It Only Takes One Spark

To make the fire burn... What a simple concept that has always been around me, but I've never truly grasped until now. This is the reason I am here today, because someone took the time to spark the passion inside of me and what came out was a roaring fire readying to go; ready to go be that spark, that difference, in someone else's life. That is what keeps me going, knowing that I can make a difference as one single person, and use my talents and my gifts to make a world of difference to the people that I meet on my journey through life. The possibilities are endless of what one man or woman can do; look at Martin Luther King Jr. or John F. Kennedy, two amazing individuals who truly have lead our country to make a world of difference. If they can do that, then what is stopping me?

That is my passion: I want to be that spark for those that I meet. I want to leave my legacy through the lives of others. I want to use the gifts that God has given me to do everything I can to change the lives of others. I realized this passion, and what I could do with it, at the Washington Leadership Conference. Going back and looking at what the National FFA says about WLC "During the five-day event, attendees learn how to become effective leaders by teaching them to know their purpose, value people, take action, and serve others."

I can truly say all of those things can sum up WLC to the point. I found my purpose of serving others through WLC and I saw what needed to be done and how I could be that difference. My eyes were open to not only the members from different states that attended WLC, but also those that are all around us within the United States and across the globe that need our help each and every day. There are things that we take for granted each day, like shoes for example, that are a necessity for others around the world, and they may never experience what it is like to wear a pair of shoes. I learned to take action, and through my Living To Serve Plan I developed a plan on how I can take that action within my community and get others involved within the TOMS movement.

And most importantly, I saw the need that we all have to serve others. Without the help from others, we would all be lost, and I would not be where I am today. Our society depends on us all helping each other out when we need the help. I would have never found my niche within FFA if others were not there to help me and now that I have been given this opportunity it is my duty and my calling to use it to serve others. WLC has truly changed my life and I would not have a passion and a calling in life if I had not attended that life changing event. That is why I want to be a WLC facilitator, so I can give future members that same opportunity that I was allowed to experience, and make a difference in their lives, and through them, the lives of many more. I want to give back to this amazing organization that has already given me so much.

If anyone knows me, they know how much my shoes mean to me. It's such a remedial thing, but my TOMS are what keep me going every day with the mentality of making a difference. I am one lonely kid from a small town, but here I wear these shoes as a symbol of a child I have helped half way across the world experience a necessity. This is what I am able to do at this point with my service.

My most dreaded comment, but secretly also my most favorite, is "I like your slippers". This always gets me going, especially when my Ag teacher says it every week to ride my case. I love this comment because it gives me that opening to explain what my shoes are all about and what the TOMS movement works towards. That is what my LTS Plan is all about, getting the word out and through that, impacting others to make the purchase and donate a pair of shoes. This is what I am able to do all the way out here in the country as an 18 year old, and I couldn't be any prouder. I love what my shoes stand for, and I feel that pride every time I put them on.

Hopefully someday down the road I can follow that passion and that pride and work for TOMS and my ultimate goal would be to go on a TOMS giving trip and see that progress happening in front of my eyes. Seeing all of that hard work and everyone who purchases a pair of TOMS coming together to make a world of difference in the lives of those children. That is what keeps me going and why I truly love my shoes.

Today was the day I graduated high school and it was the closing of one chapter in my life and the beginning of a new one. You'd expect me to be scared out of my mind for the possibilities coming ahead for me, but I'm actually doing quite well. This is because I know that no matter what happens in the future, I will be following my passion and doing what I love and get joy out of. That is why I want to be an Agricultural Education teacher, because I would say that ag teachers are the ones that get closest to their students. My life has been infinitely changed by my ag teachers and they continue to support me and invest in me. The things that they have done to help me get where I am today are too long to say, but I will never forget each and every one of them.

That is what I get to look forward to each and every day of my life. I get to be that change for future agricultural education students and FFA members. I get to give back to the community and the organization that has truly changed my life. My heart lies within agriculture and impacting others, and that is where I get to spend the rest of my life! Honestly, how cool is that? I can't wait to see what kind of difference I can do through my teaching in the lives of students and how that will affect them and their lives. There are few people that can say that they get the chance to make a difference in the world and mold the future, but ag teachers are a core part of that group.

