Support Your Team, but to what extent?

As I write, I'm sitting in Orlando, Florida, a long way from my home in western Massachusetts, listening to morning talk radio.  I always thought of Florida as that warm, sunny place in the south where oranges grow and northerners move to when they are tired of the snow and cold.  The home of northern transplants.  As we are less than two weeks away from the next Super Bowl game, I'd say, there are few fans and supporters of the New England Patriots around here.  Wow!  Anybody but New England.

Tom Brady, New England Patriots

I guess that is what happens when you are part of what might be referred to as a professional football dynasty.  What is this, the 7th time Brady and the Patriots are making a trip to the big show in recent football history?  Only the 2nd time in franchise history for the Atlanta Falcons, seeking their first ever NFL title.  Nevertheless, the talk on the radio was not about the Falcons, it was all about the hate of Brady and the Patriots.  Why?

Why don't we celebrate those who are the best at what they do rather than knock down the very elitist  of the bunch?  Whether it be sports, business or just friends?  Most who read this will not know who Robert Griffin III or Mike Smith are, or, how about one of my personal friends, Bjorn Aberg?  You probably don't know them, but they are, or were, a few the very best athletes in the world, buy you've never heard of them.  Why? because we only focus on the very, very best and many work to knock those few down.  Why?  I don't know, I don't get it and in my opinion, that's pretty stupid.  I guess because they are the money guys and they are better than your home town heroes.

Come on folks, it's a game.  Granted a big money game for the investors and owners, but it is still a game that is meant to entertain, not cause hate and discontent.  Celebrate their greatness.  Celebrate their abilities.  Learn to copy the work ethic of most of them and be the best you can be, at what ever it is you do.

Bjorn Aberg
1992 Albertville Olympics

By the way, Robert Griffin III is an elite NFL football quarterback.  One of the best in the world, calling the plays for the Cleveland Browns for most of the 2016 season.  True, as a team, they didn't have a great year, but who else do you know that is good enough to be in the top 32 quarterback in the world to lead an NFL team? As a goalie parent, I know well how fans feel about hockey goalies.  When a goal is scored, it's likely the goalies fault...  NOT necessarily.  Mike Smith is a goalie with the Arizona Coyotes in the National Hockey league.  Mike minds the net for the team with the worst record in the 30 team NHL...  As a team that are struggling badly, but Smith has a very respectable .915 save percentage and has won his last 2 games in net for Arizona, he's one of the best goalies in the world.  My friend Bjorn, who I worked with before I retired from Evergreen, Colorado, was one of 47 skiers in the world who qualified for and skied in the 1992 Olympic Winter Games in Albertville, France for Team Sweden.  Should be enough said, that when you are one of only 47 people in the world good enough to ski in the Olympics, enough said.  Bjorn qualified for the gold medal round by placing 10th in the trials.  He told me, if you are not #1 or #2, it's just like doing a job you love....  All the money is being #1 or #2....  despite his falling in the second run for the gold medal and finishing 16th overall....  Bjorn is a #1 class act guy in my book, he was good enough to be there.  Love your team and your heroes for their abilities.

If we were only that good.  What if we just set out to praise expertise and encourage those trying.  Cheer when our teams wins, shake hands as good sports when they don't.

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Giving Thanks

Have you ever been frustrated, mad, or upset with the way things are?  How about the way people are?  I have.  Have you ever posted a rant or a story about what made you upset on Facebook or Twitter?  I have.  Nevertheless, it really didn't help me with the problem.  In fact, it may have allowed the original problem to become a bigger problem.  A becoming a bigger problem means people now may be looking at me as a winner, bitcher, complainer, or someone trying to deflect the problem rather than resolve it.  Been there, done that.

Ever notice how the news is always negative and stirs up emotions, even if the news if fake or false?  Why is there so much negativity and why must we share it?  Why must we respond?  I think because of emotions.  I think, we think, it will make us feel better if others agree with our negative feelings and or feel sorry for us.  Well, I use to think that, now, most the time, I don't think people really care at all about the rants, bitching or complaining.  A few really do care, they don't judge us, and are there for us.  Others are too into themselves and don't really care, whatever.

Want to really begin to feel better for the right reasons, give thanks.  Give thanks to others in need, despite what they are doing, or what their circumstances are.  That might be hard if they are one that you felt has wronged you, easier for those you don't even know.  Sometimes it will go unnoticed by anyone but you.  You'll know you did right, despite all else, and that will bring good feelings inside, because you did it for the right reason.  Life is too short to go the human emotional route, what a waste of time and effort, none of which you can ever get back.

If you start doing things selfishly, with only you in mind, you won't feel it and you won't make a difference because others will know that deep inside, you still just did it for you.  If you do it because it's the right thing to do, without the need for reward, you will step forward as a better person.  Ever pay a grocery bill for someone that really looks like they are in need?  Try it.  Ever pay (and maybe even pump the gas) for an elderly person that could use the care and help?  Try it.  I don't give money to panhandlers, too many crooks and fakes essentially stealing from those in legitimate need.

My dad often repeated an old saying that goes something like "too soon we get old, to late we get smart".  As I have gotten older, I realized all the time I wasted not listening and learning...  just as he said.  In many ways, life would have been easier, happier, and more fulfilling if I had given more and taken less.  If I had focused more and concentrated less.

On the other hand, it is NEVER too late to start, the old, the frustrations, the negative feeling can all vanish if we just start giving and being happy.  Renewal is possible.

It will be a good year, especially as I give thanks.

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The New Mary Had a Little Lamb

This poem crossed my desk, the author is unknown to me, nevertheless, I felt it worth sharing with all to read...

The New Mary Had a Little Lamb

Mary had a little lamb,
His fleece was white as snow,
And everywhere that Mary went,
The Lamb was sure to go.

He followed her to school one day,
Twasn't against the rule,
He made the children laugh and play,
To have a lamb at school.

And then the rules changed one day,
Illegal it became,
To bring the Lamb of God to school,
Or even speak his name.

Every day got worse and worse,
And days turned into years,
Instead of hearing children laugh,
We only heard shots from guns followed by the tears.

What must we do to stop the crime,
That's in our schools today?
Let's let the Lamb come back to school,
And teach our kids to pray.

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