Throughout my undergrad degree at KU I was fortunate enough to have Dr. Bob Frederick as a professor not once, but twice. I got to know all of my professors, but I got to know Bob particularly well. One semester we did a project for the troops. People brought in letters, items that troops needed or money to help buy things that were needed. I volunteered to help Dr. Bob assemble the boxes and take them to the post office. That is when our friendship began. He was so genuine, kind and honest. After graduating Bob and I met frequently at J&S Coffee (the best coffee place in Lawrence) Check them out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/JS-Coffee-Company/25763473776?sk=wall or Starbucks to catch up on each other’s lives. He was my mentor, but more so he was my friend. A true friend!
This is a picture of a picture so the quality isn’t the best. It’s on my bulletin board at work.
The date was June 11, 2009…Exactly two years ago from today. I remember the day so very well. I had just picked up dinner from Jimmy Johns at 6th & Kasold. I drove by an accident which was right where I was at (6th & Kasold). Come to find from the evening news that the accident I drove by involved Dr. Bob. The news reported that he had an accident and was flown by air ambulance to a Kansas City hospital. My heart was broken! I went to work the next day and tried to focus, but was unsuccessful. I had a horrible feeling about things. June 12th was a sad sad day. I learned that Bob didn’t make it. I felt like my grandpa died. The day of his funeral (June 17th) I asked if my mom to come with me, I didn’t want to do it alone. She came to my office with flowers. Thanks mom! :)
Bob, I think of you today! I think of you when the weather is nice enough for a bike ride (you would have loved today's weather) or when I see bikers, I think of you when I see eagles or anything eagle related, I think of you when I've made a sound character decision, I think of you when I see anything KU related, I think of you so often and I miss you lots.
I wanted to share the poem, What Will Matter, which Dr. Bob shared with our class on the last day of Sports Law. This poem is by far my favorite. I look at it every day as it too hangs on my bulletin board at work. Bob didn’t just care about his students as students; he cared about us as people. He encouraged us to grow and be the best possible version of ourselves. He thought stuff you don’t learn in textbooks. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
What will Matter
Author: Michael Josephson
Ready or not, some day it will all come to an end.
There will be no more sunrises, no minutes, hours or days.
All the things you collected, whether treasured or forgotten, will pass to someone else.
Your wealth, fame and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance.
It will not matter what you owned or what you were owed.
Your grudges, resentments, frustrations and jealousies will finally disappear.
So too, your hopes, ambitions, plans and to-do lists will expire.
The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away.
It won't matter where you came from or what side of the tracks you lived on at the end.
It won't matter whether you were beautiful or brilliant.
Even your gender and skin color will be irrelevant.
So what will matter? How will the value of your days be measured?
What will matter is not what you bought, but what you built; not what you got, but what you gave.
What will matter is not your success, but your significance.
What will matter is not what you learned, but what you taught.
What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage or sacrifice that enriched, empowered or encouraged others to emulate your example.
What will matter is not your competence, but your character.
What will matter is not how many people you knew, but how many will feel a lasting loss when you're gone.
What will matter is not your memories, but the memories that live in those who loved you.
What will matter is how long you will be remembered, by whom and for what.
Living a life that matters doesn't happen by accident.
It's not a matter of circumstance but of choice.
Choose to live a life that matters.
There will be no more sunrises, no minutes, hours or days.
All the things you collected, whether treasured or forgotten, will pass to someone else.
Your wealth, fame and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance.
It will not matter what you owned or what you were owed.
Your grudges, resentments, frustrations and jealousies will finally disappear.
So too, your hopes, ambitions, plans and to-do lists will expire.
The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away.
It won't matter where you came from or what side of the tracks you lived on at the end.
It won't matter whether you were beautiful or brilliant.
Even your gender and skin color will be irrelevant.
So what will matter? How will the value of your days be measured?
What will matter is not what you bought, but what you built; not what you got, but what you gave.
What will matter is not your success, but your significance.
What will matter is not what you learned, but what you taught.
What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage or sacrifice that enriched, empowered or encouraged others to emulate your example.
What will matter is not your competence, but your character.
What will matter is not how many people you knew, but how many will feel a lasting loss when you're gone.
What will matter is not your memories, but the memories that live in those who loved you.
What will matter is how long you will be remembered, by whom and for what.
Living a life that matters doesn't happen by accident.
It's not a matter of circumstance but of choice.
Choose to live a life that matters.
I like that poem ;) Its true, the things that matter most in life aren't "things".
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