GL profile

Growing up Gary Lindsay, often referred to as GL, was pretty average. He had average grades, average interests, and average dreams. Unlike most kids though, GL was able to work through the challenges that came across and decided to aim high. His passions he had since he was young, still followed him into his adult life. They may not relate to his career, a language arts teacher, but they did decide his life style.

When GL was in 5th grade, him and his family moved out to a very tight-knit community, Mason City, Iowa. He found it quite hard because he wasn’t able to make very many friends since everyone already had their clicks and friend groups before he came. Although GL was faced with a difficult circumstance, he never let it stop him from doing what he wanted.

In high school you could say that Gary was an average student, he played sports, instruments, and had his own separate hobbies as well. Although GL was a starter on the football team, football had never been his first choice. Basketball was actually the sport that he originally wanted to focus on. GL tried out for his school basketball team all four years but was never accepted, even though he was better than some of the players on the team. The kids who did get accepted already knew the coaches because they had been playing club and out of season basketball for the school since they were young. Because GL didn’t have the same advantage as the others, it might not seem fair, but he actually wasn’t upset. Some of the players on the team were his friends, and he would feel bad to take away someone's place. GL didn’t get onto the school basketball team, but he didn’t let him stop him from following his passions. So instead he decided to join a recreational basketball team, which he ended up playing with until he was in his mid-fifties.

Adding on to the sports part of his life, music was a big part too. Growing up GL was always involved in music. By the time he was in college he had already learned to play almost every brass instrument. Currently, Gary is president of a male acapella group, Harmony Hawks, where he sings bass. He also sings at his church. He enjoys listening to songs that re written and sang by the same person, which shows us a bigger part of GL’s positive mindset.

Although he tried his best to have a good mindset, he often doubted his career choice. He was enjoying his life as a LA teacher, he did struggle to make ends meet. Because he didn’t earn a lot money for teaching, he was struggling a little bit financially. In the end he stuck with it because he believed it is what God wanted him to do. In the end, Gary is happy with what his life is. He spends it well, and he spends it with passion.