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.
Stop Settling and Start Designing Your Life with Purpose
For this article, I thought I would circle back to the beginning of my journey in my book, Success with Goals, and more specifically to the portion about designing your life with purpose. I realized when I set out to write a book about setting goals that not only are there a ton of books already out there about goal-setting, but that the concept is somewhat dry and at times even boring, because most people think they already know what it means.
The reality is that this is not correct. There are literally tens of millions, if not legitimately hundreds of millions of people who don’t really set goals. They may have some dreams. They might have written some things down. But they don’t really have a committed plan to execute and follow through to achieve their goals in life. If we reference the Pareto Principle, we could surmise that 80% of the US population doesn’t set goals, or at least make sufficient plans to achieve them (which is the single distinguishing factor between a goal and a dream). That would suggest that 80% of the 330 million people in the US either don’t set goals or don't have a specific plan to achieve them. Quick math: that’s approximately 250 million people!
Stop Settling and Start Designing Your Life with Purpose
Most of us think about things we’d like to have or do someday, or the goals that would be nice to achieve. It’s easy to take a trip to “Someday Isle” -- more appropriately called “Someday I’ll” -- and think about all the things you will do some day. You know, when all the stars are in alignment, everything is in your favor, or you have the time.
Guess what, I’m here to tell you that never happens. NEVER! I know, I too have had more trips to “Someday Isle” than I’d like to admit. Just like most of us. Even some of the most successful people we know struggle with this.
You see, the concept of designing your life with purpose means to live your life with intention. You don’t allow yourself to meander through life aimlessly, bouncing from one challenge and obstacle to the next, never quite seeming to get ahead. This describes the significant percentage of people who are frustrated with their lives, unsatisfied either with their financial, relationship, personal, or career circumstances, and who aren’t really clear about what to do about them. You see if you are living your life with purpose, you are consciously aware of what is important to you, based on your values and what truly moves you.
What moves you?
By knowing what your values are and being aware of what truly inspires you, you can make better, more informed, conscious decisions about your life and the direction you are going in. You then set goals that will lead you in this direction. This conscious approach to making decisions and preparing yourself for the challenges allows you to course-correct as necessary and make the best decisions for your ideal path in life.
This likely sounds great in theory, and many of you might be thinking, "Yeah, that’s great Eric, but [insert your excuse here]." I have lived this for as long as many of you reading this blog have been born. And I can tell you, that you can either choose to make excuses, or you can choose to design your life. If you truly want the life you claim, you will need to step up to the plate and make some changes to achieve it.
Why live a life you are unhappy with? Life is WAY TOO SHORT to live even a few years feeling miserable in circumstances that make you unhappy. Now, don’t get me wrong, life won’t be all sunshine and rainbows just because you are setting and achieving goals. You may even fail more than people living average lives. But who wants average anyway? Average is what we sell ourselves to feel more comfortable about what we don’t have. Average is generally not having what you really want and settling for what life gives you.
So what's stopping you?
The truth is you can have more -- a better job, better finances, better relationships with your parents, kids, spouse, friends, or family. How about having more time for your spiritual beliefs, traveling more, or contributing more to those in need? How about more time to create or build things, or better yet, what if if you gave more of your time teaching? We certainly could use more good teachers in this world. This is just a sampling of things we may want, but that we often trade off for something else, fully believing that we have to give up on on our true desires and accept the status quo.
The world has always favored those who strike out and go after what they want in life. These people generally live more fulfilled lives and get more of what they want, because they choose to go after it.
I’m here to tell you that you can do the same. You must take the time to first decide what that is, and then be prepared to work your butt off to get it! If you are one of those people who is tired of not having what you truly want in life then check out our coaching programs and let us help you get started on the path of designing your life with purpose.
Thanks for reading, here’s to a great second half of 2017!