Welcome back to The Company We Keep blog. This series shines the spotlight on folks that are doing incredible things in the world and helping others. This week, I want to feature a long-time friend of mine, Todd Miller. Back in high school, Todd and I both ran in the cool crowd. Well, Todd did. The older I get, the more I think that me being cool in high school involves a bit of revisionist history. Either way, Todd and I were good friends. We had class together, played sports together, and got into all kinds of trouble, which often led to serving detentions together.

As it so often happens, after high school, Todd and I drifted apart. I would see him once or twice a year at get-togethers, but that was about it. Even though our encounters were few, I still remember a conversation we had back in the early 90s. More specifically, I still remember something Todd said. As we were sharing what was new in our lives, Todd said, “You know, it’s a lot harder to be popular in the real world than it ever was in high school.” I thought to myself at that moment, and I still believe it now…truer words have never been spoken.

As we grow and our spheres of influence flourish, we find there are more folks who disagree with our methods, that don’t appreciate our personalities, or feel we have wronged them in some way. And that’s just life. We are never going to please everyone. Just like not everyone is going to please us. For the next fifteen minutes or so, Todd and I shared our mistakes and failures and public perceptions of ourselves, and it felt good, at least for me. Misery truly does love company. And Todd always has a way of putting a comedic spin on things to take away some of the sting of truth.

We were both at a crossroads in our lives at that time. We could recoil and do less to avoid criticism and disapproval. That option had its merits at that place in life. Or we could forge ahead doing what we felt we were called to do and sharing the gifts with which we had been blessed. Todd followed Choice B. He went on to become a successful teacher and coach. Both vocations have more than their fill of public criticism and are definitely not occupations you pursue to be popular. I am proud to say that today Todd is well-respected in both fields and has changed countless student lives for the better. I have seen this first-hand in his coaching skills, as my son was fortunate enough to play under his tutelage for a season of minor league coach-pitch baseball.

Todd is a husband, father, teacher, coach, and friend to our community. All these titles come with their share of complaints and grievances. Most days we don’t feel like the popular kid anymore. But Todd takes all these roles extremely seriously, always putting others before himself. And because of that, not only is he successful, he doesn’t have to worry about what every person thinks of him. He knows he’s following God’s path for his life and all the extra noise simply becomes motivation. Thank you, Todd, for setting the example of taking the high road and following your heart instead of public opinion. On a daily basis, you are touching hearts and changing lives. Keep up the great work, brother!