Desire to Learn???

One of my former college professors is now a close personal friend and was even a colleague for a few years as we worked together at the same institution.  We were together at a baseball game this summer and I apologized to him for not being a better student when taking his courses in college.  I was a decent student but I don't think I tried as hard as I should've. Most of the material came rather easy and I could get at least a "B" if I attended 3/4 of the classes and studied the night before the test (except Algebra!!!). Boy, do I regret that!  Now all I want to do is learn.  After I apologized to my prof (in the middle of the 4th inning) he told me, "Don't worry, most people don't really start to learn and study until they are out of college."  And then he said that he remembered me being an "engaged student" which made me feel a little better.  I remember having a class in Hermeneutics with Dr. Mark Black with only six students in the class!!!  What I wouldn't give to be back in that class, and to listen more carefully, ask more questions and take better notes.

Again, now my desire to learn and study is so much greater.  In fact, when coaching basketball at ACU I would audit classes in the M.Div program from time to time...simply to learn.  It was sort of funny when the professors would look at me and say, "Aren't you our basketball coach? What are you doing in my class?"  And I would reply, "I want to know more about New Testament Theology."  

I read more now than I did in college.  I usually read a book about every 10 days or so.  I read everything from New York Times best sellers to commentaries on the Minor Prophets.  I'm currently reading an 800 page book on President Lincoln and I'm absolutely loving it...and learning!  I spent last fall studying for the LSAT thinking I might go to Law School.  I studied harder for that test than I did for every college test combined.  And when I received a good enough score to be accepted into Law School I started reading a book on Tort Law and a book on Contract Law (because those were the two classes I would begin with).  I remember reading through the Tort Law book and wanting to understand every line of every chapter...not to pass the class or the bar but because I wanted to know more about Tort Law than any other student in my class so I could be the best lawyer I could be!   

I say all this because we have a few basketball players who are ineligible because they didn't perform very well in the classroom.  Part of me wants to sit them down and lecture them and the other part of me understands that..."you don't understand at that age."  

Isn't it funny when you look backwards in the rearview mirror and see how many mistakes you made?...when at the time it just didn't seem to be that big of a deal.  I guess I feel older now because I can officially look at college students and say, "you will look back on this opportunity and regret you didn't go to class and try harder."  Although, sometimes those "bad decisions" end up being blessings in disguise because they shape us into the people we end up being...however, just remember to apologize to your favorite professor.