TWO BOYS…………

Two high school boys.  GOOD boys.  One white and one black.  Friends perhaps  ( I never knew ) .  Dreamers.

Focused , yes , but on the future, not the present .

Law enforcement was their commonality , their calling , their destination.  And school simply was a necessary journey for them to reach their goal.  But they had been raised right and the expectation of the parents was GRADUATION……and graduate they did !

But back to the journey.

One of them had a means ( likely a cell phone ) of being made aware of a crisis in our community.  And to him that was a calling , and he would appear at the door of the principal’s office  ( me ) to ask permission to respond to the emergency by leaving school early.   My answer was always a resounding  “NO”——–with a short lecture on the importance of a diploma.

Having been raised right , to respect authority and listen  ( or pretend ) to  good advice , he would nod his head , say,  ” Thank you, Mrs. Toney ”  and head back to class.  Never did he show any disrespect or grudge , but rather a willingness , albeit difficult , to follow the rules.

Exactly what any future law enforcement officer would do.

My other young deputy-to-be showed his disregard for school by simply getting by , doing as little as possible without crossing any lines or falling behind.  He just had his mind on the future without understanding that the present determines the future.

But his concerned and loving mother and I put our heads together, had many conversations and discussions in my office  ( with and without the young man ) and with the help of his teachers , led him on to graduation.

Success stories , both , as they became deputies , those very men and women who keep us safe and secure in our daily lives.  Their focus was the future but with good parenting , caring teachers, and the ability to listen to the wisdom of older people, they kept the faith , got diplomas , and lived their dream.

There is a sad , sad footnote.  Life can be cruel , and one of them was killed in the line of duty ,  way too young and with much more to give.  But if there is one thing to hold on to , it is that he knew his calling , he found his dream , and his sacrifice lives on.  May he rest in peace.

As to the other , he is serving as a deputy in a near-by county . His strengths seem to lie with community service and public relations.   He , too , followed his dream with a diploma in hand.

I was blessed to have known these two fine young  gentlemen , both passionate about doing good for mankind.  Their stories , two of many ,  remind me of why my own passion lay with educating and loving teens.

And a piece of my heart will always linger there , remembering the good times.