EDITOR'S NOTE: This story originally appeared in the August issue of GCU Magazine.
Life is a gift.
It is delicate and its direction, more often than not, is impossible to control.
So how do we center ourselves without living in constant fear of the future?
I am learning that the answer is this: We must enjoy God’s gifts and be present.
Grand Canyon University has blessed me with the opportunity and resources to do just that, to enjoy where I am on campus and focus on today.
Those two simple words — BE PRESENT — ended up being the words my dad last journaled before he unexpectedly died in November.
A few days before his death, I was reconsidering if I should run for student body vice president. I decided to call my dad and ask for his advice. A little more than a month before, in late September, he told me to focus on my career and continue on my path of graduating early so I could become a pilot for the Air National Guard.
When I called him a few weeks later, I expected the same answer, but instead, what he said differed. We talked through what I truly desired to do at that moment.
I described to him my passion for positive change on campus, my love for the Associated Students of GCU and how being the next student body vice president really excited me. I told him what I would do and how being in the position would stretch me in good ways.
He told me it sounded like an incredible, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and he encouraged me to run and dial in on the moment.
From this conversation, I received the clarity I needed to confidently decide that I was going to run to be the university’s next student body vice president.
My parents prayed for me, and my dad told me, “love you,” and I said, “love you, bye,” and hung up.
I had no idea that would be the last time I would talk to him.
That Saturday, after returning from Lopes Go Local, I was watching football and my brother called me and broke the news that my father had passed away.
The months that followed were the hardest I had ever experienced.
What kept me grounded was God’s truths from the Bible, relying on Him, knowing He has my future perfectly planned and leaning in on my dad’s last journaled words, which read, “BE PRESENT,” reflecting the lessons of Ecclesiastes.
Those words are tattooed on me as a daily reminder of my dad.
My goal for this academic year, as I serve as the student body vice president, is to stay present, represent all students and be there for them no matter what.
Growing up, my father was my biggest role model. He was a tanker pilot in the Air Force but later became a commercial pilot for Southwest Airlines. He always was consumed with planning and would be one step ahead, often robbing himself of taking the time to live in the moment.
As college students, instead of enjoying where we are, we often worry too much about our future and don’t stop to look around and enjoy what’s around us.
A few months before he passed away, my dad preached his third sermon at our church and explained how he had started to enjoy the drive, not just the destination. He learned to improvise and not hold Plan A so tightly like he used to. He explained how unexpected events were surprisingly enjoyable and rewarding.
Oftentimes, our agenda will not pan out, and we must learn to improvise and enjoy what we are given.
GCU has helped me focus on the now, showering me with so many opportunities to stay engaged and enjoy everything around me. All the events on campus open opportunities for me to meet new people and build stronger friendships.
My friends and professors at the university have been empathetic and understanding during this difficult time.
I am in turn passionate about being empathetic and helping others. Those qualities will help me in the next academic year.
I’m ecstatic to represent the student body and be there for any student who takes their time to reach out to me about any issue, big or small. GCU has changed my life by supporting me in my most difficult time. It also has given me countless opportunities to stay grounded in the moment and grow in ways I never thought possible.
I am incredibly thankful to be attending a university where I can be myself, have the opportunity to find my purpose as a busy student navigating academics and extracurriculars and, at the same time, take time out to do what my dad wished for me: to be present and enjoy this time in my life.
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About David Pritchard
David Pritchard is a junior honors student majoring in finance and economics and minoring in Spanish. He is from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and is serving as the ASGCU student body vice president for 2024-2025. David is passionate about traveling and learning about different cultures. In his free time, he enjoys watching and playing a variety of sports. After he graduates, he plans to join the Air Force as a pilot, like his father and brother.
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