If It Is To Be…

Back when I was a Kappa Sigma pledge in the spring of 1997, I was required to spend some time with every brother in the house. Interviews, they were called. Sometimes, it was awesome and I’d ask a question that would kick off a really cool discussion. Other times, the guy wanted to ramble on about his interests with no back and forth, give or take.

A standard part of every interview was to ask for a quote. Not that the guy himself said, but a quote of a song, poet, story, etc. that the brother found meaningful. Over my five months of pledgeship and interviews with 30 or 40 guys, there is only one quote I remember:

If it is to be, it’s up to me.

This was quoted by the president of our chapter. I had a lot of respect for him as our president and just as a person, so I was interested where he’d learned this quote. I don’t remember the answer, so if this is some motivational speaker or quote from a well known someone or other, my apologies for lack of citation.

The prez said this quote always hangs on a poster above his desk. When he’d get frustrated with course work, or tired of the endless amount of fraternity paperwork, he’d look up at that quote and become inspired. To this day, it inspires me, too.

When I’m dreaming of the future, or working towards accomplishing that dream, like anyone else, I can get burnt out. Bored, frustrated, tired, you know the routine. Then, I remember that quote…and I realize my destiny is in my own hands. And then? I get back to work.

You, too, have the ability to illustrate your present and future. I hope this will remind you that the power is in your hands…and then? I hope you’ll get to work on making that dream a reality.