She said “sweetheart, tell me something about yourself.”
A, A-, B, B-, C
“What’s your favorite color?”
A, A-, B, B-, C
“What do you want to be when you grow up?”
A, A-, B, B-, C
Then she went, “for a few seconds, I thought you were perfect…
now I’m starting to think, you really aren’t worth it.
Cause I don’t care about anything else,
only the first three letters of the alphabet.”
Now I KNOW I’m not the only one,
feeling like the tin man…
rusted and busted; forgotten.
I CAN-NOT be the only one
who needs a little oil;
lubrication to get my limbs shaking.
You see, I’m only seventeen and I can’t even remember
the last time I dreamed of having a dream...
Sore eyes, trembling hands; scrambling,
more worried about getting this paper done
than about who I have become.
But they? They don’t care.
To them, I’m doing my best is the same as
my dog ate my homework.
TO THEM,
I cant keep up, this work is too tough
equals a letter sent home saying “your child sucks.”
And colleges? Yeah, college applications want your personal statement…
but what good is a personal statement when you feel the need to fake it?
Now I’m not saying grades aren’t important,
believe me, they are key, so remain focused.
But grades don’t determine your potential success.
Success? That’s really determined by all the rest.
Your drive to be your best,
your ethics and morals along the way,
your compassion and love for those in pain,
your service and genuine gratitude.
So I may be crazy for saying this, but
the next time you see them lose hope,
the next time they question your worth,
ask them…
“will grades really matter when I’m six feet under?”
