OK Solberg: 00:00

I wanna again welcome you to the 04:05 coffee break. Guys, touch a fall in the air. Get you a cup of coffee, glass iced tea, hot mug of cocoa. Let's see what's happening.

OK Solberg: 00:10

Spring Wheat $5.15 a bushel. Not moving much. 550 pound steer calf, they're at a high end, $4.63 a pound. Butcher hog in Iowa, 64¢ a pound. And a 100 pound lamb that's fat in Billings, top dollar, $2.02 a pound. They're not moving much any either. But, guys, there's more, much more.

OK Solberg: 00:38

Let me start with our bible verse for today. Listen. Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2nd Timothy 2:15 Oh, yeah. It is important to study. But, guys, I didn't like to do it as a child. I didn't. Oh, and notice that today I used the old King James version. That was the only version I knew as a child. Now I like other translations many times so as to get the general feel and understanding, but the good old King James, it has its place, and it reminds me of my childhood.

OK Solberg: 01:24

And I'm gonna be talking about my childhood today and when I was going to school. Now I remember vocabulary words in English class. Like I said, I didn't wanna learn back then, but they made you do it.

OK Solberg: 01:40

Yet one week, for whatever reason, I felt a little different. And I thought, you know what? This week, I'll pay attention to the words and really try to learn their definitions and see if it makes any difference. Funny thing is, guys, the two words that I remember from that class way back then still stick with me. The words were inevitable and irrelevant.

OK Solberg: 02:07

Inevitable, certain to happen. It's unavoidable. Irrelevant, not related to what is being discussed or considered, and therefore not important. Those two words have come in very handy for me in my life. And now when I write these episodes, I need words.

OK Solberg: 02:28

I have to have them. I couldn't do it without it. And interestingly, with the Internet at our fingertips, you know what? I thought I'd do a little search and see if anyone else felt like I did back when I was a kid and see if there were any comments on this subject that mirrored mine. Oddly enough oddly enough, with so much information at our command, I found a delightful article, letter to the editor, and my two words were included in their story.

OK Solberg: 03:01

Listen as I quote. Letter to the editor titled, The words I Thought were a waste of time. When I was in junior high, we had a teacher named Mr. Robinson who made us learn five vocabulary words every week. He'd write them on the board long, intimidating words like controversial, inevitable, significant, irrelevant, and reliable, and make us use them in sentences and quizzes, even had us do silly skits using those words. At the time I rolled my eyes, what did these words have to do with anything I cared about?

OK Solberg: 03:46

I thought it was all just busy work. But now, years later, I realize those pointless words have helped me navigate real life in more ways than I could have imagined. When I became a parent, I learned that tantrums are inevitable. When I sat through meetings that went way off topic, I could finally identify the irrelevant parts and stay focused on what mattered. When friend friends and family clashed over politics or faith, I understood what it meant to deal with controversial issues and how to listen respectfully.

OK Solberg: 04:31

When I lost my father, I began to recognize how deeply significant certain moments and people truly are. And in a world full of shifting opinions and empty promises, I learned to value what's reliable, whether it's a person, a principal, or by faith. Mr. Robinson didn't just teach us vocabulary, he gave us tools to understand the world. To every junior high student who thinks these words don't matter, I get it now. But give them time, someday, you'll find them waiting for you, quietly useful in the middle of real life.

OK Solberg: 05:13

Signed, a grateful former student, Oak Ridge, Illinois, end of quote. I like that letter. It captured my feelings exactly. And here, here's to all the teachers out there. Thank you for patiently teaching us when we didn't want to be taught.

OK Solberg: 05:33

So until next time, as you go out there, remember now, don't be bitter.