The Last Word

By Jonathan Tucker | Posted: Tuesday August 6, 2024

I want to talk about something that touches the core of our lives. Opportunity.

We often hear that opportunities are defining moments in our lives, and there's truth to that. But today, I want to go a step further and talk about why it is so crucial to seize the opportunities that are presented before us and align with what we love.

Every day, we are presented with new choices, new decisions, and new opportunities. Some of these moments are scripted for us, while others are unexpected, appearing out of nowhere when we least expect it. These moments are the opportunities that life offers us. They can be the chance to pursue a passion, to take a leap of faith, or to make a meaningful change.

It’s easy to get caught up in the day to day grind and overlook these opportunities, thinking we’ll have time later, or that there will always be another chance. But the reality is, life is unpredictable. None of us can foresee the future, and the opportunities that come our way today might not be here tomorrow.

But what happens when we let these opportunities pass us by or we are not ready to take them? We might experience regret that will stay with us for a lifetime. I guarantee if every single one of you asked most of the adults in your life they would all be able to remember an opportunity they regretted not taking. Regret is not just about missed chances; it’s about the unfulfilled potential and the feeling that you could have done that. The 'what ifs' that linger in our minds are often more painful than the fear of taking a risk. 

In April this year I was privileged to have the opportunity to travel to Australia and represent the U19 New Zealand Secondary Schools football team. An opportunity that I had to start working for half way through last year when it came forward, with constant training and then trials in Christchurch and then Auckland. I took the risk to put myself in those environments against some of the best players in New Zealand, all of whom I didn't know. But this is what I loved. So, I put my head down and I worked hard to make it happen resulting in me being the only player from the South Island to achieve this. The most important thing is to always be ready for the next time an opportunity arises so we can step forward and take it. Sometimes opportunities take a long time to come around the corner and I know myself it would hurt more if an opportunity did come, and I wasn't prepared for it.

In the end, the greatest regret is not in the failures or the mistakes we make, but in the opportunities we didn’t seize, the moments we didn’t embrace because we were waiting for the time that we thought suited us.

As we navigate through life, let’s be mindful of the opportunities that come our way. Let’s recognise them as chances and strike at the chance to take a step closer to what we love. Embrace these moments, follow your passions, and chase the opportunities that we are privileged to be presented with, because eventually the opportunities will stop coming. Boys, the reality is we can't stay as young, athletic and adventurous as we are now forever, and you never know when you will get the last opportunity to do what you love before it is all gone. One day that last opportunity will fly by and if you are not ready to take it, all you can do is watch as it passes by.

In true Otago Boys' fashion, I will end with a quote that everyone here is familiar with. From the words of Mr Hall “Be a hand up not out type of man.“

So, as you go forward, remember that the stage is yours, the script is ever changing, and the opportunities can disappear as quickly as they appear. Raise your hand up and grab hold of them, pursue what you love, and live with the knowledge that you gave your passions the best chance to become a reality.