Texas A&M is a university that encourages a culture of involvement. The school cultivates leaders and people with integrity and loyalty and, therefore, breeds individuals who have a natural inclination to involve themselves in what the University has to offer. Whether you are into Greek life, student government, engineering, business, education or art, there is something for you. There are programs established that foster any of these desires and allow one to thrive in their distinct environment.
However, at A&M there tends to be a trend of not enough. That is, if you aren’t in three organizations or more, it seems as if you are not competitive enough with your peers to stand out. I am certainly not here to bash involvement; in fact many would coin me as someone of this involved nature. I too have this notion that in order to be popular or to stand out, we must prove our worth through what organizations we can get in to.
Recently, a lot of articles I have read about involvement -- specifically defining ourselves through our organizations --are aimed at those who did not get in to the one they desired. But what about those who did get in? What about when we do get what we want? There is a lot to learn in the realm of humility and a whole lot of growth to be had for those who got what they wanted -- myself included.
One of my friends told me about a children’s book called, “You Are Special,” that taught her more about self-worth and value than any other book could have. This book is about a town of wooden people who peg each other with either gold stars or grey dots depending on their judgment of the person. Throughout the story there is a particular wooden person, named Punchinello, who is constantly being struck with grey dots. Inevitably, this starts to wear on his self-worth and, eventually, he becomes defined by what the culture has deemed him.
When he meets his maker, Eli, Punchinello is reminded that he is not defined by what other’s think of him; he does not have to let the grey dots stick to him. But, by not allowing the grey dots to stick, he is sacrificing all of his potential gold stars. That is, nothing will stick to him -- no dots, no stars.
Often times we are so focused on not letting the grey dots stick to us, that we forget we are also not defined by our gold stars. No matter the prestige of the organization you are involved with, the number of things you do and regardless of the people you know, you’re value must not be caught in the things of this world.
Yes, Texas A&M is one of the largest state universities. Yes, the people who graduate from here go on to do great things, and yes, it is respectable and cool to be involved. But, friends, as hard as it is to remember -- what you do is not who you are.
You are who you are because God crafted you; He designed you with perfection and we do not need any “stickers” on us to cover that up.
