" is understanding language, rhetoric, and people. His constant "shooting himself in the foot" indicates to me that he is "way out of his lane," yet I persist in hoping he will correct himself and become a 70-year-old man who will learn and respect the dignity that accompanies his office. Without his maturity, my fears are that the necessary changes our country so badly needs will not happen under his leadership.
*One of the greatest weaknesses we possess is the opportunity to offer opinions when we really know little, if anything, about something. Cases in point revolve around the Dover City Schools and their ongoing tussle with the Dairy Queen location, which sits in the heart of the schools' construction plan; I read one online comment by an individual who stated, "Why does Dover want to build a new high school in New Phila?" For whatever bizarre reason, the individual believed that Dover's new high school would be built at the New Phila Dairy Queen location, approximately three blocks from the Quakers' high school. Safe to say that the individual had absolutely no knowledge about the actual situation. Along the same lines, the recent raise approved for Dover's school employees has absolutely nothing to do with the Dairy Queen dilemma--two completely different funding mechanisms. However, many do not understand that, through either choice or simple lack of knowledge. Just because we might think we know something certainly does not ensure that we do know something . . . "staying in our lane" might prevent embarrassing situations.
*Over the years, I have learned to respect and admire those who are CEOs, presidents of companies, owners of small businesses, and other leaders within our communities. Although I certainly do not always agree with decisions that are made, I have learned that their expertise far exceeds mine. My background is education, not business. I am reminded of my time as a high school teacher and coach; I never aspired to be a principal or a superintendent simply because I knew the higher up the proverbial ladder, the less control I actually had over my teaching and the more people I had to answer to when the "screws got tightened." Being married to a hospital administrator, I have learned to appreciate the many perspectives that must be weighed. As for advice, I do not offer it unless I am asked . . . staying in my lane is the safest route for my happiness.
From my seat, the staying in my lane analogy carries much weight. While I certainly do not begrudge individuals for having opinions, my sincere hope is that their perspectives are based on actual knowledge, experience, or expertise--not simply what they think or what their buddies think. As a parent, we teach our kids so many lessons, many of which we are not even aware. Perhaps one of the most valuable life lessons we can display is being less judgmental and more insightful in our appraisals of others . . . staying in our lanes, my friends.
You see, even this twerpy kid can mature into someone who realizes that merely running his mouth accomplished nothing but bringing negative attention to himself . . . life teaches us so many humbling lessons!
