You don't need a magician to pull inspiration from a hat this time of year. With the school year barreling to a close, inspiration is coating the community like a layer of windshield pollen.
Hundreds of our best and brightest are about to embark on new chapters in their lives. Said renowned poet T.S. Eliot, "To make an end is to make a beginning."
That's exactly what's about to happen for members of the class of 2015 as they put an end to their high school careers and prepare for a scenic drive through life in their search for undiscovered gems. Some will find diamonds, while others will find doormats.
I mention all this new chapter rhetoric because I've had the chance to cover two graduation-related events at Warren County High School over the past week.
One was scholarship night where dozens of students were rewarded for their academic prowess with the riches of college scholarships. The other was a banquet for the top 10 percent of the graduating class featuring speaker Inky Johnson.
The only problem I have with the Johnson speech is it was only delivered to about 30 students and their parents. After hearing his message, it's one which should have been heard by the entire student body. It's one which should really be heard by everyone.
That's because Inky Johnson is a kid who, statistically speaking, was never expected to make it out of the inner city. His mother was 15 when she had him. His father's name is still not on his birth certificate. He shared a two-bedroom house with 13 other people and had to literally take the T-shirt off his uncle's back to have clothing to wear to school.
Said Inky, "I came from circumstances that said this kid shouldn't make it."
But Inky was determined to make it and prove he could escape his circumstances. As he gained stardom as a high school football player, Inky said he was offered the chance to play for a much better school across town. However, Inky refused because he said he wanted to be a leader and show someone from his drug-ridden high school could earn a college scholarship to play football.
Inky accomplished that dream when former UT coach Phil Fulmer took a chance on him and signed him to play for the Vols. He had a memorable college career and was expected to be a high pick in the NFL draft when an injury during a routine tackle ended his playing career and resulted in paralysis in his right arm.
"You can take experiences in life and look at them in a positive way or a negative way," said Inky. "I was given plenty of opportunities to stop, plenty of opportunities to give up on myself. But I didn't stop. I kept pushing."
As WCHS graduates prepare for their proverbial new beginning, Inky's message is one to keep close to heart. Every road will have its potholes, but there's no substitute for tenacity when it comes to overcoming adversity.
Standard editor James Clark can be reached at 473-2191.