The Joker Card

I wear many hats, literally and figuratively. My favorite, and one I don't wear often, is the cowboy hat. I have two kinds, a straw one and a felt one, and I use them depending on the season. Since I wear a cowboy hat, I have a habit of putting a joker card inside it. At first, you might think it's like a good luck charm. But it has a deeper meaning than just wishing you good luck. In poker, a joker is a joker, and it means it can be anything depending on the story, and it's just as necessary as its owner being creative.

I believe that in many current situations, being flexible is at least as important, if not more important, than being an expert in any field. One of them is networking. This is because I simply don't have the confidence to walk up to people and start talking, but what I do have, for example, is social resilience. I've always considered myself a "social chameleon," which basically means I can adapt to most situations and have a conversation with anyone about many things. I don't consider myself an expert on anything, but I do know a little bit about a lot of things. This also helps me understand that I don't take everything for granted. As a result, I become more willing to learn, and as I do this, I think I can build a more thorough and trusting relationship with the person I'm communicating with. I'm not saying that being an expert in something is a bad thing. But the ability to be open-minded during a conversation allows you to understand a lot and be open to new connections.

Flexibility has a special quality, and it's not just in conversation. I always knew that flexibility was important on the farm because everything changes from hour to hour. But since my time in college, flexibility has proven to be one of my most valuable skills. One of my best memories from my first semester in college was when a friend asked me to go with him to pick up a cow a few hours down the road on a Sunday. It wasn't actually my intention that day, but my resiliency allowed me to go with him and we did a very good job in the time it took. Sometimes spontaneity leads to the best things in life.

But there's no need to fear the "unexpected" every time something "unexpected" happens. This year, the joker card in your hat has the ability to freeze the ace in your sleeve.

Related Articles

September 23, 2024 by Zoerhodes

G.O.A.T.

Life has its heroes, legends, MVPs, and all-stars. There are countless gentle definitions we use to outline these people who have forever impacted our lives, but my favorite word is "G. O. A. T." O. A. T.". For the past four months, it has been on my list...

Kansas FFA August 9, 2024

Kansas FFA Members and Chapter Named 2024 National Finalist

Congratulations to all the members and leaders who have been selected as state finalists in each category to represent Kansas FFA at the 97th Kansas State Convention and FFA Exhibition! Please see the links below for a list of the award results.

Kansas FFA December 30, 2024

Kansas FFA Members named as part of first FFA in the USA Reporter Team

For the first time, the FFA State Federation has decided to have active FFA members intern as reporters. Within the framework of this program, students will write reports on district events and events in the state, covering footage, situations, videos and interviews. These articles/materials will be posted on the State Federation FFA website and...