Last week the world lost one of the great personalities of our time. Yogi Berra first became famous as one of the most popular players in major league history. During his career with the Yankees he won 14 pennants and 10 World Series and was a 14-time all star and three-time league MVP. Many people, however, remember him for the quirky quotes he provided. Among his most popular sayings are:

“Foresight is always better afterwards.”

“You can observe a lot by watching.”

“If you come to a fork in the road, take it.”

“Nobody goes there anymore. It’s too crowded.”

Reading quotes from famous people often gives insight into how they perceive the world, its politics, its problems and its people. A simple quote may make us smile, but also may change our attitude about how a mature, wise person should behave in a given situation.  Yogi, for example, is also credited with the following quote:  “Life is a learning experience, only if you learn.”

Yogi goes on to explain, “That’s why a mature person gets a little better, a little wiser, with experience. He makes a mistake, but he can face up to it, deal with it, and help solve the problems he may have caused. But an immature person doesn’t get it. When things go bad, he’ll act worse. He’ll blame others, get too emotional, and even avoid the problem.”

As educators and adults, we have the responsibility of helping our children grow into wise, mature life-long learners. We must realize, however, that students are not the only ones charged with learning, but that we are all obligated to grow from the experiences of life.  As we teach our children how to deal with adversity, we are also duty-bound to stand as role models for them to emulate.

Yogi will no doubt be missed, but his legacy and quirky sayings will provide humor and inspiration for generations to come. As we each build our own legacy, may we strive to touch people so that we are remembered in a positive way, just as is Yogi.