Leading With Love

"You don't love people because of who they are; you love people because love is who you are. Like a teeter totter, when you elevate love, you lead others to the Love we come from." - Steve Schultz, English Teacher at Fountain Valley High School

Truly, those who uplift others emit a sense of love from their magnificent hearts.

Leading with love is a power of immense selflessness that only a few around us have been gifted with.

Some of those who've been gifted with this give so much love away that it can change the lives of countless of people. I've been blessed to not only have witnessed one of them, but mentored by one of them as well, and his name is Steve Schultz.

I'll never forget the first day of sophomore year. It was second period, and I was determined to make a good first impression to all my classmates and teachers, especially my English teacher. I heard from people who've taken his class that if you engage with people in class and are fun and exciting, Schultz's class will be a breeze.

I remember sitting down on one of the desks in the second to last row, and as I was having some small talk with those around me, Mr. Schultz was sitting on a chair behind the podium. He didn't speak for about ten minutes, and I was think to myself "Is this dude ever gonna talk?"

Next thing I know, he pulls out a pen from his pocket and holds it up for everyone to see. He stood silent for a moment, then proceeded to give one of the best speeches I've ever heard.

Although I don't remember the whole speech, he began with, "This, is a pen. It is the most powerful weapon in the world. It has the power to motivate millions of people. It has the power to create revolutions, to change the way countless people think, and to create countries and laws out of the ashes of war. But the greatest power it has, is to be able to create something out of nothing. Each time we write, we throw our thoughts on paper. We gather information from a thought, which has no physical form, then create that thought as writing on a piece of paper. Those who are able to write have access to this power, and through the power of the pen, they are able to live on forever."

Of course, as 3+ years have passed since this speech was given, I forgot most of what he said, but the beginning of his speech has stood with me till this day.

I still remember exactly how I felt after the first day in his classroom. I though to myself, "I will be great. I will be a writer. I will motivate millions of people."

And now, thanks to Schultz's power of leading with love, I'm a published writer. I credit the first day of sophomore year as the day in which I got the spark of knowing that I wanted to be writer.

As you may know, The Dreamer's Alchemy is now international, uniting motivated readers worldwide from the United States, Canada, The United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Germany, Lithuania,The Netherlands, Croatia, Spain, Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Egypt, The United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Russia, India, Pakistan, Kashmir, Nigeria, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

The uplifting message I write in every article is credited without a doubt to what Mr. Schultz taught me Sophomore Year.

The Dreamer's Alchemy would've never existed if I never stepped foot inside his classroom.

Because of his unique teaching style, not only have I learned how to write, but also, how to love and motivate people. His lectures would teach us how to be the most genuine versions of ourselves possible, hitting our hearts right to the core. While most English teachers were worried about how their students would complete a wrenched reading log of books they would forget about, Schultz was worried about how his students' relationship with the Divine was (whether they called it God or not), and how they conducted themselves outside his classroom. At the end of each class he'd say "Be kind to yourselves, be kind to each other. I love you all big, giant, much. Tell your parents you love them."

He's touched countless students at Fountain Valley High School to the point where every single day, you'll see alumni in the side of his classroom, listening attentively to the lecture he's giving that day to his sophomore students.

I remember one day in junior year I went to listen to one of these profound lectures. Afterwards, I told Schultz "your classroom is a beacon of God's light." There was just no other way to describe it. When you lead through love, you're able to teach everyone around you that greatness lies within each and every one of them, and that we have Divine Power given to us by God to live forever through the legacy we leave after us. Hence, power of the pen.

Trust me, I know some of you may think this is cliché, but as I always say, "cliché is what really works".

What is interesting however, is that sophomore year is also the year I decided that I wanted to become a professional tennis player.

It's as if once these great People of God enter your life, they steer you on the path God has destined for you in all of His Gracious Glory and Majesty.

Now, some of you are thinking "Okay Khalid, we get it. You're lucky you had someone like this in your life. I'm not as lucky as you are."

Well, you're wrong. God blesses every single human being with someone like this in their lives, but often times our hearts are not open to receiving their message.

So, for those looking for a sign to open their hearts to God or the Universe, this is your sign. I swear to you, when you open your heart, these blessed people will reappear in your life and set you on your path to greatness. They will lead you with love.

It's not everyday we see someone talking about love so openly. Mr. Schultz broke that taboo, in a sense. He's shown myself and countless others that love is what we're made of because we come from God, and God is Love.

Mr. Schultz, I've dedicated this article to you. You've inspired so many people to chase their dreams and love who they truly are, and I'm honored to be one of them. I would not be the individual I am today, blessed with motivating many people across the globe, if it weren't for everything you've taught me. My gratitude is beyond words. By God's Grace, your teachings are seemingly infallible. I love you Big, Giant, Much.

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