A copy of one of my Facebook Notes in April, 2012...........
In October of 1983, I weighed around 190 lbs.......felt like crap and went to the doctor who told me to lose about 25-35 pounds. So, on February 1st 1984, I started running in full plastic sweats to lose the weight, (wrestling for 12 years at Perry, Oklahoma pounded that idea into my head) and by June 2nd......when our second daughter was born I had lost 63 pounds! I felt like a new person and was running upwards of 50 miles a week. I learned to eat right and cut down on so much of the junk food that I had friends and family thinking I had turned anorexic! I hadn't, what I had done was start a fire in me that to this day still burns............if you want to do something in life.........go do it! Talk is cheap, now you need advice and wisdom from friends and loved ones......but at some point, dig in, bear the weight and get it done! Nobody can keep you down but yourself!..........Lesson #1 for me.....if you want it, go for it, nobody can get it done but you yourself at the end of the day.......yes you need help in life, but the drive comes from within yourself!
I had always dreamed of finishing a college degree, but because my heart wasn't in it.......it didn't come to fruition! I had went to NOC at Tonkawa for two years after high school and came within 6 hours of finishing an A.S. in General Agriculture. At the end of that time I started at OSU but quit after 2 months and went to farming full time. In December of 1980, Shonna and I got married and we began growing our farming operation. Over the years I tried 2 more times, unsuccessfully, to finish school at NOC.......again, my heart wan't in it! But I hadn't stopped the dream of attaining a college education and by the fall of 1987 I could see the handwriting on the wall for our family in agriculture. Within that time-frame we had to sell everything we had; now let me tell you something, to see you life's endeavors go on the auction block was something I will not ever, ever, ever forget! Our equipment, our land, our home, our sweat and toil over the years......let alone the fact I was the oldest son and one of the first in my generations that was no longer going to be able to raise my family on the farm! That fire within me I had talked about earlier, some people figure out what they want to do when they're little, andl I had...........I wanted to farm, but now that was gone so I had to figure out what else to do! By the grace of the Good Lord above and a wonderful wife and at the time 3 precious little ones I started back to school at OSU at 29 years of age. They told me it would take 3 - 5 years! It took me 2 years and and 1 semester to finish a B.S. in Secondary Education with an Minor in Geography. And then, I got hired on to teach in my hometown of Perry, Oklahoma..............that same place where in 4th grade a teacher I won't name told me I wasn't worth much in life and wanted my dad to put me on tranqulizers! Tranqualizers........at 9 years of age, my dad told the teacher that he would take care of that, and he did.........my little butt worked so hard over the next several years that I didn't have time to get into trouble anymore! My tranqualizers were hard work, being honest, being respectful, and doing what was right, fair, and just the first time around! But I'm digressing..........I had achieved a University degree by 1991, me.....someone who could never speak in front of anyone or teach anything, me..........................me.....this was happening to me! Lesson #2, no matter what takes place in your life.......the only one that keeps you down is yourself......try once, try two times, try three times and fail each time................that doesn't make you a loser! Thomas Edison tried creating a light bulb over 1000 times, that's 1000 attempts before he was successful! And, remember Winston Churchill's words, "never, never, never give up"!
Running...........back to the running, I had tried to complete a marathon 3 times before I finally finished one in the fall of 1989. I was so down and frustrated when I had to drop out of the 3rd one, then I remembered the first time I had tried to run when I weighed 190 pounds. I had Shonna take me 1 mile from the house on a country road and drop me off, then I ran back to the house.....if you want to call it that, then laid on the sofa and whined for hours how I would never, ever run again in my life! It HURT so much! I don't ever want to forget that, it is embedded in my memory! So, when I toed the mark for the Tulsa Marathon in the fall of 1989, I was a little more than apprehensive about finishing. But I did, and I won the race.............matter of fact, I ran a 6:18 a mile pace and finished in 2:47:02! Now, this is not bragging, this is about life...........it doesn't matter how many times it takes, don't give up, keep pushing, eventually you will get there! So this Sunday I am running in my eigthth OKC Memorial Marathon.......last year our son Heston, and I ran it and finished in 3:31:05! My son.............and I..........together..........you can't have it any better as a dad than that! This year I'm hoping to run a sub-3 hour, not because I want to do it only for personal reasons, but because of what it takes to get there and for all those people who perished in the terrible tragedy of the bombing. I run to remember them.....I run to honor their memory and to say, " we won't forget"! Lesson #3, running, an education, personal goals are something that takes an internal drive from within yourself, but also other people helping along life's pathway! You should always take time to recognize and remember those who have helped you throughout your life!
I've gotten to the point in my life whereas I really do not care about what anybody thinks about me anymore! Not saying that disrespectfully, I'm just saying that I've attended enough funerals, seen friends and loved one's suffering through illness and sickness to realize that life is way too short to not tell your friends and loved ones, I love you and care about! Now don't take me wrong, I'm not just a warm and fuzzy farm boy, I'll still give some people on this earth a good ole' fashioned black bear creek bottom butt whoopin' from time to time, but for the most part..........it's about taking the time to care for others. I wrote this in response to visiting with a friend yesterday, he told me that shares as much as he can with people to help them overcome obstacles in their lives. I got to thinking about that, it takes each of us............we aren't just living here on this planet by mistake, I believe, it takes us all...............and through that there is nothing that is impossilble!
Shonna and I now have 4 children, 3 married, and 3 grandchildren and life is good! I am a blessed man!
Respectfully,
Billy Ray Richardson
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