Dr. Ivan Raley served for many years as my predecessor. Each morning he sends our staff a thought for the day. The following was an addendum to today's thought. I emailed him for permission to post it here. It is just another reminder about the importance of the journey.

Just a Small Part

When you get to my age in life you often wonder what you have accomplished. If you have done your best, made any kind of mark, and made any difference in the lives of others. That sometimes troubles me. I have been the father figure, more or less, for six children. I sometimes wonder what kind of job I have done in that awesome role. Last night I sat in a theater in Green Hills in Nashville and watched a short documentary written, directed, and produced by the youngest of those six, Jim. It was a tribute to Ken Berryhill, who gave the dream to Vanderbilt to start their own radio station and now in his late years has returned to be what he calls the 'Oldest Country D.J' in the world. It was very well done and if they had given awards for this type of film I am certain that it would have won. As I watched it I realized that I had given to Jim non of the talent, non of the ability which crossed that large movie screen, that came out of a talent he possessed. He used it well and I understood as I watched it why the Nashville Film Festival board of Governors had placed it in their schedule. While I had nothing to do with the talent that lit the screen maybe, just maybe I did give to Jim some of the belief that he could do anything he put his heart to doing. Now really that is enough for me, not to know, but to think that maybe, he received some words of encouragement from me along our journey together that gave him the heart to reach for his dreams. Being a father is a great responsibility. I could speak of the others and the joy they have each given to me but last night belonged to Jim. I am pleased to have had a small part in the lives of others.