Michelangelo once said ‘The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark.’
That to me sounds like good advice. It came to me when I was with my grandson in the games hall of my church. He picked up the basketball, looked up at the net and paused. I know what he was thinking. In his mind he had that ball through the ring.
I have three grandchildren, two beautiful girls and one one beautiful boy. Like any grandparent I want the best for them. I look at my own kids and think about the mistakes we made as we were raising them, and then realise that when you have grandchildren you are… sort of… given another chance.
I pray that I can use my wisdom and experience of life to guide them on their way. In life, aiming high is so important. I look back and regret the times in my life when I accepted second best or set the bar too low and achieved things without an effort. When I was a teacher, I tried always to give my pupils only the best, they deserved nothing less. I was always inspired by two saying I found on life’s journey. One was the motto of a school I drove past – ‘Excellence to all and from all’. Great advice on giving and expecting the best.
The other, a motto on the bottom of my desk calendar, – ‘What you do speaks so loudly, I can’t hear what you are saying.’
I hope and pray that what I do for my grandchildren will affect their lives for good…
My children and grandchildren are the greatest gift God will ever give to me, and their souls the heaviest responsibility He will place in my hands. What I want to do is take time be with them, teach them to aim high, to have faith in God and also be someone in whom they can have faith.
I will share with them the words of E. O. Wilson
You are capable of more than you know. Choose a goal that seems right for you and strive to be the best, however hard the path. Aim high. Behave honourably. Prepare to be alone at times, and to endure failure. Persist!
The world needs all you can give.
Ramblings of a retired teacher 
Well said, Roger.
In spite of our efforts our grandchildren will learn many things the hard way BUT, hopefully, some of our words and deeds will rub off on them.
Why is it we learn (some) wisdom so late in life when we really need it to help us through life? S.
Sorry, I forgot to say how much I love the delightful photograph of little Alfie aiming high. x