So no matter where life takes me, I know I'll be there because I want to make a difference in the lives of others. I will always be following my passion, so I just have to wait and see where it brings me. I may not work with TOMS, I may join the Peace Corps or work with the local food bank; all I do know is that I have one amazing life ahead of me and as long as I follow that passion, I can do anything.

This is the end of my high school career, but I promise you it will not be the end of my passion or my goals. It will merely be a stepping stone for the things that I hope to achieve within my life and the places I want to go. There is a rare opportunity before me to live a life that I can truly be proud of and enjoy every second of it, so what kind of fool would I be to let that go? I can promise you world that the Vinz Karl you first met, is one you will be greatly surprised by when you see where he will end up.

How Does This Harm You?

*What is said in this post is not meant to offend anyone, to say that anyone is "wrong" or to put anyone down. This is just what I view and I believe in. Sure we are all going to have different opinions and mine will certainly differ from yours, I just want to give my insight to what I believe to be true and what I believe in. I cannot speak from firsthand experience whether it be what it is like to love another man or what God truly believes or wants us to fight for, merely my interpretation from what I have experienced.*

Well I've been meaning to write in here soon, but I definitely didn't have this in mind, but something I read on Facebook compelled me to do otherwise. I recently read someone's status about Obama and his poor decision to support gay marriage and this kind of ignorance flat out frustrates me. This is what is ruining our society; it's ignorant people. People think they're so much better than someone else because they do or don't do something. WHO CARES? Who cares if one man loves another man or a woman loves another woman? NO ONE. It doesn't affect how you live your life or how the world turns. This is something coming from a kid, that's right I was a kid, who used to be all opposed when it came to gay marriage, but then you know what? I grew up. I became a man, and realized what I was talking, or rather not talking about. I realized how foolish it was to base someone on such an insignificant factor and try to prove my betterness than someone else. If that is what makes one of my friends, relatives, acquaintances, or even one of my idols happy, then by God I will let them do it.

The biggest issue with this ignorance towards gay marriage is what makes you better than someone who is gay? You're both human beings and you both live life the same way. Who are you to tell someone they can't love someone? We all know that feeling we get when we fall in love with someone and we will do anything for that person. What difference does that make if it's feelings for a man or a woman? It's still the same love either way, who are we to tell someone they can't feel that way towards someone of the same sex? We all think we are right, we are so high and mighty, what we feel has to be the right thing; well look at it from the other person's point of view. That is what they believe and what their heart is telling them, are you going to tell me that what you feel and what they feel have to be wrong, that one person's heart is telling them lies? No. That is just childish to think such a thing. What makes someone happy is definitely not what makes someone else happy, but the only factor that matters is the individual and their feelings.

Something I saw that I quite agree with is that gay marriage is the segregation of our time. We were wrong with segregation and many of us are wrong here. Who are we to tell someone they're loving the wrong person, the same person we weren't for telling an African American man he cannot drink at the same drinking fountain as a white person. Man was not made to rule over another man, what kind of dictator do you think you are to do so?

Another thing that frustrates me is everyone piggybacking on the bible to defend their "righteous cause". Well my sister makes a good point when she points out that slavery is okay in the bible and if a man rapes a virgin then she must marry him, do we go by these laws today? No, absolutely not, so why do you see the need and the ability to pick and choose what you go by in the bible. By no means am I bashing the bible or taking hits at God, quite the contrary. If my God is one that picks and chooses what people he loves, than he is not the God for me. However, I know this to not be the case. The God I believe in loves everyone equally and would never condone such behavior. God would not make homosexuals just so he can "punish them" and deny them from following what they believe in and love. I don't know which God is telling you that gay marriage should not be allowed, but he is certainly not mine.

