Tag Archives: dailyprompt

But I can catch His excellence.

Posted on by
Reply
Daily writing prompt
Do you have a quote you live your life by or think of often?
View all responses

I cannot say I live by one, but I can say I think of some more than others. It is a rather fluid situation. Their respective rank has shifted and changed over the course of time, largely because I have changed over the course of time. Or rather, I am in the process of changing over the course of time. Wait. I am finally realizing change is needed now because there is not a lot of time remaining. Boom! There it is! My digress in the prompt of the day….

Most of what has stuck in my noggin are thoughts pertinent to the motivation of student-athletes I have had the opportunity to coach for going on twenty five years. If by chance, any one else happened to read those thoughts I would share, they too would get to know about some of these wonderful authors. Lots of James Allen, Whitman, Emerson, Angelou, Einstein, King and others. Digging deeper, I found inspiration from the ancients like Aristotle, Seneca, Socrates, Aurelius and the like. Those of the cloth; Merton. Nouwen and Aquinas. Bringin’ up the rear, men like Dungy, Lombardi, Wooden and those that found their way into my life.

The change I alluded to is essentially focus related. Going from what can be made of oneself on the field, in the weightroom, during class and within the community to what is intended to be created from within. Not alone mind you. But in concert with THE best coach ever made.

For example, Coach Lombardi spoke of excellence in this fashion: “Gentlemen, we will chase perfection, and we will chase it relentlessly, knowing all the while we can never attain it. But along the way, we shall catch excellence.”

A mentor of mine, Coach Rauch, offered: “Adversity is not an ‘if’ but a ‘when’ event.” Another man who saw things in me I never recognized, Pastor Freyer, offered: What you are someday going to be, you are now becoming.”  And this one from James Allen: “As a man thinketh in his heart, so shall he be”

All very individual focused, on what each could aspire to in an effort to raise up all those about them. Ideal for football and life, in the perspective they offer as to the lasting impact of effort, knowing that opportunity lay in adversity, how intention can positively command direction and what you think creates the words and deeds towards becoming what you were intended to be.

By becoming the best that was in you, you brought out the best in others, being witness to your transformation. A non-transactional gift given to the one next to you. Partly out of being on a team and being a teammate. But moreso, out of love. Leaving it all out there for them. One doing so leaves its mark. But imagine five. Ten. Thirty some players willingly and selflessly serving another. Together. Talk about excellence. Talk about joy.

Those days built the foundation for this man.

And now, my desire is to fully be what it is I was intended to be. No one is here randomly. There is a reason for our existence. A purpose. And a mission designed specifically for each one of us. Perhaps the inklings of that was shared when I wore the pads and then when I traded them for a whistle. My teammates will always be a part of me, don’t get me wrong. It just appears as though my current team has shrunk to two. And it is no longer confined to a field.

During a conversation this past week, someone said; “I cannot. He can. I will let Him.”

That one has stuck with me. With it, I can maintain fatihful effort, receive the grace of opportunity that lay in all adversity, intentionally and positively follow His direction and listen for the words that lead to deeds so I can finally become what He intended me to be.

For this I have chased my entire life.

I know I will never attain perfection.

But I can catch His excellence.


Now that is “most productive”.

Posted on by
Reply
Daily writing prompt
When do you feel most productive?
View all responses

“Most productive” implies an end. A result. Aiming to get something done.

I guess I like to think more so a long the lines of intention. So, not so much as to what I am seeking to accomplish. Producing. But more so what I am trying to learn to be a long the way.

Becoming.

Even now, as I rap this out on my Chromebook, I want to understand things in a different light. I want to grow. Know myself better. Become a better person. Open up and share with all of you.

This fifteen minutes or so stays with me the rest of the day. Guiding additional thoughts and ideas. Helping me engage with others. Leading to new interactions and strangers I already seem to know.

I have no clue as to what I am gonna produce.

But sure am getting a better idea as to what I am becoming.

Now that is “most productive”.

Even more.

Posted on by
Reply
Daily writing prompt
What topics do you like to discuss?
View all responses

Perhaps I left something unsaid from my prior topical entry a few days back. Or maybe I am just seeing this differently now in light of some discussions I have been fortunate to have been a part of for some time. It isn’t so much a race to connect dots. It can just be a compelling aspect of life when you are presented the opportunity to do so.

The subject of forgiveness has been a theme of late. Woven in and out of conversation. Connecting us together in our experience in addressing it in the fabric of fellowship. Ineinander.

Bullying character, intention, trust and faith with thoughts, words and actions that speak more so to the needs of ego, the desire for control and a misinformed concept of being all knowing will most definitely lead one to the need for the salve of forgiveness.

On my path, I found there are three components inherent in the application of the healing only forgiveness can provide. That asked of others. That asked of God. And what I find to be the most challenging aspect, that of forgiving myself.

Those with me shared their experience seeking that from another. As is standard in our build, we get out over our skis and make ourselves sure that there is no way anyone would ever provide us with that gift of grace after what we did to them. It becomes a self made barrier, one we convince ourselves cannot possibly be penetrated. That being the case, why even try? It ain’t ever gonna work. They have every right to hold it against us to our grave and those that come after us bearing our name.

