Far and away the most inspiring story I read this week is about Jose Hernandez, one of our astronauts heading up, up, and away in tomorrow’s shuttle launch. Have you heard this story?
Jose’s parents and four kids worked their way up from Mexico each spring, migrant farm workers who followed ripening crops in the fields. From the time he was six years old, Jose was out there from dawn to dusk, in the mud, dust, heat, picking vegetables for salad bars all over the United States. Every evening ended with the same message. Jose’s father turned to look at his four kids crowded into the back seat of the car and said, “This is your future if you don’t stay in school.”
There was the incentive for sure, but Jose’s parents didn’t stop there. They realized how moving from place to place made it more difficult for their kids to succeed in school, so they took risks, got green cards, settled in one community, and worked – really, really hard. As did their kids. Summers and weekends weren’t for sleeping in. Summers and weekends were for working in the fields, helping to support the family – with the same message at the end of every day, “This is your future if you don’t stay in school.”
All four kids did stay in school, and went on to earn college degrees. And now the family will gather to watch Jose Hernandez achieve the dream he formed as a child watching Apollo astronauts walking on the moon. Even with a master’s degree in electrical engineering, it took him twelve years to be accepted into the astronaut training program. This is a man who knows how to work and who knows the power of a really big dream!
Can you see why I felt inspired? There’s a song written and performed by Jana Stanfield that also inspires me. It asks the question, “What would I do today – if I were brave?” Jose has given me a new response to Jana’s question – I’ll think about what Jose Hernandez would do! And hopefully, I’ll do more than think! I’ll work!
What would you do today – if you were brave?
Wishing you a filled with inspiration, courage, and the satisfaction of hard work done well!
Sally
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