Last summer, in the midst of the 2015 WFDF World Overall Flying Disc Championships, I signed a frisbee and in the process, came up with a slogan that I felt was great advice for any level of frisbeeing.
That slogan is “Let the wind guide you“.
Fast forward to the 40th annual Virginia State Frisbee Tournament April 15-17, 2016 where I met Kristen, a teacher in Fredericksburg. She teaches the 3rd grade and is a disc golf/frisbee player. After telling her what I did for a living, she was really intrigued by my slogan and took it back to her students, having them write a story about what “Let the wind guide you” mean to them. We were both super impressed by what her students came up with and I share a few of the stories with you below:
One day a harpy eagle named Swift was getting food for his wife named Quick. Then two days later Quick had baby harpy eagle babies!!! Swift and Quick both went and got food for the babies. Then a few weeks later Zippy, Speedy, and Blinding were learning how to fly and hunt. Swift was teaching hunting skills. Quick was teaching them how to fly. When Quick was teaching Zippy, Speedy, and Blinding how to fly she said to them let the wind guide you. Zippy asked what does that mean? Let the wind guide you means never lose faith and always be positive and never stop doing what you want to do. It also means don’t let ANYONE I MEAN ANYONE bring you down!!!!!!!!!
I knew I was different right when I hatched out of my egg. I’m the little eagle who just can’t fly. I never wanted to be different but then I found out it is ok to be different. Mom I’m scared the other eagles are going to make fun of me, and call me names. Now Skye you know I don’t like it when you say that but let the wind guide you. But mom they will when they find out that i will never be able to fly! I said that but I never knew that later in life it would get a whole lot better. H-h-h-hi I’m Skye, well hello Skye say something about yourself please. Ummmm well uhh I-I-I’ll never be able to fly I was born with a broken wing and as you know for us it will never heal. Well that’s ok Skye everybody is different. But again I was scared to meet new people I was only a little eaglet. Hi mom I’m home, hey sweetie how was flight class? Hard since well you know I CAN’T FLY. Skye it’s ok just let the wind guide you. Mom why do you say that it’s a bunch of bologna. But again little did I know that was the most important thing in my life and not at all bologna. Skye honey you´ll never know and in a matter of weeks you’ll be able to fly look you already have the feathers! Oh I hate mornings I have to go to flight school. Oh hello Skye you made it! Hi Mrs.Harpy, oh Skye guess what in about a week or two we will be able to take off! W-w-w-what! I can’t I just can’t literally what am I going to do! Oh Skye just let the wind guide you. It was two weeks later and i remember it like it was yesterday I was scared as a mouse. Oh Skye are you ready to fly? M-m-me I umm no! Oh Skye just let the wind guide you! WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN I’ve been hearing it every where and i’m so confused. Well Skye just think. I thought hard and long and then i realized what was happening. Skye open your eyes, Ahhhhh oh wait what I’m flying? Oh oh my gosh I am I am flying and now I know what it means I know. Well Skye tell me what you think let the wind guide you means i-i-it means that you should just follow the way the wind blows and do what you think is right always. That’s right that is what you think it means and that’s always the right answer what you think. Now that i’m older I know what it means in my heart. That is what I think ¨Let the Wind guide You¨ means.
Once there was a boy named Luke. He loved to play baseball. It was his favorite of favorite sports. One summer he went to the beach. He went to eat seafood and got to go on a boat ride, but his most favorite he did there was surfing. One day while he was sitting on his surfboard when suddenly he felt a tug then it started to hurt. Soon a dorsal fin was poking out of the water. Shark Attack! He soon went into stun. Luke lost his leg. Once they got him out, they rushed him to the hospital. A few days after he had gotten his fake leg, it was very hard for him to walk, which meant it was very hard to play baseball. But he kept on trying. At school everyone said he couldn’t play baseball anymore, but that didn’t stop Luke. Luke kept trying. Soon Luke was playing on a undefeated team and it was all because of him. Luke was the star of the team, he hit home runs, caught outs, and got the game ball. Once he grew up he got into major leagues and played for the Washington Nationals. He won world championships, he got 3 world records and still had the fake leg I think that “Let the wind guide you” means to follow your path, and never give up.
Once there lived a Indian girl who moved to New York City. She didn’t fit in with her new class at school. They all laughed at her. The girl always was better when her mom sang her a song. Then one day she came home her mom wasn’t there, but her dad was. He told her that mom was sick. They went to see her mom she lay in bed sick. The girl went closer to her mom. They did not speak just looked at each other’s eyes, then her mom said everything will be all right if you let the wind guide you. Then two tall men came in and took the girl away. All week she thought about what let the wind guide you meant, but she did not know. Then one day before school she saw a robin, she followed it. Then there were two paths one was a meadow the other was a dark forest. The bird went in the dark forest. The girl turned around she saw a big wall she screamed let me out, but no one knew she was there. She turned back around, and went through the meadow it took her to school she didn’t know what just happened, but she walked into school. A couple of girls teased her about her clothes from India, she screamed at least I’m being myself and ran out of class! On her way home she saw a big statue it told her ask me any question in a great strong voice I know all there is to know! The girl asked the one thing she wanted to know “what does let the wind guide you mean” she said in a soft voice. “You already know” said the statue in his strong voice. The girl said no I don’t. The time you went into the meadow and when you shouted at least I’m being myself don’t you see. It means go the way you want to go and be yourself said the girl. Yes it does said the statue. Then out of nowhere the statue said now you have healing powers the girl blinked her eyes and the statue was gone! The girl turned around and ran home she didn’t know if she had healing powers but she knew who to try it on. When she got home she went rushing to her mom and placed her hand on her heart. Her mom just sat there sick. The girl frowned it didn’t work and walked out. The next morning she saw her mom making breakfast it did work! The girl ran to her mom and said I know what let the wind guide you means it means go the way you want to go and be yourself! Right said her mom. And she lived happily ever after always helping people, and her mom never got sick again! The End!