#SOL18 Day 27

If you realized how powerful your thoughts were, you’d never think another negative thought again. ~ Natural Life

Today was our last day before Easter break. We ended the day with an assembly with two members of the Harlem Wizards. The Harlem Wizards were created in 1962 as a basketball show team to compete with the Harlem Globetrotters. We were visited by “King Arthur” Lewis and Hang Time.

These two men provided the audience with basketball tricks and positive encouragement. They had some students and faculty members (not me thank goodness) up to dance and learn basketball tricks. Once they had the crowd sufficiently riled up “King” Arthur settled the kids down and had a serious message to share with them.

Work hard – nothing is given to you. If your teacher gives you five pages to read for homework don’t just skim over it. Read it and take notes on it, so you learn what is on those pages.
Respect – those around you are your brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers, aunts and uncles. Don’t judge others by the color of their skin, their size, or how much money they have. Respect everyone.
Dream Big – don’t listen to naysayers. You can do anything if you do the work. You earn grades, playing time, and circumstances.
Spread love, joy, and happiness – love an appreciate those around you. Speak positively to them and to yourself. If you don’t love yourself, you can’t love anyone else.

“King” Arthur went on to tell some personal stories of how growing up in Baltimore, no one thought he could be able to play basketball for a variety of reasons, but with the adults in his life – his parents, coaches and his faith he got his education and did play basketball. He even wrote a book about it and self-published. It is called Is the King to Small to Play Ball?

He told the students and faculty about how his life changed in 2016 when his 16 year old daughter was diagnosed with cancer. She was out of school for a year and a half while going through treatment. He wanted to impress on the kids that we never know what life will bring us so we have to treat each other with respect and love and appreciate one another.

I know the kids loved the assembly; I hoping they got his message too. I know he gave me food for thought.