“Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead, where there is no path and leave a trail.”
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
As I stepped on the grounds of Servite High School for the first time as an incoming freshman, it hit me. I was beginning to be a part of something so special that when I was older I could tell my kids that I was a part of the Servite Brotherhood. People that have never gone here don’t know what this unorthodox experience is. One cannot even put it in words without rambling on for hours on end. Here at Servite we share an unbreakable connection with those Friars that founded the Servite Order in 1233. They established the level of excellence that all Friars should hold true to themselves. As I look back on my years at Servite, all I can do is smile.
As an incoming freshman, I was determined to play golf and get a quality education. Not only have I accomplished that, but also I have had many experiences that I will remember for the rest of my life. My greatest experience at Servite came but only a few weeks ago. On April 25, our Varsity golf team had Trinity League Finals where the top nine players advanced to move onto CIF SS Individuals. I placed tied for ninth after two days with two competitors from an opposing Trinity League school. They decided to settle the tie in a sudden death playoff. With my whole team, coaches, parents, and administrators cheering me on, I was able to prevail in the playoff winning myself a spot in the CIF SS Individuals Tournament. It was quite unreal to think that everyone that was there was for me. I could only feel sorry for the other two players that were almost overwhelmed with all the support I received and the lack of the support that was shown from their team. My father, who was following me in the playoff, later told me that how cool it was to watch all my teammates cheer me on while none of the other school’s players even bothered to watch the playoff. That is what the Servite Brotherhood is all about.
The by far worst moment at Servite occurred during Freshman Formation. While standing in the gym for what seemed like five hours, I could only think about why I was here. “Is this all I am going to be doing for the next four years?” “What is the point of standing in this sweat shop?” Why can’t I faint already so I can sit in the back and drink water?” These questions were all that crossed my mind. I never once thought of looking at the big picture. All I was worried about was being able to sit down and drink some water. When I look back on it, I now realize that there was a point to that “stupid and ridiculous activity”. What Coach Toner was trying to convey was that we are all much stronger than we think, and together as a brotherhood of Servite Men, we can accomplish almost anything. So my worst memory of my freshman year turned out to be a good memory as a senior because I am now stronger mentally and emotionally than I ever would have been without Formation Weekend.
When I was younger, my family went to church every Sunday. I enjoyed this but as I grew older, I had complications with sports where I could rarely make the church service on Sundays. So it progressively faded and we eventually stopped attending church besides the major Christian holidays, Christmas and Easter. When I arrived at Servite and witnessed my first ever religion class, it brought me back to the days in Sunday school where we would read about Noah’s Ark and David and Goliath. I feel that Servite has brought me closer to God because if it weren’t for Servite, I feel that I would have completely lost my spiritual life. God is a huge part of my life now and everything I do reflects that. I try and always stay positive and look on the bright side of things because I know in the end that things will turn out for the better if we put our faith in God.
So far in my four years as a Friar, I have achieved many goals that I had previously set out for myself. For example, being on the Principals High Honor Roll all four years and winning a CIF SS Title for golf. Not only did we win a CIF Title, we won three back-to-back-to-back. So instead of a story to tell my children, I have a ring that validates our success. Before I die, I want to leave the world a better place than I came into it. This sounds quite cliché but I truly believe that helping others and doing God’s will can help me accomplish this goal. I would also like to see the birth of my grandchildren before I die. I know this is out of my control but as a child, I never had a grandfather. So there was never that old man around that you could jump onto his lap and he could tell you what he did when he was your age. My final goal before I die would be to raise children that will be there for me in my loneliest of times. When everything seems to be going for the worse, I can rely on my children to comfort me and get me through my tough times. My goals seem fairly simple yet some of my goals I cannot quite control. So I have to put my faith in God so he can lead me in the path to success.
As I ponder the many great memories I had, I just hope to myself that what Servite is now is what Servite will be in twenty years. The men they produce are class act leaders and we should not go away from the rigors that are prevalent at Servite. I am exceedingly glad I came to Servite and quite honestly, I don’t know what kind of man I would be if I chose to go to another school. Servite has granted me the qualities and character that I need to succeed and as I leave this school in two weeks, all I have to say is “Credo”.