So many people use religion to defend their case, but they do not recognize what religion is. So many different religions exist because we all interpret the Word of God differently. I am a Roman Catholic however I definitely do not agree with what they believe in. For instance a man cannot act on his affections for another man or a woman onto a woman. Also "we" believe that a priest cannot marry or have children. I could go on for days with why I view religion to be wrong, but it all comes down to the point that every single human being interprets The Word differently. What is so wrong with just believing in God and ending it at that. The main need for religion to me is to have other followers of God to congregate with, but why do we have to put a label and set rules and interpretations on everything? My greatest religious experience has been through TEC because you only need one thing to belong in TEC, a faith that God is our one and true almighty savior. That is it. What is wrong with that? Why do we have to be told what to believe in and not to believe in when it comes to God?

Who are we to tell someone they're wrong? Who are we to tell someone they cannot love another when they so greatly feel it in their heart? We are not Gods, we are but measly humans. If gay marriage is allowed in the United States what will happen? Will locust fill our fields, will hurricans ravage our lands, will earthquakes tear appart the ground below us? No; men will be allowed to marry the man they love and women will be allowed to marry the woman they love, it's a simple as that. The world will keep turning and your life will continue to move on like it has for the past however many years. Get off your high horse, quit being ignorant, grow up, open your mind, get over yourself, and accept everyone for who they are: human.

I Just Can't Wait to Be King

I'm sure everyone knows this song from The Lion King and quite like the tune, but as I listened to it on Monday as I watched The Lion King to help me relax I truly realized how much this phrase truly relates to my life. This song, this sentence is revolutionary, it teaches us a very import life lesson: No matter what we go through life the thing waiting for us at the end, our "Kingship" will be well worth it.

I just can't wait to be king. What this means to me is: I can't wait to truly make it, I can't wait to show everyone that no matter what they think about me or my potential I can blow it out of the water. I can't wait for that one day, the day I will finally make it to that mountain top and show everyone what I have become. No matter what stands in my way, no matter what obstacles are in my way, they won't keep me down. Sometimes I wonder if anyone ever thought I would turn out like this, if my ag teachers knew what would happen when I walked into that ag room, when those RPs and SOs saw me at SGLC, when I first met the State Staff of the Minnesota FFA, when my friends saw me move to Arlington and when those kids first laid eyes on me at Sibley East.

To anyone out there that doesn't think they can do something I ask you why not? Who gave you that idea that you can't succeed at something? What kind of sick person would put that thought into your head? I'll tell you this: You can do anything that you put your mind to. Such a simple phrase we hear growing up, but the truth is you really can. What do you think any of the revolutionists, or the evolutionists as I learned at the EMP museum today, were told when they grew up. What did Neil Armstrong's parents tell him when he first told them he was going to be the first man to walk on the moon? No matter what anyone tells you, you truly can do whatever it is you want as long as you give it your all.

Take a look at me: I'm a senior who was slated as the 2012-2013 Region President of Minnesota FFA's VII Region. Me: Vinzenz John Karl, the kid that grew up in the middle of Richfield and went to a private Catholic school until the 4th grade when his family picked up and moved to little Arlington. The kid that had no idea what agriculture was beyond the dinner table. The kid that got an ISS in 6th grade and two detentions and more anger problems than he'd ever like to remember in 7th. The kid who felt like the single most outcast at his first ever FFA event outside of his chapter. The kid who up until a month ago thought he was going to be a doctor. Now where am I now?

I know I'm no king yet, but I'm on my way and nothing will stop me. I am currently on my way to serving Region VII as their 2012-2013 Region President. I'm enrolled at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities to have the best and most educational 4 years of my life to become an Agricultural Education teacher. I take it day by day; learning things most kids learned when they saw their dad do them on the farm. I will give everything I have to continue to grow in my agricultural knowledge because I know I still have a long way to go, I will be the very first and definitely not the last to admit that. I have faced so many setbacks throughout my life I don't know where to start, but I do know where it's going to end. It's all going to lead to me chasing my dreams, no matter what they are or what they turn out to be. Wherever you may see me you might think I may not belong, I may not know as much as you or I may not have the most experience, especially in agriculture, but I do have one very important factor that you most likely don't: My Passion.

