Mr. Delprete, or "Delly", as he was so affectionately nicknamed, was the athletic director and former head football coach at Hotchkiss. But since every teacher at our school wore many different hats, Delly ended up becoming our freshman History teacher that semester. Our class dean, Mr. Barker would take over the following semester, but Delly made his mark on our class- specifically me.
This is the kind of guy I didn't expect to teach history- or at the very least, teach it well. After all, he was the athletic director, and if most high schools are any indication of what to expect, Delly should have been an arrogant prick who couldnt give a damn about Caligula or Caesar or Charlemagne. But he did, and the first week of class, he made his mantra for the semester well known- Gnothi Seauton!
Gnothi Seauton, as the Greeks say, means Know Thyself. It's a mantra that calls for constant self examination, adaptation, and execution. As you grow up, figuring out who you are and what you stand for is like trying to figure out a Rubik's Cube- a few select people can do it very easily, but for most, it's a constant struggle that usually ends with you figuring out by some stroke of dumb luck. It's easy to forget who you are because it can change so quickly, so knowing yourself keeps you grounded and self aware- virtues that can be difficult to practice at times.
I should know better than most- I've been a geek, a spazz, a respected nerd, a self respecting nerd (not the same), a somewhat cool guy, and that's just the surface- the amount of self examination and adaptation that I've had to have has been pretty substantial. I can't stay that it's always been easy, but it's helped me become who I am today.
So take a few minutes in your spare time to Gnothi Seauton- your future depends on it!
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