Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Every Little Thing by April Jeppson

First things first. If you have a chance to go to the high school musical, you should go. It was amazing. Growing up in a small town, we were fortunate enough to have a yearly play at our school. It never mattered to me which part I got, I just enjoyed the experience.

There’s something cool about being a part of a group and working towards something together. All those hours after school, getting to know each other, goofing around, being nervous about the same thing. It bonds you. Seeing all those kids up on stage, singing and dancing and putting on such a great performance, I knew exactly how those kids felt and it made my heart happy to know what they were experiencing. 

Being a kid is hard. You are growing and changing, and your body is starting to smell really bad. You are trying to fit in and not get teased but yet still trying to find your place in the world. Going out for a sport or an activity can be scary. You might not be good at it, or people may make fun of you. Then on the other side of the coin, you might love it. You may even be really good at it. Problem is, you’ll never know unless you try.

As an adult I know that putting yourself out there can be hard — agreeing to take the lead on a project, giving a presentation for work or applying for a job that may be slightly out of your league. You may crash and burn, or you may go through such an amazing period of growth that you come out the other end almost unrecognizable. It’s hard knowing that I may fail at something, but I’ve found that it’s harder living with the regret of not trying at all.

A lot of people stop pushing themselves after their formal education is complete. A lot of people are fine with doing the same thing every day. They are 100% OK with their life being the same 20 years from now, and I am happy for them. I, however, am not one of those people. I need to be challenged to stay engaged. I get bored so easily, that once I master a subject, I have to move on and learn something new. It can be stressful at times, but I’m OK with that. 

I give kudos to all the kids out there who are challenging themselves. I also give kudos to all the adults who are doing the same. It’s hard enough remembering to pay bills and feed everyone in the house. So add in the fact that you are willing to try to better yourself? I think that’s pretty awesome. And honestly, you’re my kind of people. 

Albert Lean April Jeppson is a wife, mom, coach and encourager of dreams. Her column appears every Saturday.