This is the thing that separates myself from the rest of the world around me. My passion is the fire within my soul that will carry me farther than I would have every imagined. I truly can't wait to be king. I can't wait for that day when everything I've work towards falls into place and I have truly made it. I can't wait for everyone's reactions when they have seen where I have come from and where I end up. No matter what anyone has ever thought about me or when and where they thought I'd fail, I'll show them that it doesn't matter what they think. Because once I make it nothing else matters. Once I become king all of my struggles will have been worth it.

Never in my life would I imagine I would be honored with such a title as Region President. If you told me I would get the privilege of working at the CHS Miracle of Birth Center this past summer I would have called you insane. As a kid all I knew was the city life and never once did it ever cross my mind that I would have gotten the chance to do many of the things FFA has brought to me, but that's the funny thing about passion. Passion pushes you to do things you never thought imaginable or in your future until you understand what that passion is. Passion is what makes people do some pretty revolutionary things.

So I challenge every single one of you reading this: find your passion and follow it wherever it may bring you. Don't let anyone tell you you can't do something because quite frankly their wrong. Keep pressing on and move forward towards that goal, because once you become King it will all be worth it.

It's Not What Happens to You, But How You React to it That Matters

(A little forewarning: This blog post is going to be very long. There are some parts that get deep and you get to understand what I felt about some situations and FFA as a whole and there are going to be parts that are going to sound more like a diary and me telling a story. No offense, but this was not meant for you; it was more of a way to get my thoughts out into pixels for me to look at for tomorrow. SO sit back and enjoy :D)

Such a simple sentence fragment...but what does it truly mean? To me it means a new way of life, somewhere to belong and grow and come out on the other side as an amazing person. If you would have known me back in 2003, you would have known 9 year old who loved video games and was pretty good at school. He could make his friends laugh but was awkward around girls and new people. The Vinz Karl as everyone knew him back in Richfield, Minnesota was a bright kid who was going to do some pretty great things with his life. However these aren't the things he was expecting. Later on in the next year Vinz's whole world would shatter with just one piece of news from his mom: The family was moving to little ole' Arlington, Minnesota. "That hick of a town??!?!", Vinz exclaimed, "That's nothing but a village, they can hardly call it a town!" But Arlington would be a new beginning for Vinz and everything he knew was going to be thrown out the window.

When we got to Arlington, I had a lot to learn. I knew nothing about agriculture which meant I basically knew nothing outside of my home; Arlington is a very agriculture-based economy. I went to school and started my 5th grade year and sort of just drifted through 5th and 6th grade, and then the transition to 7th grade was rough on me and you can ask anyone about that. Okay, so I've gotten a little off topic, but it will be worth it, trust me! And here we are, at my 8th grade year: the year that would begin the ball down the great big hill that is: FFA. I joined FFA for a sort of trial period in 8th grade, as 8th graders we were allowed to do some things but not too much, it was a great experience to get my toe in the water and foot in the door, but at this point I basically got just my pinky toe in.

I started to warm up to my ag teacher at that point: Mr. Jeff Eppen. I've never told him this but I was really starting to look up to him for guidance, so when I heard that he was going to South Central to teach the next year, I took it rather hard. I guess you could say this was my first of many let downs in my FFA career. I was looking forward to having an amazing semester in the classroom with him and doing some amazing things, especially making fishing poles. But he went off for a year and his replacement Mrs. Katie Brown stepped in. Don't get me wrong, I didn't hate Mrs. Brown, but I didn't really enjoy her either. She was a wonderful person, teacher, and role model, but she wasn't what I was looking for. In my mind she could never hold up to Eppen, so she was at an automatic disadvantage.

Throughout all of this: my 8th and 9th grade year, I sort of just drifted around in FFA. I went to some events and I went to State Convention just to go and I participated in BIG just to make it to state. I helped with the corn drive to get out of school and have a good time with some people. I knew FFA was a cool thing, I just didn't see where I belonged in it and why it was so cool.

So this brings us to let down #2 and #3 of my FFA career: Not getting start Greenhand at our chapter banquet and being announced as the Chapter Parliamentarian for the 2009-2010 year. What did the other two have that I didn't have? Was it because I didn't grow up on a farm? Was I not good enough? What was wrong with me that I didn't get anything I wanted? For goodness sakes, I didn't even know what parliamentary procedure was and I definitely couldn't spell it! But at the same time I wasn't passionate enough about FFA to care that much. At that point it was just an award or an office to obtain; there wasn't much meaning behind it. I guess looking back now, maybe that's why I didn't get it, maybe I didn't deserve any of it. But I just brushed it off and continued living my regular life. It wasn't until my sister talked me into to SGLC when my world would truly fall into place.

