It's amazing how life takes little turns here and there. We often make connections with people that we don't think much about at the time we make them, only to discover those connections come around later in life. This is the story of such a connection.
The photo in this blog post was taken on Prom Night 2012. My son is the 1st boy on the left. His date, Bailey, is the first girl on the left. Let's get back to them in a minute.
The man in the back on the left is Greg Smith and I am standing next to him (in case you weren't sure). I don't know what path life took in order for Greg to end up at Henderson State University back in 1990-1991, but I know the path my life took.
I graduated in 1987 from Rangeview HS in Aurora, CO. From there, I attended (what was then) Loretto Heights College in Denver. It closed that same academic year. I went to the University of Colorado at Denver and Boulder and then was encouraged to take some time off, "to reconsider my collegiate career." During my "re-evaluation phase," my brother picked Henderson State University out of a book of colleges based on the girl-to-boy ratio. No kidding. So, he was in college while I worked at a computer company in Alexandria, VA.
I thought I would get back into the "college mode" of life by going to HSU with my brother. Greg Smith was the Residence Assistant for the dorm (and floor) in which I stayed. Imet Shan at HSU. I convinced her to go out with me, and we started our life together. (Haha, there was much more to it than that, but that is a story for another time)
Fast forward a bunch of years.
Greg Smith and his family moved to Prescott to take over the football program, ultimately leading him to take over all Athletic Director duties as well as head up other sports programs. He and I ended up at the same church as well. Over the past ten years, we have watched our families grow.
This year, Tyler decided to play baseball on the high school team after taking a couple years off from playing ball. Greg was the coach. As friends, Tyler and Greg's daughter, Bailey (above, left) went to prom together. Tyler had also decided that he would play football for Coach Smith - something Tyler swore he would never play. Tyler's class schedule for next year prevents him from playing football.
As it turns out, Greg and his family are leaving our town, as he accepted a position in another part of the state. They are going to be missed greatly. I hope we all stay in touch through Facebook, as we have been.
And so it is, the guy who was the RA for the dorm I stayed in ultimately ends up in Prescott where my family lives. My son ends up on his baseball team. His daughter and my son go to prom together. And, through a mutual respect of each other, Greg convinces my son to play football.
The football thing didn't work out, but that doesn't matter. Because in the scheme of things, it was never meant to work out. The criss-cross paths of life brought our two families together before there were "families" and then through some pretty cool experiences that I don't think any of us will forget.
I wish Greg and the rest of the Smith clan the very best in the next phase of their lives. It has been an honor knowing them at the different stages of life in which our paths have crossed.
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