Among our traditions in all JUGHEADS lore,
One dates to our start back in Ninety-Four.
A film of a lower-skilled, non-book-smart guy
Inspires us all to reach for the sky.
The under-sized Rudy had an over-sized dream
To play football for the best collegiate team.
The setting of legends was Notre Dame;
The climax was when he played his only game.
Spoilers aside, suffice it to say
We need inspirational hope for each day.
Whether striving at school or at work or at play,
We need success stories in our mind’s display
And spurred by these models, we all should pray
To take active steps for living today
Because short-term pain is worth it to pay
Lest chances go by as the years fly away.
Each Juggle Jam Slide Show plays Rudy’s theme
To spur on the Jugheads—and audience—to dream.
Some acts tonight are all about “team”;
Small roles are crucial to our engine steam.
But even the big acts are more than they seem–
Far from a trite social media meme!
For each unique person is held in esteem,
And trials overcome can cause joy-tears to stream.
Let’s face it: like Rudy, we’ve all seen rejection
Over little mistakes or gross imperfection.
What matters is handling one’s failure detection
And using it to forge a better direction.
When jugglers drop in a routine section,
They calmly pick up for vaudeville protection;
But back in the gym, they work on correction
So future endeavors show further perfection.
“To breathe” is the meaning of this word “inspire”—
Like God breathed His word which will never expire,
And breathed life in Adam and calls us still higher.
Just so, we endeavor to breathe and speak life
To build up these kids and overcome strife.
In turn, all the Jugheads will bless you all, too,
And show you what “Rock”-ing and “Reach”-ing can do!
This year, we’ve immersed in much Adaptation,
With character-building toward Beautification,
And survival instincts like Catification,
And sharing one’s burdens through much Delegation.
Hope for the future needs great Expectation
And vital connections, not Fortification
So that we can show the next Generation
The roots of success through Historification
And well-lived lives for deep Inspiration—
Ev’n here, in this gift of JUGHEADS Jubilation!
Like Rudy, our mission is not to keep score,
But inspiring kids’ lives right now and still more.
May you see God’s grace as they juggle galore,
Developed as youth—still yet—since Ninety-Four.
___________________________________________________
“Paul’s Poetic Platform” Series Note
This 10-part poetic series covers a wide variety of general and personal topics with acrostic, one-word rhyming titles from A through J. Paul presented “Inspiration” as the opener to Juggle Jam 23.
—PRA
