For those who have been involved in FFA, the feeling of sliding your arms into the blue corduroy, pulling up the zipper and tucking it in comes with a deep breath of pride, bliss, and comfort as the influence of those who hold the same passion surround you. I met Johnny in my favorite blue corduroy at National FFA Convention where we served as state delegates, and said goodbye 42 days later in the same jacket, decades too soon. Johnny was a true Texan and lived life unlike anyone I had ever met; he exuded an overabundance of joy and passion and shared it with everyone he met. Even though we lived 1,000 miles apart, Johnny never failed to bring a smile to my face on a daily basis. Servant leader would best describe Johnny, as he had a true service mentality, always pushing others to be and do their best. The loss of Johnny in my life was a major setback for me; he was an incredible individual who left this life much too early. For weeks following his death, I seemed to be in a deeply grieving state, but one day I realized I needed to pull myself together and live like Johnny because we never know if today may be our last. I told myself, “You can live Johnny’s legacy - live like Johnny!” Although we needed to finish our year serving as Region and Area Presidents first, Johnny and I planned on helping each other achieve a common goal of ours - preparing for running and serving as State FFA officers for our respective state associations. In January, Region V holds their winter leadership conference, Leading the Challenge (LTC) and this was the first FFA event and time I needed to wear official dress for me since Johnny’s funeral. Putting on my favorite blue corduroy felt different that morning. Serving as President, my teammates looked to me for counsel and guidance as we prepared and facilitated the two day LTC conference. I was leading reflections on that first evening, sharing Johnny’s love of life and communicating with others. In that half hour time period, lives changed - mine included. The impact and inspiration Johnny was to me, was now shared with 130 other FFA members and they accepted the challenge to #LiveLikeJohnny. In this moment, Johnny was my reminder that I can continue to live a legacy and achieve my goals.
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AuthorKylee Kohls - #passionateAGvocate Archives
July 2018
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