We had an alumnus from the UAlbany Class of 1990 visit for Shabbos with his family. He’s a light humorous guy, does shows as a comedian, but sitting around on Friday Night he actually shared something so serious and meaningful. Jokes aside, he said something so powerful.
On his 19th birthday, he was a junior at UAlbany, and his grandfather passed away. He inherited a trust of stocks that he was able to access given he was 19 at the time. His friends had all kinds of ideas of how to spend these funds, but he was adamant: I’m leaving them all right where they are, so I will have it to pay for my children’s Jewish education. Children!? his friends chided him, you aren’t even married yet! But he insisted, and he stuck to that, and years later that’s exactly what he did.
Not sure how many 19 year olds think ahead like that. Not sure how many college kids make their future children’s Jewish education a priority over their own short-term immediate goals. And not every 19 year old has this type of financial windfall opportunity land in their lap. But the lesson is still relevant. We can make life-altering choices at age 19.
One more thing. And those of us with older cars may especially appreciate this:
This alum is a big believer in good ‘ol American steel cars, the heavy duty cars before the gas-saving fiberglass and plastic models. And one such car with a heavy front hood saved his life and that of his fellow alum passengers one Thanksgiving weekend on the Thruway. In 1989, his junior year, he bought a used Chevy Caprice former police car, and it’s still road-worthy, at 376K miles!!! He still drives it… it runs!
We live in a throwaway generation, there’s so much change, we’re always swapping up for the next and newest model. But not this guy! He pushes for that extra mile, pushing limits, making it go further, racking up miles and believing it can do more.
Most cars today are expected to go up to 150K, 200K… 370K is almost unheard of. It’s beyond the norm, beyond expectations. But maybe we can go that extra mile? Maybe there’s more drive within us that we realize?