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Opinion
Young life an inspiration to all
As a local business woman working as a positive health and sports psychologist and life coach, I would like to commend our Windsor community, and more specifically the Windsor High School teenagers and faculty, for the tremendous outpouring of care and passion I witnessed this past week as we all fondly remembered a wonderful young man — Manny Reyes.
Having children of my own in Windsor High School, I had the honor of working with and seeing our young adults at their best as they cried and laughed telling wonderful stories about Manny. Over and over their stories and laughter, mixed with my own memories of the incredible never-ending smile of Manny, I cannot help but feel that many of these teens really get it. Their perspective is amazing. I believe we, as parents and friends of these teenagers, should learn and grow as we watch our youth in action.
As I sat at Manuel Reyes’ beautiful service, I was reflecting on my own perspective. This vibrant young man was in our community a mere 1 ½ years and the church was full of hundreds of lives that he positively effected.
I have mourned for and celebrated a number of people in my life; some young and some old, but all loved. It is the stories and the affects left behind that I treasure. It is that little simple symbol, which says so much. That little dash “-”. Most of us at some point reflect and hope what our dash will say. Manny, you have left quite a dash. I heard it in the stories; I saw it in many schoolmate hearts and faces this last week. I heard our local teens sharing their perspective on how to move forward.
Life is to live, and to live well. Maybe we all need to work positively on “our dash.” Witnessing our youth and faculty at WHS aid and lift each other in their actions and words gives me great peace, pride and comfort in our community. May we all have consistent youthful perspectives on what is important and have as Manny did, that final runner’s kick, to whatever finish line we are headed towards.
Betty J. Vanek, Windsor
As a local business woman working as a positive health and sports psychologist and life coach, I would like to commend our Windsor community, and more specifically the Windsor High School teenagers and faculty, for the tremendous outpouring of care and passion I witnessed this past week as we all fondly remembered a wonderful young man — Manny Reyes.
Having children of my own in Windsor High School, I had the honor of working with and seeing our young adults at their best as they cried and laughed telling wonderful stories about Manny. Over and over their stories and laughter, mixed with my own memories of the incredible never-ending smile of Manny, I cannot help but feel that many of these teens really get it. Their perspective is amazing. I believe we, as parents and friends of these teenagers, should learn and grow as we watch our youth in action.
As I sat at Manuel Reyes’ beautiful service, I was reflecting on my own perspective. This vibrant young man was in our community a mere 1 ½ years and the church was full of hundreds of lives that he positively effected.
I have mourned for and celebrated a number of people in my life; some young and some old, but all loved. It is the stories and the affects left behind that I treasure. It is that little simple symbol, which says so much. That little dash “-”. Most of us at some point reflect and hope what our dash will say. Manny, you have left quite a dash. I heard it in the stories; I saw it in many schoolmate hearts and faces this last week. I heard our local teens sharing their perspective on how to move forward.
Life is to live, and to live well. Maybe we all need to work positively on “our dash.” Witnessing our youth and faculty at WHS aid and lift each other in their actions and words gives me great peace, pride and comfort in our community. May we all have consistent youthful perspectives on what is important and have as Manny did, that final runner’s kick, to whatever finish line we are headed towards.
Betty J. Vanek, Windsor
