Crazy Science Teacher Made Most Bizarre Prediction 50 Years Ago — His Students Never Expected It to Come True
You've probably heard the old saying, "promises were made to be broken." How many of us have pinky swore with a childhood friend that we'll always be besties no matter what? Only to grow up and grow apart.
Sometimes our promises may be ever sillier. Like the good old "wedding pact." You know, when two friends promise each other: "If we're not married in 30 years, we'll get married"? How many times has that happened? Probably never (but if it has happened, please submit your story to sienna.aquilini@goalcast.com)!!
But sometimes, it really is the strangest promises that come true. And for science teacher Patrick Moriarty, when he made this bizarre promise to his class of 1978, he was going to make damn sure it came true.
He Made Them an Offer They Couldn’t Refuse... But May Just Forget
Two of Mr. Moriarty's students pose with their yearbook from 1982.WHAM via CNN / Video
Nearly 50 years ago, in Upstate New York, Patrick Moriarty was only beginning his teaching career. He was just 22 years old and he was all hands on deck when it came to shaping the leaders of tomorrow. In fact, "looking into the future" was something Mr. Moriarty was pretty good at.
As the story goes, one day the science teacher handed his class a worksheet which outlined the earth's solar system, demonstrating to his students how all the complicated stars and constellations and planets in the sky are miraculously connected. Of course, his students were fascinated by the wonder of the great unknown. I mean, what kid doesn't love space — or at least, Star Wars? Then, in the middle of his lesson, Mr. Moriarty had a passing observation...that would shockingly come full circle nearly half a century later — literally.
"I said to the kids, 'Hey, why don't you just go ahead and circle that eclipse and we'll get together,' and after I did that, I did that for the next 16 years with all of my classes that I taught Earth science to."
- Patrick Moriarty
One of the worksheets he handed out showed that in April 2024 (almost 50 years into the future), a once-in-a-lifetime scientific event would take place. There would be a solar eclipse passing over their small town. It was right then and there Mr. Moriarty had a passing thought, that turned into a long con plan. He swore that in 50 years, they would all get together again, and watch the spectacular solar eclipse, side by side.
His junior high students were convinced he was joking. They played along letting him know they "couldn't wait." Then as it does, time passed. The school year ended. His students grew up. And the world changed drastically, but what was written in the stars never changed.
But Mr. Moriarty was no ordinary teacher. He was a man with a plan, armed with a passion for science and a heart of gold. He distributed worksheets showing the paths of upcoming eclipses, circling the one they'd see in 2024.
man holding a yearbookWHAM via CNN / Video
Decades later, Mr. Moriarty's promise seemed like a distant memory, an old story that might never see the light of day again. After all, his former students had scattered far and wide, building careers, families, and lives that were miles away from their junior high classroom. Yet, despite the distance, the spirit of the original promise lingered in the back of Moriarty's mind.
In the age of social media, he had a new tool to track down his former students. With a single Facebook post, Mr. Moriarty invited his old class to a gathering at his Rochester, New York, home to watch the eclipse. It was a long shot — who would remember a promise made so long ago?
But to his surprise, the notifications began to pour in. Former students from across the country responded with excitement. A simple Facebook event, born from a half-century-old worksheet, had the power to rekindle the sense of wonder that once filled his classroom.
Over 100 Students Showed up to Complete the “Longest Homework Assignment in History”
Black and white photos from school yearbookWHAM via CNN / Video
When the big day finally arrived, Mr. Moriarty's driveway was buzzing with energy. Former students, some now in their 50s and 60s, gathered together to keep the promise alive. They came with their families, their stories, and even their yearbooks, ready to catch up and reminisce about the good old days.
“When teachers go into education, they hope that they can be that kind of teacher that would have an impact on people and make a difference for people. And this event right here just firmed it up for me that I guess I did okay.”
- Patrick Moriarty, The Washington Post
Mr. Moriarty, now in his late 60s, could hardly believe his eyes. Over 100 people showed up, eager to complete what they jokingly called "the longest homework assignment in history." For some, it was a trip down memory lane, while for others, it was a chance to reconnect with friends they hadn't seen in decades.
As the sky darkened and the eclipse reached its peak, everyone grew quiet, lost in the moment. Even though clouds obscured the eclipse, it didn't matter. What mattered was that they were together, keeping the promise alive.
The Real Lesson Could Never Be “Eclipsed”
Patrick Moriarty (center, blue shirt) and a group of his former students watched the solar eclipse together on Monday in New York.Caitlin Moriarty Hynick
The eclipse itself was incredible, but it was just the backdrop for something far more meaningful. For Mr. Moriarty, the real magic was in the connections made that day — the stories shared, the laughs had, and the memories relived. It was a reminder that a simple promise made in a junior high classroom could bring people together decades later.
The gathering proved that a teacher's influence can last a lifetime. The bond between Mr. Moriarty and his students was stronger than the sun, moon, and stars combined. It was a celebration of friendship, loyalty, and the enduring impact a teacher can have on the lives of their students.
"The eclipse itself … took a back seat to what this was all about. The eclipse was my catalyst more than anything.” - Patrick Moriarty
As the day came to a close, Mr. Moriarty couldn't help but feel grateful. Not just for the eclipse, but for the people who made it all worthwhile. It was a lesson that even the biggest promises can be kept if you believe in them enough. This was one promise that could never be eclipsed.
3 Life Lessons from Taking a 3,000-Mile Road Trip Across the U.S.
Last September, I took a trip to Florida.
