Once there was a college English professor, who gave a very vague creative writing assignment to his class. They were to write a story, but put some deeper meaning behind the story they had written. He had a star student in amongst the others, and was especially excited to read the student's creative piece. A few weeks had passed a the students worked away, and finally the stories were due. The professor devoted much of his time reading and grading the papers, and saw all of the very common themes his students had written about. Love, hatred, jealously, all very good, but the professor wanted something different, so he found the story that was written by his best student.

The story took place in the early 1900s and began with a mother and her son, who lived in a very small home, in the middle of nowhere. They were far from any towns or cities, however they enjoyed their quiet life. As the son grew older, he wanted more opportunity in his life and started dreaming dreams that could not be attained in this humble little life. He set out to go to the city, to leave home and chase the dreams he felt compelled to go after, but worried of his mother. She would be alone, and although she was not very old or sickly, he cared for her feelings and her heart. He came to her about his aspirations to leave and go after his goals, and she smiled and understood her caring son's worries for her. She made him a promise. When he leaves for the city, she will put a lantern in the window of the small house. Each night she will light it, and when he is able to come back, it will serve as a welcoming for her dearest son to come and be with her for however long he is able to stay. The son felt reassured, and went out confidently in the direction of the city.

Days passed, and soon weeks passed, and many months began to pass as the son worked hard in his job in the city. He loved every bit of it, but thought often of his mother and the chance he could visit her. Finally he had enough, and took the time he had been saving up from work, and made the long journey home back to his mother. As he got within a few miles of his home the sun began to set and darkness was simultaneously replacing it. He thought of the lantern his mother had put in the window for him, and smiled to himself. He approached the hill that separated him, from his loving mother, but as he climbed over, he only saw darkness. The house stood in the distance dark and cold, with no light in the window.

The professor angrily threw down the paper, infuriated over the ending of a story with such potential for goodness. He would not only fail the assignment for the student, but would demand another ending to the story. He had not taught his students to write like this!

But as he calmed down, reality began to sink into the teacher. His job was to teach the students how to write, and tell incredible stories that spoke in volumes to the reader. However, it seemed as though the teacher, was now the student of this young man's story. The story that taught not everything goes as planned. That taught of questionability and uncertainty. The real ending was up to the reader. The professor began to realize that the piece not only told a story through words, but it told a deeper story inside each person that reads it.

Life is unpredictable, and we never know how things may turn out, no matter what kind of promises are made. We try things, and things don't always work out. We can hate the universe or God, or whatever the case may be all we want, but truthfully, it does not change what the outcome may be. We are not in charge of the situation, however, we are in charge of how we develop inside. We are in charge of our reactions, of whether or not we let the failures put us going backwards, or going forwards.

Like the professor, when we are met with, or witness a situation that challenges our values, we immediately demand change. We demand that it conforms to our little world, but the more we get into the habit of doing that, the bigger the world will seem to get. Life is going to happen, and life is going to happen for a reason. I challenge all of you today, accept life, do not run away because something goes against you. Do not demand change from a situation that gives you struggle, rather, demand growth from yourself. The endings to situations may be unclear and out of your hands, but you have the power to change and control all of what is inside you. To grow stronger, to move forward, is all in your own hands. Remember, sometimes the end, doesn't always mean an end for you. -Hunter Jones