SGLC: The deciding factor, the life changing week, the place I found who I truly was. Without it, I don't know where I would be today. I would have nothing to define myself by if I had not found my passion for FFA at SGLC. When I first arrived at SGLC I was lost, terrified, and mainly freaked out by the crazy people around me. Everyone was so excited; what could they possibly be this excited for? It was just another camp that would take up a week's worth of my time. My welcome began with Ms. Katie Zenk recognizing my name because of my sister. At least I started off my week with one friend, if you can call her that at that point. (Of course Katie and I would go on to become fairly good friends in the future, but I had no idea of that) Then we went into bag checks and the medicine check in. Well the Region President who took my medicine noticed my name and how unique it was, got pretty excited about it which made me step back for a moment. I was the quiet and fairly awkward kid that I normally was when I first meet people, so this really got me scared. But I can gladly say that Region President, Ms. Kirsten Pagel, is a great friend and someone who has truly made a difference in my life and helped me countless ways along my path.

When we went into session and throughout the first few days I looked around I felt out of place. I felt like I didn't belong because I didn't live on a farm, love country music, and for goodness sakes I wanted to be a video game designer at that point! I was starting to doubt why I was there at all. But one individual gave a talk in a breakout session that would forever change my life and reassure me every day that I did belong. This individual was Ms. Crystal Jones. Now I don't know if she knows this, but she is the reason I am who I am today; the real reason behind why SGLC made such an impact in my life. Crystal told us that you didn't have to come from, or plan on going back, to a farm. You just need passion and a love of agriculture; for FFA. I started to realize that I did belong; I did love the people who were around me and that they were some truly amazing people that I could have an amazing time with.

Mr. Kirby Schmidt also played a key role in how I viewed FFA. He showed a genuine interest in me: who I was, where I came from, and what I wanted to do. He cared for me on a personal level, and what a concept that was to an incoming FFA member. Here I am, one of the something-odd thousands of members of the Minnesota FFA and the President cares about me. He showed me that FFA can be so much more personal that what one may view on the outside, and he would go on to be a figure to model for others that I could impact through my work. (When Kirby came to our chapter banquet later in the year it was the first time I had ever heard of anyone asking my sister if she was MY sister. It's usually the other way around, and this showed that I was getting a name for myself!)

So yeah, SGLC was an amazing experience and I was going to keep it with me when I got back to my chapter. I was going to use what I learned to go back and kick some butt and truly make a difference; but that was easier said than done. When I got back no one cared that I had gone to SGLC or that I had found my passion for FFA or that I felt like a big shot. They all viewed me as the city kid that is in FFA. Most of the other members of my chapter live on a farm so they are the "experts", which I will agree with them most of the time, I do not know more about agriculture than they do, that's for sure. But what I do have is passion: passion for learning, passion for growing, passion for making a difference in others' lives; passion for the future.

This passion is what keeps me going; it's what keeps me going to FFA event after FFA event and continuing to learn about agriculture as a whole. Now for time's sake (not that I haven't already talked about a lot, but if I told you every little detail I'd be here for hours) I'm going to skip over some events like the corn drives, the officer retreats, and such, to my next let down in my FFA career. #4: Not getting Chapter Treasurer like I so greatly desired.

When I found out I didn't get treasurer I was crushed, crushed like a bug on a windshield. I got the position of Chapter Officer at Large, aka let's give this poor kid a position just to make him part of the team but he really won't have any responsibilities or anything, it's just for show. You'd think I'd be used to it at that point, being underestimated and everything, but nope; it still hurt. But I was going to take that hurt and turn it into something better: passion. I was going to use that disappointment and fuel it into my passion to make that flame even greater. With my passion I was going to take this FFA thing and run it into the ground. I was going to show Eppen and Uhly that they made the wrong choice and that I could outshine anyone.

