" Be a Leader, Son"

" As Father's Day 2024 approaches, I am aware of some guidance my Father gave me growing up: "Be a Leader, Son." That is what my Dad always said. He was a leader and he believed his children should be leaders as well. My Father was the President of so many clubs and oranizations, I cannot remember them all. I do recall he was the Mayor of the small town we lived in growing up. I guess I took his leadership advice seriously, because when I reflect back over my life, I too always sought out leadership positions in whatever organization I was involved in....... My first leadership position was as a Hall Patrol in elementary school. You had to be in the 6 th or 7 th grade to be a Hall Patrol. We got to wear a white shoulder strap with a gold badge that said " Patrol" on it. Our job was to monitor the school hallways before and after school to make sure no one ran or got hurt. I do not recall how I got picked for this first leadership job, but I do remember I was happy to do it and enjoyed it. Why? I am not sure. The sense of power? Responsibility? Influence? I am not entirely sure. But it must have been enjoyable or I would not have done it......I also realized in this first leadership job that being a leader can also have rewards. In my 7th grade year all the Hall Patrols got to go on a field trip by train to Washington D.C. Had I never been a Patrol I would have not taken that first train ride out of the state of GA to the Capital of the USA! The next leadership position I recall holding was Outstanding Line Backer on my little league football team. I do not think I was team captain, but I did get a trophy that year..... Next came being President of the Youth Group at my Church. I was 16 as I recall. I also became the Church Pianist at that time and got paid for playing the piano each week at Church. I also decided to teach all my neices and nephews piano lessons. I further played guitar and sang in the Church Praise Band. My leadership role in our Young Life organization was also as guitar player..... It was also at this time a friend and I started our own Rock n Roll Band. I ran for Vice President of my Senoir Class that year but lost that position to my opponent.... The next leadership position was in college. I became a Resident Assistant for my dorm. At the same time I became the State Baptist Student Union President. The next year, my senoir year in college, I became the local BSU President.I further served as a summer youth minister in three different churches while in college. For all this leadership I received the Jaycees Layman of the Year Award..... Once in Seminary I became the President of our State organization. Later on in Seminary I won the Student Preaching Award. When I became an associate pastor I headed up a Life Skills Committee for Students in the community. For that leadership effort I won another leadership award from the local Jaycees...... When I moved into the pastorate, and began to lead my Church, I also became President of the Local Lions Club and the local Ministerial Association. I further took a leadersip position in the State Pastor's Association, as well as helping to mobilize our state pastors in the fight against a fundamentalist take over of our denomination. Once I moved into Pastoral Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, I became the Executive Director of our pastoral counseling center, and further won an award for leadership from the local Mental Health Association. I later became President of that Association. I was also the pianist for our local Rotary Club for 20 years, and chaired the Scholarship Committee. From there I served in several leadership roles with the American Association of Pastoral Counselors, the Virginia Psychoanalytic Society, and the American Psychoanalytic Association: I was asked to be president of the Virginia Psychoanalytic Society but I felt only psychoanalysts should hold that position. In our Counseling Center I served as both Clinical and Training Director. It was an additional joy to train fourteen student therapists in psychoanalytic psychotherapy...... So, evidently I took my Dad's advice seriously to " Be a leader, Son." I must say his guidance has served me well. I have enjoyed leadership. I have enjoyed learning about it and teaching it to others. Many opportinities for growth and positive influence have come my way as a result of leadersip positions. I guess, because of my Dad's guidance, and my own propensities, it could not have been otherwise. William Wordsworth was right. " The Child is the Father of the Man"..... Happy Father's Day to my leader Dad, from his leader Son.