Life at a Crossroads

Herman Blume: What's the secret, Max?
Max Fischer: The secret?
Herman Blume: Yeah, you seem to have it pretty figured out.
Max Fischer: The secret, I don't know... I guess you've just gotta find something you love to do and then... do it for the rest of your life. For me, it's going to Rushmore.

That is an exchange from one of my favorite movies, Rushmore. As many of you know I am a huge movie fan, and sometimes I wonder why I like watching and analyzing them so much. Then recently I thought about it, good movies entertain us but also provide some sort of life experience or life lesson we can learn vicariously.

A few weeks ago TNT was showing Tom Hanks movies throughout the weekend and I found myself mesmerized, as always, by one of my favorite Hanks movies, Cast Away. There was something I always loved about that movie and I realized it is the ending. Hanks after returning from this tremendous journey finds himself at a crossroads, literally. Standing at an intersection of two highways in Texas Hanks character has to decide what direction he will go in immediately, but moreover what direction his life will take from this point forward. This is one of my favorite movie endings of all time because of the suspense it leaves us with, not yearning for a sequel but somewhat of an introspective look at ourselves, when we get to those crossroads; do we recognize it and what do we do about it from there?

Some of you may be asking yourself, what the hell is this fat man jabbering about. Well as some of you know, and now the rest of you will, in sort of a mutual parting, the University of South Carolina and myself have decided to go in different directions. I am no longer working with the basketball program but will remain employed with the athletics department for a few months while I seek other opportunities. This is one of the few major crossroads I can recall in my young life.

Many of you have gone through similar experiences. Some of the major crossroads in ones life deal with obvious subjects like deciding to ask a women to marry you or deciding that it is time to begin a family and to try and have children. Also some have had the same fate with job opportunities and maybe decided that the career path you were on is not the one you want to continue.

So here I stand, like Hanks character, at one of those crossroads. I could look back count my mistakes, but where does that get anyone. I would rather remember all the good times that where had here at South Carolina and the fun places I have traveled. Also, over the last week since this news broke I have consulted with many friends and some family over where I go from here. If they say a man is measured by the friends he keeps than I truly feel like Jimmy Stewart at the end if “It’s a Wonderful Life,” I must be the richest man in town.

From this point forward, my new life begins. Where it goes nobody knows, but it is sure to be one hell of a ride just like the first life.