And this was a great way to keep myself going when I was at a low point in my FFA career, but it could not last. Which is when the perfect opportunity came for me to realize what truly went on in the FFA world. Sure I had touched on it before in my mind, but I had never truly realized it until I went back to camp to SLCCL in 2010. This too was an amazing experience. What this week showed me is that people in FFA care about each other. People I hardly knew, that I saw once every few weeks, months, or once a year, really cared about me. Two men that showed this to me at SLCCL were Mr. Justin Crowley and Mr. Jared Hanson. They cared so much about me and what I would continue to do throughout my FFA career. They are two amazing role models that I have found in my FFA journey.

After all of this I went back to my chapter and I got more readily involved, I started asking about camps and keeping my eyes and ears ready to find any new camps or conferences I could go to. I was climbing up the ladder that was FFA. This all lead to the realization that I was where I was because of those Region Presidents and State Officers that I had met at camps. Thus I was determined to run for Region President and get it. Looking back I probably wanted the position just have it, just as another reason to show Eppen and Uhly that they had made the wrong choice the previous years for chapter officers. My head was in it for all the wrong reasons. I went into the interview nervous and half sure of myself. Thus was born let down #5; I ended up getting Region Treasurer and I was devastated. But everyone I knew told me to make the best out of my year and to consider myself lucky that I got a region office. They were right: I was given that opportunity and I was going to run with it.

And so I did and I used all of my emotions as greater fuel. I used that year to grow and learn about so many things that I wouldn't have gotten the opportunity to if I wasn't Region Treasurer. The greatest things that happened in that year were being able to go to WLC and SLCCL again. WLC showed me that I can make a difference. I can do whatever it is I want if I have enough drive and supplies to do it. Even though I am one small person in the grand scheme of things I can do so much to make a difference.

SLCCL #2 was where I realized why I truly want to be Region President. I want to make a difference in so many members' lives like previous Region Presidents have done for me. At SLCCL I took the chance to invest in some members and to able to make a difference in their lives shows me I am doing something right. I may not have been up there as Region VII President, but I was behind the scenes making a difference to at least one person. I want to use that Region Presidency to give back to the organization that has given me my identity, that has taught me more things than I can list back to you, that has changed my life.

So here I am right now: it's 12:11 the night before I run for Region VII President for a second time. I know that no matter what happens tomorrow I will continue to love FFA, I will continue to make a difference, I will continue to be a mentor for others, I will continue to exist. Region Presidency isn't something you should strive for because it's a stepping stone, it isn't something you should do to put on a resume or to pick up girls, it should be something that you are fully passionate about: your region and the members in it. I want to see our region move forward in so many directions, I want to see our members grow and find their passion for FFA. I feel like I can be that difference in the region to make this all happen. But who knows, maybe that's not what the nom com will see in me today, maybe someone else is a better candidate. If that happens to be so then I will gladly welcome it, as long as they better the region greater than I would have.

So this is a light version of what I have been through and why I am doing what I am tomorrow. Like I said, it's more of something for me to look at tomorrow and remind myself of what I truly care about. I have done so much more in FFA than what is written here that doesn't pertain to my leadership, let downs, passion, and drive to make a difference, but maybe that's for another day.

Stress: The Ultimate Motivator

So here I sit, in a booth at the McDonald's in Owatonna. You may be asking some questions like "Why are you all the way in Owatonna? Why are you writing a blog in such a place? Can I have $5?" Well mysterious person let me answer your questions.

I'm here in Owatonna for TEC 86, and I'm specifically in the McDonald's because I arrived in town one and a half hours early from class. I'm blogging here because it's the only time and place I've been able to find the time to write a blog post in my busy life. And no, sadly you cannot have $5, the only cash I have on me is for my TEC cup and Music Team shirt.

