Until you did.

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Daily writing prompt
How do you unwind after a demanding day?
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I don’t think it is so much how you end it as you begin it, on that day.

Getting out over your skis the night, day or week before will only act to consume your energy, replacing it with anxiety. Looking back to not recall similar circumstances but to focus on your shortcomings “the last time”, will only serve as a distraction and the foundation for an excuse. Living in your frontal lobes or the back of your skull does not work.

Yet if you choose to view this supposed adversity coined “a demanding day” as an opportunity, then the only butterflies you may sense will be the breed of excitement and anticipation, not dread and doubt. They can charge your batteries like pre-game jitters. The “can’t wait to play” variety.

Presence is truly the one and only demand of such a day. Remaining fully in the moment asserts your talents and effort directly upon the task at hand. Miscues, mistakes and misconceptions can then be dealt in a fully positive and genuine matter.

But the moment you scale things backward to validate low esteem, prove this isn’t for you and provide the bedding for some well earned self pity, then of course, you will fall. Same thing applies for pressing forward past completion, in anticipation of controlling things that don’t even exist in this moment.

Being present is fertile ground for learning, adapting and growing into something you never considered but only imagined. Only then can one hundred percent of you be fully apportioned into this adventure. Doing so assures that there will be more of you to emerge from the challenge than you what you were going into it. Not one thing is wasted. All is consumed to feed to the finished product.

Not the results of the demanding day.

But how it resulted in you.

There was a phrase I used to share on the field with the team that says it in a far more succinct fashion:

“Things don’t happen to you. You happen to them.”

That being so, they will need the time to unwind, because you were on them all day. That should certainly bring a smile and pause to be able to look back at it in that fashion. Where you began and how you chose to finish it.

They all thought they were gonna happen.

Until you did.

Made to be loved as sons.

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Right after our last game on Sunday at the Spring Games in Osh Kosh.

We won that one, going 1-2 for the state tournament. We played very well as a team against some high level competition. In that, our season finale, they took it up on themselves to make sure that everyone was able to sink a basket.

These men are genuinely bonded to one another. They play for each other, pray for each other, share the ball, pick each other up and do their best for the Hawks. They love to be together on and off the court. They are a true joy to coach as athletes and to know as individuals.

Once the other game was finished, and the first and second place teams left the podium, our Hawks were called up.

Third in state.

Each had their name announced and then received their bronze medal, placed around their neck.

An all affirming adventure of learning, working together, supporting one another and building a true and lasting fellowship.

Through thick and thin.

Some pains and sprains, soothed and healed by genuine love and a lot of laughter.

Brothers all of different mothers.

Made to be loved as sons.

As one.

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It was Spring Games for the Special Olympics Wisconsin this past weekend, at UW Osh Kosh.

Six of the Hawks were on the bus with we coaches this past Friday afternoon, while the remaining two of the kettle landed Saturday. We did a shoot around and talked in the fitness center next to the Kolf Sports Center. The weather in these parts necessitated canceling our last regular practice earlier in the week and the opening ceremonies were dropped Friday night due to thunderstorm and tornado warnings.

When we walked to the shoot around, it was a light rain. As soon as we got in, it went to a dark monsoon, thunder, lightning and gale force winds. And then, when we finished, just like that, the sun was out, clouds dispersed and this was over the campus:

We were thinking about looking for that pot of gold, but elected to head back for some dinner.

A great start to the fulfilling weekend together.

Being with them is this coach’s treasure.

As one.

But life.

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Daily writing prompt
Describe a decision you made in the past that helped you learn or grow.
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As I shared prior, my perfect storm altered how I come to view of life now.

Truly, only by the grace of God, was I able to find dry land. And as counter intuitive as it may seem, although I was barely clinging to keep my head just above, until I chose to let go, I was surely going to drown.

For far too long, I was convinced I was in charge. Knew everything. Could make things work. Step in. Lead. All from my over-functioning perspective. My will steering my boat straight up that wall of water.

Loosening my grip was the beginning of that decision. Allowing trust to ameliorate my fear eased that release. And now, as the letting go and trust acquire more of a second nature status, the ebbs and flows no longer grow into swells then tidals.

By letting go, I not only found land.

But life.

My perfect storm.

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Daily writing prompt
What place in the world do you never want to visit? Why?
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Like six or so years ago, I contributed to the making of conditions leading to a perfect storm in my life.

Wait. Let me rephrase that. We need some honesty here.

Let’s just say the way I chose to think, speakm behave and live for the bulk of my life created an all encompassing tropical depression. That then became the perfect storm I spoke of. My unstable behavior triggered the convection, leading to front, after front, after front.

This pretty much depicts what I drove myself to.

But by the grace of God, I found dry land.

Without a doubt, this is where I would never want to visit.

Or shall I say, revisit.

My perfect storm.