You Can Be “Any Kind”
This Saturday, the most famous race of all, the Kentucky Derby, will take place. For as long as I can remember, I’ve felt a kindred with thoroughbred horses. My family name – Farrar – literally means ‘blacksmith.” It stems from the chemical symbol for iron “FE.” The person at the racetrack who shoes the horses is known as the “farrier” So I have always felt a sort of cosmic connection with horses and racing, which takes us to this newsletter’s title.
While my students at CMU will be donning caps and gowns on the first Saturday in May in preparation for their graduation, the owners, trainers, and jockeys of 20 three-year-old colts will be seeking to be garbed in a blanket of roses, emblematic of the Derby winner.
The victory of the Derby winner will represent months and years of careful breeding, extensive training, and early racing success. It is common for young horses, after winning their first race impressively, to be referred to by sports writers as potentially being “any kind” of racehorse. Being categorized as “any kind” is the ultimate compliment for a precocious colt or filly, and reflects the view that the young equine has seemingly limitless potential. He or she can become “any kind” of racehorse, including a champion or Derby winner.
The Transactional Analysis textbook, Born to Win, conveys a similarly optimistic message for two legged youngsters. Its authors, Muriel James and Dorothy Jongeward, suggest we all are born with a healthy self-concept. “No infant suffers from low self esteem.” they would likely postulate. The pair of feminist authors would tell us that we all entered the world as “winners.”
In the jargon of the racetrack, the same sentiment is expressed with the proclamation that we all began life with the potential to be “any kind.”
At what point in our lives did some of us lose the belief that we could become “any kind”? That may be an impossible question to answer, but the essential point is that we all retain the ability to become whatever we aspire to be. My experience as a graduate school professor shows me, on a daily basis, that adults can return to academia to pursue their career aspirations and fulfill their lifelong dreams with a new profession. And what do all of my students share, be they in their twenties, thirties, or even fifties and sixties? They believe that it is possible to fulfill their unlimited potential and personal aspirations.
On the first Saturday in May, there will be only one winner of the Kentucky Derby. But in Mt. Pleasant, and on dozens of campuses across America, thousands of students of every age will win their race to fulfill their dreams by maximizing their potential. Why not join them in the race?
Truly, we were all born to be “ANY KIND.”
It is never too late to be who you always wanted to be. As one of my favorite movies decrees, “Everyone deserves a do-over!” Why not start your journey toward “any kind” today!