Rosalynn Carter's SCORE Tells Me, I'm Not Finished?Yet
Ervin (Earl) Cobb
Leadership and Business Management Consultant, Speaker and Bestselling Author
With the passing of First Lady Rosalynn Carter on Sunday, November 19, 2023, at the age of 96, I suddenly experienced a moment of retrospection regarding my own life’s journey.
In this unexpected moment of reflection, which included my tally of Mrs. Carter’s SCORE in the game of American Life, I quickly became aware that my life’s journey has a lot in common with the First Lady’s…and my SCORE clearly indicates that, at the age of 70, I am not finished yet.
What did Mrs. Carter and I have in common, other than having been born in small middle Georgia towns only separated by 35-miles of peanut farms and cotton fields?
Your apparent answer may be “not much more”.
However, with a closer and more insightful examination, you will find that the vast majority of Americans have a lot in common with the way Mrs. Carter lived her life, and contributed to helping others and preserving a sense of humanity.
Let me explain briefly by:
·?????? Sharing our respective life profiles,
·?????? Exploring the “game of American Life”, ?
·?????? Highlighting First Lady Rosalynn Carter's SCORE, and then,
·?????? Reminding us of what we all have in common, as human beings and as Americans.
OUR LIFE PROFILES
First Lady Rosalyn Carter was born White, Protestant, and female, in 1927. She graduated class Valedictorian of the Plains (Georgia) High School, was a college graduate, and was blessed with the talent, skills, and opportunity to become a writer and the wife of the 39th President of the United States.
I was born Black, Protestant, and male, in 1953. I graduated class Valedictorian of the Vienna (Georgia) High School. I am a college graduate, and have been blessed with the talent, skills, and opportunity to become an electrical engineer, corporate executive, leadership development coach, writer and fortunate enough to have been married to the love of my life for over 41-years.
THE GAME OF AMERICAN LIFE
If you are familiar with the board game “The Game of Life,” then you know that this is believed to be America’s first popular parlor game. The game simulates a person's travels through their life, from early adulthood to retirement, with college if necessary, jobs, career, marriage, and possible children along the way.
To win in the board game, you must follow six rules:
1) Set clear and empowering goals;
2) Consistently stretch your comfort zone;
3) Generate plenty of good ideas;
4) Make mistakes and learn from them;
5) Work smarter and harder than yesterday, and
6) Expose yourself to new ideas, people and places.
As a player you score in the board game by putting your Visa Card into the “Lifepod,” which calculates the number of “Life Points” you have won. The player with the most “Life Points” wins the game.
Over the past 50 years of my enriching life and professional career, I have found the game of American life to be analogous to the popular board game.
However, unlike the score in the board game, within my retrospective moment following the death of First Lady Rosalynn Carter, my thoughts of her and her S.C.O.R.E. refers to her contributions to her Society, her Community, the Organizations she embraced, the American democratic Republic she loved, and her own Ethos.
FIRST LADY ROSALYNN CARTER'S SCORE
As highlighted by The Carter Center, as a co-founder, Mrs. Carter’s life journey and her life’s longevity presented the opportunity for her to earn a SCORE which she herself stated has “far exceeded any expectations.”
She used her circumstances of birth, talent and skills to fulfill a fundamental commitment to human rights and the alleviation of human suffering. Through her work within the Carter Center, she and her husband, President Jimmy Carter, contributed in an unprecedented ?fashion to preventing and resolving conflicts, enhancing freedom and democracy, and improving global health.
Some of Mrs. Carter’s highlighted accomplishments, which contributed to a remarkable life SCORE…and that most Americans, believe it or not, ?have not viewed in their proper perspective… include:
Yes. In the 70 years of life that I have been blessed with, I too have used my circumstances of birth, talent and skills. I have fulfilled many of my life’s goals and ?have a long resume, as well as a long list of helping others.
… and Yes. I would consider that my efforts to this point have earned a fair SCORE. ?
However, in comparison to Mrs. Carter, most of us fall far short, and despite the issues associated with aging…we should maintain the attitude and actions toward others which clearly project that …We are not finished yet.
WHAT WE ALL HAVE IN COMMON AS HUMANS AND AMERICANS
None of us have a say in the circumstance of our birth.
However, all of us are born with some talents and skills. When presented with even the smallest opportunity in life, we should do all that we can to be the very best we can be…for ourselves and others.
This means the very best…person, son, daughter, brother, sister, parent, friend, neighbor, employee, supervisor, manager, organizer, leader, community advocate, politician, and citizen…we can be.
Because collectively the sum of our SCORES do matter, and affects all of our lives, as well as, the second thing we undeniably have in common, and can control…America’s humanity.
Author, Performance Coaching, Change Analysis, Financial Analysis, Project Management, Enterprise Risk Management
1 年Thinking that each of us could have something in common with Mrs. Carter seemed like a stretch. But you are right. While Mrs. Carter has now ended her tireless and selfless pursuit of expanding America's humanity - we are not finished yet. If we all bring our best selves to the challenge to improve America's humanity, the sum of our SCORES will join with the sum of Mrs. Carters SCORES and her legacy will live on.