This brings me to the core focus of this post: my lack of time. This week marks the third week of classes for the semester and the first week my labs started for both chemistry and physics. So that's what I did with my Monday and Tuesday, along with work Tuesday night. Last night I spent my entire time at home getting ready, packing, and preparing myself for the upcoming TEC weekend which starts today. Now today I had to track down my professors to see what I would miss and turn in a lab that I did at 1am this morning. After this TEC weekend I will have a couple hours of down time to recover, sleep, wash my clothes, and then repack my suitcase for the Ag Policy Bootcamp this coming Monday and Tuesday in St. Paul. When you add all my homework and missing a chemistry lab and having to make up a physics lab, I have quite a bit on my mind, and in my backpack.

Now this entire back story brings me to the main core focus of this post: WHY? Many would, and have asked me, why would you do this to yourself Vinz. Well you see my answer is fairly simple; it's because I am so passionate. I wouldn't miss a TEC weekend or and FFA camp if I could do anything to prevent it; which is precisely what I have done. No matter what homework or notes I may have to come back to or try and squeeze in between my daily events for the next 6 days, I will do it. I guess I look it like this, if you're not stressing yourself that mainly means that you're not pushing yourself. This is not what I'm about to do, for far too long have I sat back and procrastinated my way to nothing. It's time to take the bull by the horns and crack down and further myself in whatever part of my life it may be. You cannot win today if you wait to take action tomorrow.

This also leads into what is coming up in two weeks. It is the day that could make or break my life for quite some time. It is the day that I run for Region President again, but this time I'm going to be fully prepared and ready for anything; unlike last year. This passion of mine: the National FFA Organization, is quite unique and I think will be the focus of my next blog post, so stay tuned to find out what Vinz has been through, what he hopes to do, and why he does it all in FFA!

What IS Love?

There are four main types of Love: Agape, Storge, Phileo, Eros.


I am very fortunate to feel God's Agape love all the time, it fills me up and calms my spirit. God's Agape love is with me to protect and watch over me, to keep me safe and reassure me of his true nature. There is not much I can say about Agape love that you neither know about nor can know about without experiencing it firsthand. But do not be dismayed, for everyone knows of God's Agape love and has it with them at all times even if they do not feel it. It is within your own heart if you look deep and accept God's loving arms to surround you.


Storge is the affection between family members. I love my family immensely, but each in my own way. I may not show my affection outwards to them at all times, but I will always love and support my family. My family has been with me since the very beginning, well at least my close family. My father has never truly been around for me like I would like him to. However, even when he is half way across the globe, at least he tries. That's all I can truly ask from him. He tries and that's what shows me he truly cares, so I will always love him no matter what others may think of him.

My mother has been there supporting my every decision and she never (well hardly ever) questions my decisions and only wants to see me succeed in the things I care about. And my sister has been my rock, she keeps me grounded and on the right path. She helps me with any advice or help I may need, even if it's the little silly things. All in all my family is one of a kind and a true blessing in my life.


Phileo is also known as "brotherly love" and refers to the affection for those around us such as family and friends and also in reference to activities one enjoys. Well since I already talked about my family and I have numerous friends, I don't think I can spend too much time here without spending an entire 20 minutes talking about them all. I will talk about my passions in my life: Christ, FFA, and technology/video games.

My love for Christ is like no other, but I would be lying to you if I said our relationship was perfect. The thing about me that makes it so difficult is that my mind was made to think in somewhat of a logical process. I see the logic in everything, that's why I do so good in school I guess, I take all the facts into account and make a decision based on those key facts. This is why it is hard to accept God's presence in my life at some points. My main doubts stem from the notion that God has power over everything. Sometimes my mind goes to see the science in things and that some things have to, or are supposed to happen, so how can they be changed by God? My brain makes it hard to have faith sometimes, but I'm trying my best to just accept his ultimate power.

FFA has not always been my passion and if you knew me solely based on my background you'd be surprised to know that I am heavily involved in an organization based around agriculture. I grew up in Richfield, a suburb of the Twin Cities, and moved to Arlington in the summer after my fourth grade year. My passion for FFA and for agriculture truly blossomed at SGLC (State Greenhand Leadership Conference) and I found my niche in FFA thanks to some key State Officers and State Presidents at that camp. This is one of the main reasons I push so strongly, over all the obstacles that have been placed in front of me, to become Region President. I want to be that model for others, I want to make those connections with all the other members, for them to see that no matter what hardships you go through, no matter what setbacks you face, no matter what doubts you may have set upon you both by others and yourself, you can still do whatever you want. Most don't expect the young city boy to turn into such a strong agriculture advocate and one with such amazing passion, but here I stand before you as just that.

