It Ain't Over Until it's Over

My new favorite quote comes from the author, Kenneth Roman, who wrote a biography about a genius in advertising named David Ogilvy entitled, The King of Madison Avenue - David Ogilvy and the Making of Modern Advertising:

"Having an original mind does not always correlate with doing well in school."

I LOVE this quote. And let me tell you, I have seen many, what seemed, a foolish middle school student who turned into a brilliant adult. I recall one 6th grade student who raised his hand one day in class to ask a question. I do NOT remember the question, only because of the forward he pronounced and it goes: "Mrs. Webster, I have a question. Last night while I was reading the 'M' volume of the encyclopedia....." Those are the kind of students we had...did YOU ever just sit around reading a volume of the encyclopedia at night while in middle school? Nah, I didn't think so. I know I didn't.

But my point with this quote is I remember discussing my "I do not like school" fantastic second child with an elementary teacher friend and soliciting her advice about what is going to happen to him if he doesn't like school? I know. I know better. But I did worry early on.

She relayed this story to me: A family in my hometown has 3 unique children who turned into successful adults. Marching to a different drummer, the oldest child came home one day to tell his mother that he had made an 'F' in 1st grade on something. He asked his mother "What does 'F' mean?"

This open mother who always saw the glass half full said to her son, "It means you are FANTASTIC." She thought, "How could I tell him otherwise?"

This child, as I have mentioned in other posts on this blog, went on to MIT and founded another part of the atom.

Why is it that people/teachers give up on students so soon? Remember they are "adults in training." This reminds me of another story. I'm enthralled with stories about someone in authority who tells a student they will amount to nothing and then - BINGO! - they do. I read once where Sam Massell mentioned when he was in middle school that his principal told him him this same idea. And he became MAYOR OF ATLANTA. Take that, Mr. Principal!

Remember, Colonel Sanders didn't even invent his special recipe until he was well into his 70's.
Hey, "It ain't over until it's over."