And yet, it becomes apparent during the course of our discussion that the vast majority of the time, we make it worse than it was to them. Though we still clutch it tightly, they set it aside and moved on a long time ago. That’s if they even remember it. But then, there might be instances where what we ask from others is just not possible. Their wound is still there. Your asking may have picked the scab. So they just cannot. An opportunity to reflect and ask for some help from above.

For them.

And yourself.

He sees it all unfolding and knows us intimately. Even as I rap this out, I sense that presence in assisting me in choosing my thoughts and words, so I can better act on them. Who knows, maybe inspire another to discuss this topic and do the same for themselves. The grace I am given in all manner and form is proof that my admission and appeal for forgiveness is being heard. And because I can do that, without fear or remorse, I can grow that much closer to Him. There is no judgement forthcoming. No sentence to be served. Just love is all. Like nothing I have ever felt before.

Which brings me to the hardest form of forgiveness to solicit and be granted.

That which we seek to deny ourselves.

This has been one of my strengths, sad to admit, for much of my time here. Something I share in common with countless other souls I imagine. Far greater than the obstacle we create in asking it from others, the forgiveness we choose to withhold from our very being is like an infection. The rash or wounds may not be apparent from outside. But left to its own devices, it turns one against oneself. That is how the disease works.

Initially, it may be that you just don’t believe you deserve it. After all, you are lower than low. How can you possibly give yourself a break and respect the fact that you are just like anyone else, human. But then it can begin to take a different tack, eliciting thoughts, words and deeds that serve to prove this misshapen self view. A mission of self destruction, self loathing and self isolation. All because there just cannot be any forgiveness to be found for yourself.

After all, you are just pathetic.

This is a common thread that binds more together than imagined.

But a topic that when discussed, can change the pattern and lead to another life.

One of forgiveness.

Love talking about that topic.

The next one?

Even more.

I just leave it up to discussion

Posted on by
Reply
Daily writing prompt
What topics do you like to discuss?
View all responses

Hmm.

I don’t think I am topic driven. Necessarily.

Me and my youngest son are Godzilla movie fans. We drove 45 minutes away to watch one at midnight once. Both my sons love Lord of the Rings, Star Wars and movies on American history, primarily war flics. All four of them went to see Dead Pool 2 with me. I laughed out loud for the entire show.

I love music – all genres. I have oldies, classical, alt and jazz on Audacy and Spotify for the car. I don’t read nearly enough, but that is changing. I am not a binge watcher of TV, but there are ones I like to watch as regular as possible. Like the Stooges on ME TV for two hours, AFV on Sundays, maybe Nature on PBS, football if the spirit moves me. “The Pitt” has picqued my interest.

Like cooking, inside and on grill, baking the cookie recipe my youngest daughter and I perfected, trying new places out just because, coffee refills and hard boiled eggs from Kwik Trip, Rocky’s Pizza in Westchester, Alexander’s skillets in Stickney and 1505 egg salad sammich with quinoa salad in Mequon.

Gardening is SO much fun. Yard work instant gratification. So is cutting grass. Shoveling snow. Taking a walk around the yard.

I guess what I am trying to share is that I might be able to talk about any topic. Maybe not computer stuff, or investment thingees. I would definitely give it a whirl. I think it is just the honest interaction I desire.

Perhaps there are topics I would really like to engage in. Like my faith and the other changes I have made in my life. But those can get pretty hairy. I can start to go to great lengths when things begin to flow and the noggin is fully engaged. As long as they are willing, I sure am.

Like my grandpa before me, I try not to know any strangers. That is, I start a conversation with just about anyone about anything.

Not that I plan those times. Or know what I will talk about.

I just leave it up to discussion.

Especially this version.

Posted on by
Reply
Daily writing prompt
Describe a risk you took that you do not regret.
View all responses

Let’s just say I am not risk adverse.

I am open to trying things, failing, learning and then going back to square one. Not that my risk involves big things like investments, flipping properties, flying a plane, things like that.

But now that I think of it, my dad – “Doc” – learned to how to fly an old Piper with his dad as the copilot, at age 11. I think he had his sights not only set on the horizon but on Guinness as well. My understanding is that someone beat him by a few months.

Then me, my brothers and Charlie from down the block followed Doc’s footsteps and tried it around middle school I will say, by baking the worlds largest cookie. My dad’s dad – a baker – got us connected to a place and we made king size Hollywood Bar. 8′ long x 3′ wide and about 18′ thick. Donated it to a senior center. Didn’t make the Guiness Book but our story showed up in the Chicago Daily News, That clipping is buried in a bin.

Back to risk.

Learned to drive stick in a ten ton dump truck. Operated a jack hammer and paved streets. Played college football just because. Rode in centuries, ran half marathons, worked out daily and flipped a tractor tire up and down a football field at 60.

Renovated a two flat. Helped with a start up manufacturing company, hit the road to sell its services. Left a financially sound company to work for one going through bankruptcy and buying others in the same condition. Dropped my forty some year sales and operations career to coach individuals with diverse abilities.

Wrote. Spoke.

All provided the giddiness I spoke of a post or so ago. And all that can happen is that you goof up and you you cannot pass Go or collect $200.

While those aspects and examples of my love for it continue to move forward, there is another risk I assumed. It is still taking form as it works in reshaping me and my life. I won’t go into detail at this point. I want to. It is just not the time. But let’s just say that there is greater risk to contend with should I abandon this one I recently embraced.

I am not risk adverse.

Especially this version.