However, this wasn’t a simple ‘book your flight, pack your bag, and stay for a week’ kind of trip. No, this was a three-thousand-mile road trip straight across the United States, from sunny southern California to Florida, with three kids in a minivan. The trip was pre-planned over six months and involved a one-month stay with family -- including three brothers whom I had never met before in my life. Whew...
Needless to say, a three-thousand-mile road trip going anywhere is going to teach you a lot about yourself. However, I could have never imagined just how incredibly valuable the trip was going to be.
3 Life Lessons from Taking a 3,000-Mile Road Trip Across the U.S.
It’s been one year since we took our epic road trip, and since then, I’ve been able to reflect on it quite a bit. I learned a lot on that trip, much of which I learned once we arrived in Florida. But that’s a different story. The cross-country trek was a journey in itself that taught me things about life and myself that I’ll always hold dear.
In particular, there are three incredible life lessons I took from my journey across the country:
1. It’s hardest in the beginning, you just have to push through
Before we even took off, on the day we were scheduled to set out, I started second-guessing myself. I wasn’t second-guessing taking the trip, I couldn’t have looked forward to it more, particularly meeting my brothers. What I was second-guessing myself on was the crazy idea that I’d take my family three-thousand miles across the country and put myself up for a full two-day drive without much money to my name (the month-long stay there in Florida was going to sap everything from me).
We had a middle point, my wife’s cousin in Texas who was gracious enough to take us in between our trip, but it was still going to be extremely difficult. I was no stranger to driving long distances, having driven to Northern California and Las Vegas in the past (both half-day and six-hour trips respectively), however, this was roughly two days worth of driving.
I knew from before the trip that it can be difficult to get yourself going but that once you do it becomes progressively easier. However, something about personal experiences teaches us in an accelerated manner like nothing else can. Once we got going, after a few hours I felt a wave of relief. I knew I could do it and was filled with nothing but excitement.
Oftentimes, all you need to do is take that first step. Before we do, our goals can seem large in scope and almost insurmountable. However, you’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish if you take that first step and simply place your focus on taking one small step after another from there. The cool thing is, once you do that, you often gain an incredible amount of momentum that allows you to not only keep going, but accelerate your progress several times over.
2. The difficult choices (and actions) now lead to a more meaningful life later
It’s not our fault, we’re programmed to see out relief for what we feel now in this moment. Hunger, fatigue, thirst, all of these essential experiences program us to seek out relief immediately. And worse, the Internet has shortened our attention spans and made it easier than ever to get information in the blink of an eye. The result is we’re used to getting what we want exactly when we want it across most domains in life.
However, big goals aren’t so convenient. They won’t come to you and you need to devote at least several years of strong, consistent effort to accomplish them. For most people, this is far more effort than they’re willing to put in to get anything.
Planning this trip took a lot of effort. There were times where I’d step back and think, if for no reason other than automatic programming, “I’m not doing this, it’s so much work just to plan for this damn trip.” But you know what? We felt in our hearts that it was worth it before I even stepped into Florida (and it became far more memorable by the time we left).
That trip across the country was an amazing experience and the value of the proceeding stay with my family was on a value that I can’t begin to describe. And while that road trip was hard as hell, for the rest of my life I’m going to remember that entire trip (I’m taking a plane next time, thanks) as one of the greatest moments of my life and something I’m so glad I did. I still look back on that trip now and find a lot of joy and fulfillment from it even today, and I’m sure I’ll continue to for the rest of my life.
3. The importance of balance
Easily the most significant lesson of all, my three-thousand-mile road trip taught me the importance of balance. By that, I mean balancing one’s efforts when working towards any great goal or achievement. Let me explain.
At the end of our trip, we got everything together and prepared to head back home. It was bittersweet, with us enjoying the trip so much that, in many ways, we didn’t want to leave. Since we had taken the trip once before, we no longer feared it. We knew what was in store and felt more confident because we had done it once before.
However, I underestimated just how different that second trip, the trip back home, would be. What was, in the beginning, a long and arduous journey on the way to Florida had suddenly become an incredibly fast and easeful adventure on the way back. The difference was night-and-day.
But why? What led to such a significant difference in difficulty from one trip to the next? We learned how to properly balance our efforts. On the way there, my wife and I weren’t quite sure how long each of us could go before the other needed to “tag out” and have the other take their place at the wheel. We also weren’t sure how long we all could go without stopping for a break. Everything was unfamiliar.
However, with a little experience and some conscious adjustments, the trip back home was methodically planned to allow for the perfect balance of work and rest. So, the trip was clearly easier, but what about speed? The trip there took us five days including breaks. The trip back? Less than two days. We even took two extra breaks to enjoy some of the notable stops along the way, something we had no energy to do on the way there.
Work smarter and harder, not just harder
Most of us live and work in a way that we kill ourselves to accomplish our goals, believing that it’s necessary for maximizing our productivity. However, this methodology couldn’t be more wrong.
For years, I’ve practiced mindfulness meditation and learned the art of working smarter and more intentionally as opposed to killing myself to max out my performance. I used to kill myself working, going with little sleep (if any) for days thinking that if I stopped, I’d lose out. But I was wrong and I saw this lesson in action more clearly than ever while taking our road trip and it taught me something that I’ll take with me forever.
How well do you balance your efforts? Can you notice when you’re at half efficiency? When you’re tired and have to take a break? Learning about yourself and becoming a self-expert is critical if you want to realize your most productive self.
Productivity and maxing out in life isn’t about working stupid and constantly banging our head against a wall, it’s about working smarter while working your hardest. It’s about working intentionally, gauging our performance, making constant adjustments, and consciously balancing our efforts in a way that keeps us at maximum efficiency.