Technology, but more specifically video games have always and will always be a strong passion of mine. I still remember getting my first GameBoy Color and Pokemon Yellow which started my journey. The most amazing thing to me about video games is that there are endless possibilities to the worlds that can be made. There are no rules in video games, no gravity to live by and no rules of nature to hold you back. Any thought you have ever had can be portrayed in a video game. Video games also give an escape from the world around us; if you are too stressed out from your job or need to relax and take a step back from the events going on in your life, you can escape into a video game and get lost and just relax. Movies and music are also another passion of mine. Movies tell some pretty amazing stories, and there is always a movie to fit your mood. You can see the amazing things others have, or pretend to have, lived through. I use music as a way to connect with others. Everyone loves at least one type of music or has a favorite band or song that you may like too. I myself can like pretty much any song or type of music as long as I listen to it enough.


Eros refers to the love, passion, and attraction between lovers, and also happens to be the love that has been on my mind the most lately but coincidentilly the love that I have felt the least of in my life. Whoever said nice guys always win needs a reality check. I have always been nice to every girl I have ever liked, and where has that gotten me? Chucked into the friend zone every time. I'm always the guy that a friend who is a girl can come to if they have boy troubles, don't get me wrong, I am always willing to help out a friend in any way and it gives me some sort of satisfaction to help them out. I know exactly what to say to calm them down and work things out. But why can none of those girls see me right in front of them? I would never hurt them like the guys they complain about, I would never play games or abandon them: I am a true gentleman. This never seems to be enough. I almost got past this "parasitic" relationship with one girl, and we were set to go to Sadie Hawkins, until she told me she found someone else the week before, while he turned out to be just a fling and was gone within a few weeks. I have never told her how much I still think of that day' what she did to me, she even considers us friends, but to me there will always be that wall between us because of what happened. I don't know why it is impossible for a girl to like me as anything more than a friend. I consider myself to be a great guy, I know how to laugh and have a great time, I'm smart, and I have everything in my life under control, so what it is that is holding me back from obtaining that next level in a relationship? Is it my weight? Maybe this is what's holding me back, but why? What is ultimate difference if I weigh some extra pounds and wear a bigger shirt? I'm still the same guy on the inside. I will NEVER let my weight hold me back, so neither should you.

Another thing I don't understand is how am I supposed to know who that "ultimate girl" for me is? How will I know who God has chosen for me to live my life out with, and what am I supposed to do while I wait? How long will I have to wait? I have so many questions but I never get a single answer. Maybe you've never gone through something like this, maybe you and the one you have always liked are going out, but let me tell you this. You have no idea how hard it is to see the one you love right in front of you, right by your side laughing at all your jokes and having an extremely close relationship, but knowing it may never get closer. I have seen the girl I truly liked go out with someone else. I look at their relationship and all I come up with are questions like: Why is he so much better than me? Will they always be together? What can I do? And then it dawns on me: nothing. I can truly do nothing but sit by and watch those two be together while I just suffer by only being a friend to that girl. It absolutely pains me to watch a woman be in a relationship with a man who treats her wrongly, in any shape or form; I wish I could be given that chance to show her what a true gentleman should treat the love of his life like.

I have never known what it's like to be in a relationship, so maybe I have the wrong idea of what it should be. I have never been able to have someone that I can truly talk to about any and everything. I long for that person that I can just be myself with and we can have an amazing time just sitting in a room by ourselves with no other distractions. Maybe one day that'll happen, but I ask when? Do I have to wait until next year when I go to the U, or do I have to wait until I move into the nursing home and find her there?
I guess the only true thing I can do right now is wait. I can only wait and continue to work on myself so that I am truly able to share myself with the right person. I just ask the Lord that he sends her soon, because I'm getting antsy, I just want to start my life with someone else!


That's my take on the four types of love and their roles in my life. It may not have any value to you, but it's what I've been thinking about for the past few days.