We have finally reached the end of my master's journey-victory at last. The feeling of winning can never be adequately described in words, rather it is something we will continue to revisit and cherish for a lifetime, piece by piece. I use the term "we" because this moment has brought about many key reflections over the last 12 years and no foundation is built without the rare servants who extend a hand, free of the reciprocity that continues to inhibit organic interactions in society. Thus, I dedicate this journey to my longtime trainer, father figure, and friend, Gary Henry.
Over the last six years, I have been asked the question, "what are you training for?" and I would respond to peers by explaining that I am training to support my academic performance. We often hear about the rough transition out of sport that many athletes deal with, but only those who choose to hang up their sneakers will do so. When I first met Mr. Henry in August 2011, I could not perform a single push up during our initial training sessions; however, instead of the negative feedback you can expect in a sport environment from your superiors, I was met with encouragement and a vision of what I will become, irrespective of structures we continue to question.
As the push-ups became routine and I began to experience some on-court success, Mr. Henry and I took our passion to the fields which was defined by the heat warnings, sweat, and vomit. Indeed, you can find many commercials that depict a similar idea, but I highlight these experiences because of the underlying purpose of my efforts that Mr. Henry consistently educated me about throughout every session. Are we validated by our fluctuating audiences or by what we believe in? Surely, it has been "what we believe in" which entails a formula that Mr. Henry and I were able to establish during my teenage years. Certain audiences doubted my athletic ability while others doubted my academic ability, leading me to question "now what?". During any moments where I felt the absence of direction, there would be a call from Mr. Henry reminding me of what we have built over the years and how that can be translated to a lifetime of fulfillment, as long as I "keep running". Of course, this is much easier said than done, but this realization is what has allowed me to persevere as a first- generation student who continues to use his imagination to assign purpose to all life endeavors. When I reflect on the past two years of my master's journey, it was a direct product of the spirited approach that Mr. Henry had instilled in me. I assigned purpose to each repetition both within formal and informal work environments to extract results that we will forever cherish. Mr. Henry, I thank you for your teachings as you have provided me with the type of support that one cannot buy. I am filled with gratitude knowing that even through all moments in which we have overcome adversity, we have yet to scratch the surface of "what will be", the redemption of all dreams.