Saying Goodbye

by Ryan Krzykowski

As we near the end of May, so many things are winding down and wrapping up.  The school year, perhaps most obviously is nearly over.  But also two of my sons’ baseball seasons have moved into the postseason and will end soon, one high school and one college (and for the college son it’s quite possibly the end of his ballplaying career).  There are co-workers who are retiring or moving away, and I’m saying goodbye to students who are graduating and/or moving to other states.  On a more sobering note, my 97-year old grandfather appears to be nearing the end of his life, and a call that he’s gone could come any day.  Some of these are good changes, some difficult, and others neutral, but any way you slice it, I’m feeling a whole lot of relationships and seasons of life moving into new chapters all at once.  All this has me thinking about saying goodbye and finishing well.

As an educator, I’m a big fan of the student who puts in the effort needed to finish a course on a high note.  They work diligently through the practice/review material provided and perform their best on the final exam.  Even if they’ve already cemented an A grade for the semester, it’s important to them to do well on the last test.  Maybe it’s just their habit, maybe it’s a conscious effort, maybe they put pressure on themselves to always do their best in everything they do, but whatever we want to call it, they finish strong.  The apostle Paul wrote about this idea in a couple places:

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, – 2 Timothy 4:7-8a

“I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me — the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.” – Acts 20:24

In whatever I’m doing and coaching others to do, the idea of finishing well is important.  Whether it’s a sports season, school year, friendship, or even a life, doing our best to complete the good works that God has prepared for us (Ephesians 2:10) is a worthy goal…all the way to the finish line.

Let’s Coach With Purpose…