Right choices can lead to greatness

Teens everywhere want to change the world. Their profiles talk about wanting to make an impact and do something huge with their lives.

What many of them miss is that each day they live is another opportunity to do great things. Great things can be very small and simple random acts of kindness.

Sometimes it isn't about us being great at all. It's about making a choice that sets things in motion for great things to happen.

Great mothers in history have felt called to do wonderful things and never fully realized what that calling was. History tells us that their calling was the direction and guidance they gave to their children, who then went on to make tremendous impacts as a direct result of the influence of their mothers.

Many have seen the video of the funeral of a 16-year-old girl who modeled for the world Christianity in action. Many people couldn't understand how her life, which was clearly meant for greatness, could be ended so abruptly by a classmate who was supposedly driving drunk.

Watching the video and seeing more than 600 teenagers come forward and give their lives to Christ at the foot of her casket made it clear that her life had indeed inspired greatness. She changed the world for at least 600 teens and for every person who has every seen her story.

Do you have to be a Christian to be a good person? I personally think absolutely not. 

I believe you need to be a Christian to have eternal life. Christian principles, without doubt, help people keep their lives focused and give direction.  

You have to be a good person to be a good person here on Earth. Good people who act with compassion inspire greatness in others.

Teens everywhere need to realize that the choices and decisions they make each and every day are either chances or missed opportunities for greatness. Energy spent with negative behaviors will suck the life out of great dreams.

Instead of spinning wheels trying to find the next big thing that will allow you to do great things, slow down and take advantage of little moments that, over time, will accumulate into a great life.

Get involved in school activities.

If you are on a team or in a school club, recognize that it is an honor to represent your school. Hold your spot on the team or in the club with integrity and do nothing that would dishonor yourself, your team or your school.

And, I don't mean just during school hours, either.

If you are a leader in athletics, academics or club activities, you need to lead 24-7.

Does that mean you need to be perfect?

None of us can be perfect, but we can make a choice to lead and set an example worthy of emulating.

Making the conscious decision to be a good role model for others could lead to greatness in your life and the lives of others who are looking to you for cues on how to make it through middle and high school.

Mixed signals can really mess up young teens. If they are watching you and thinking that you are successful and worthy of emulating at school and then see you making bad choices outside of school, their idea of what leadership should be is clouded.

Great teens inspire others to stand strong against peer pressure and contribute to their schools and community. Don't try to be great by being the one who teaches underclassmen how to skip school or where all the parties are.

Lift them up. Don't bring them down. That's greatness.

Treat your friends as the treasures they are each and every day. Don't talk about them. Stand beside them.

Don't help lead them down a path of destruction. Friends don't put each other in danger. Show your friends that you love them enough to want the best for them, and that is being a great person.

People will often say that they'll never be great or be able to accomplish great things in this small town, and I always chuckle.

They make statements like "I can't wait to get out of here," or "When I get out of here ... ."

They use these statements as an excuse to delay changing behaviors. 

It's all about what you consider great. I can think of some really great men and women from this small town who didn't gripe about being "stuck" here, but instead bloomed where they were planted.

I have watched as they behaved with greatness each and every day and made an impact on each and every person they have come in contact with over the years. That is greatness.

Just imagine this. Say you're watching a TV show 20 years from now and some person makes a point of thanking you personally for helping them stay on the right path, make good choices and become the person they have become.

Rarely do you hear people we consider great thank people from their past for driving them to a dirt road party or buying them drugs and alcohol.

They thank people who have made a positive impact on their lives.

Your decisions and choices will make you great or make you just one of the crowd.

If you want to change the world, begin with getting your own life in order.

Make sure you have a relationship based on integrity with friends and family.

Make sure you are doing your best to act in ways that honor the people you love and yourself.

Make sure that your quest for greatness includes the words from your mouth, the actions of your heart and the choices you make each and every minute of each and every day.

Kim Smith is a member of the Craven County Board of Education and the mother of two daughters.