Walk with a Purpose

There are some phrases we all remember from our childhood.  Who hasn’t been told to chew with your mouth closed? Put on a sweater, I am cold? You have to wait for a full hour after you eat before you go near that swimming pool, or you’ll cramp up and could drown?  Okay, I am aging myself with that last one.  The phrase I remember most fondly was from my Mom.  For as long as I can recall, she told us all to walk with a purpose.  That meant to stand up straight, stand up proud and to not, as she likes to say, slouch or “dilly dally”.  It wasn’t a command to rush; it was more about honor and intent.  I never asked her where the phrase came from.  But last week I found out, thanks to my young niece who taught her fellow classmates to walk with a purpose when they walked to school together.  Here is what my mom told me:  Her cousin Barbara (Auntie Barbara to me) grew up in Alhambra, CA.  She graduated from Alhambra High School in 1951.  The P.E. Teacher at AHS was Mrs. Thornton.  She believed in “stand up straight, head up and walk with a purpose”.  My Aunt Barbara remembers her as a “blond bombshell”, very fun with a great attitude.  She was sure she retired not long after my aunt graduated.  My mom Isabel added, “walk proud” as meaning that “you are important, too”.  A beautiful legacy and mantra passed on to future generations.  Walk with a Purpose!

This entry was posted in Inspiration. Bookmark the permalink.

One Response to Walk with a Purpose

Comments are closed.