I’ve been fortunate, in sixty-five plus years on earth, to have been a part of some amazing employment, academic, athletic, and social activities. I’ve witnessed excitement, enjoyment, some disappointment which created life lessons, and I’ve seen much learning on faces of many kids, who appreciated those opportunities, self-creating memories, because they had chances to participate in some, even one, of these activities. I’ve shared feelings on this before, but in the wake of my recent health issues, and my good fortune to have the support, thoughts, and prayers from so many people in my life, I’m able to reflect, again, on this most amazing life I’ve lived.

As an educator, some of my classes participated in an Annual Wax Museum project, which many former students still talk about when we meet in public. There was the annual, beginning of the school year (which first started as an end of the year field trip) three-day, Outdoor Education Experience at Camp Timbercrest where students had opportunities to get to know one another and their teachers, participating in various Team and Individual activities, while learning Science, English-Language Arts, using compasses, preparing meals, and working together in a group/team.

There were opportunities to meet Veterans of Wars/Branches of Service while sharing meals with them, listening to their experiences of defending country and freedom. There were annual Flag Day programs where students honored Old Glory through prose and song.

There was participation in the Robert Jackson Center’s Young Reader Series Programs where students read books by certain authors, the subject matter being one aspect of the legacy of Justice Jackson, and then having opportunities to hear the words of the authors of said books in presentations sponsored by the center.

There were annual two-day experiences in June, where team students bused to Cleveland to the Great Lakes Science Center, Metroparks Zoo and Rainforest, Museum of Natural Science, and were lucky enough to take in an Indians game, something many students never experienced before, and maybe wouldn’t again. The first year of that experience took us to Toronto, where we visited Niagara Falls, then, in Toronto, the CN Tower, Casa Loma, Ontario Science Center, Organ Grinder restaurant, and we even took a subway ride.

It was a great opportunity/experience implementing the Roger Tory Peterson Institute’s Selbourne Project into my classroom curriculum allowing students to find out much about their community, and their own neighborhood.

There was my two-time experience facilitating two different groups of students from all over the world in the People to People Program in Washington, D.C., touring and learning about our nation’s capital, the history of America, our government, its national cemetery, and monuments (what they represent/whom they honor), and sharing with educators and students from all over this country, and other countries, as well. What great opportunities each one was, and how grateful I am for the chance to have been part of them.

I had an amazing opportunity to chaperone Jon’s Eighth Grade class’s end of the year trip to Hershey Park, the Flight 93 Memorial site, the Quecreek Mine rescue site (where we met two of the rescued miners and heard their story), before taking in a Pittsburgh Pirates game at PNC Park.

It was an honor being part of so many of these activities and many others, as well, getting to see the expressions on the faces, and learning in the eyes of the students as they participated in them.

That’s not to say there wasn’t trepidation in some of these activities. For many students, the Outdoor Educational Experience, and Cleveland Trip were the first times they went off without parents, and sometimes separation anxiety was intense. That’s from where some of the greatest rewards came, helping them through this brief “trauma” in their lives, and helping them check off another box on their unwritten “Growing Up” Life Checklist.

It’s a shame activities/opportunities like these have diminished with changes in educational policy and evaluation procedures.

Athletically, as a coach and umpire, I’ve also been fortunate to have been part of many great playing trips, games, and seasons, coaching (football, baseball, softball) where young people got to add to their “Been There … Done That” resume, and store away great memories of things participated in and accomplished.

In the 70s, we took Little League players to see the LL World Series finals. It’s great watching on TV, but to be there in that National/International Atmosphere was amazing. We also took Little Leaguers to a Pittsburgh/Cincinnati Baseball game where Hall of Famer Tom Seaver pitched for the Reds that day.

I remember three years of participation at the Cooperstown Dreams Park (including attendance at one National HOF Induction Ceremony) with many great young county players, then continuing with many of them practicing together and playing in travel tournaments for another three years.

I’ve had many memorable opportunities coaching some wonderful young boys, girls, young men, and women through the years. I’m grateful for the opportunity to have ridden on the coattails of their successes, and to have been associated with so many great young people. Some of the teams over these years put up great numbers record-wise, but every player on every team I’ve been fortunate to have worked with have been winners, because they took the opportunity and made the commitment to play, and that’s the greatest satisfaction for me.

In the 90s, I was given the opportunity to be a part of the Jamestown Jammers as their Baseball Camp director, organizing and running youth and family camps for the Short-A affiliate of the Tigers. In ’13 and ’14, I had the opportunity to be an official scorer for the Jammers. Being the baseball fanatic that I am, these opportunities made me feel like a kid on Christmas morning.

One opportunity that’s meant so much to me is my participation with the annual Baseball Showcase held at Diethrick Park annually (weather permitting). It’s an opportunity for twelve area high school baseball teams to come into a Professional Baseball Stadium and stand in the same places as Hall of Famer Nellie Fox, World Series MVP Donn Clendenon, All Star Wade Boggs, and Cy Young winner, Randy Johnson, among the many who have starred in the Major Leagues.

I’ve had the opportunity to share so much in this column, thanks to the Post Journal. I’m grateful to everyone there who make it possible for me to be a part of so many peoples’ Sunday mornings.

The greatest opportunity I have been given in my life, though, is the one I have been given to be a son, brother, brother-in-law, uncle, cousin, friend, and ESPECIALLY a husband to Sally, a father to Chasity, Christina, and Jonathan, a father-in-law to Jeff, and (soon to be) Erica, a grandfather to Justin, Jeffrey, Kolby, and Joshua, and a Great-Grandpa (though circumstances have not let us see him very much) to “Little X,” Xavier Cole Brown.

Many have said complimentary things to me about giving kids opportunities and they’ve swelled my head, and fed my ego, with so many kind words, but if I’ve been successful at anything its only because I’ve had great mentors and support people (parents, teachers, colleagues, administrators, clergy, friends), and I’ve surrounded myself with so many people smarter than myself. All of the opportunities I’ve had were due to direct contact with them and being the recipient of support, guidance, and wisdom from them.

I’m a huge fan of opportunity. It’s why I’ve felt it important to provide opportunities to those I’ve worked with in classrooms, and in/on athletic arenas over the years. I’ve been blessed to have had, and been involved with, so many opportunities myself, and I’m grateful to the people who included/supported me in them. I’m also grateful for being able to share them with so many great young people and adults along the way. For both of the last two sentences I’ve felt it important to show my gratitude to those who gave to me by trying to pay it forward to the next generation if I could.

I can never say “Thank you” enough to every person who has allowed me to be part of the many opportunities I’ve been able to have and share, so I’ll just repeat it infinitely, “Thank you!,” and I hope you all know how much it is appreciated.