Moments

Ticket in one hand, mom's hand in the other my aunt dancing and signing in front of me on our way to see Sugarland in the grandstand. Waiting in line for some magical fried Oreos with friends. Cleaning my saddle in the heat for the Cowgirl Queen competition. Fixing my crown one last time before I enter interviews for the Fair Queen Competition. Watching the sunset over the grounds of our beautiful state fair from the skyglide. The theme for this year's fair is Nothing Compares to State Fair Moments. These have been some of my favorite moments, and its true that nothing compares to the times I have spent at the fair, but what makes a moment memorable? 

The definition of a moment is a very brief period in time. Something extraordinary has to happen in this brief period in time for us to make them into memories. A defining sound or smell, a sight or taste, the times when you see the world around you in slow motion, when everything becomes clear. Moments are what make our memories great. You cannot tell a story without the details of what happened, and moments are the details of our story. 

These upcoming weeks we will be preparing the finishing touches of our projects headed to the state fair. The work and time we have put into these are all leading up to a moment. The moment we step into the ring, or when we let that project go for the final judgment. We can only hope the best will come out of these moments to prove our efforts have not been in vain and we can taste the fruit of victory! We have something to prove at this moment. So how can it not go our way? Right? Then we see the judge shake someone else's hand, we see that purple ribbon sitting on another project. The way we process this very brief period in time can now change our memory. We can be bitter, angry and spiteful, as there is no way they worked harder than us. They do not deserve it. This is the way I know I have reacted. It's not my fault this class didn't go my way, it's his fault he cut me off in the arena. My horse just wouldn't cooperate it's not my fault. I now look back on these memories and see those times in the arena as a bad experience. My challenge to all of us as we head to the fair is to redefine our moments. It doesn't have to go our way for us to not taste the fruit of victory. It's the journey of we got there, and it is in these moments we can learn instead of judge. 

Let's come together over these few weeks to make some memories with defining moments! I wish us all the best of luck at the Great Iowa State Fair! As we all know already Nothing Compares!

With a corndog and lemonade,

Gwen Black SW State Vice President.