Feeding time...

An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life.  "A fight is going on inside me," he said to the boy.

"It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves.  One is evil - he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego."  He continued, "The other is good - he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.  The same fight is going on inside you and inside every other person, too."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf will win?"

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

I find that the first wolf does not require as much care to thrive in my life.  He's leaner and stronger than the second.  He's more agile and aggressive.  He always seems the first to react in difficult situations.  Human nature is to coddle feelings of anger, resentment and superiority without  nurturing feelings of happiness, compassion and humility.  How many times have I reflected on how happy I was about something good that happened?  How many times have I reflected on how angry I was about being wronged by someone else?  Which wolf am I feeding?

To successfully feed the second wolf, I have to do a better job of intentionally nurturing those characteristics that come so unnatural to me.

I'm out.

Sound advice...

The other day Herm Edwards was giving advice to college quarterbacks concerning the transition to the NFL.  The three things he told them were as follows:

1. Don't lose your passion for the game when you enter the NFL. 
2. Remember that nothing good happens after 12am.
3. When you get to the NFL, have only one of everything (i.e. one car, one house, one woman).

This is great advice not only for future NFL players, but for life in general.

Don't lose your passion for life-

Perspective:  It is easy to get caught up in the mundane day-to-day rituals and lose the enjoyment that can be derived from life.  I think of the song '16 Tons' by Tennessee Ernie Ford, "...another day older and deeper in debt."  True fulfillment will be found when we allow our perspective to define our circumstances instead of the other way around.

Nothing good happens after 12am-

Personal Accountability:  I'm not sure I totally agree with this statement.  On numerous occasions the conversations became more engrossing as the night waned on into early morning.  Many of my favorite memories from high school and college were made during the wee hours of the morning.  In fact, some of my greatest transgression have occurred during the hours preceding midnight.  I don't believe that the principle is necessarily an issue of time as it is a principle of responsibility.  If we make wise decisions, we will never have to live with regret.

Have only one of everything-

Moderation:  Have only one of everything.  That's just good advice.  It's obviously easier to get carried away with a huge signing bonus and a guaranteed contract.  However, I'm just as guilty of having excesses in my life.  It always results from want instead of need.  I believe that happiness is found in living a life of moderation.  It's only when we become consumed with the desire for more do we find life to be unsatisfying.

These statements are neither profound nor groundbreaking.  They are very simple principles.  Yet as I reflect on the concepts of perspective, personal responsibility and moderation, I find that application is difficult.  How much more enjoyable would my life be if I put this advice into practice every day?

I'm out.

When good men do nothing...

"They came first for the Communists,

And I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,

And I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,

And I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for me,

And by that time no one was left to speak up."

                                         - Rev. Martin Niemoller, 1945

I remember reading this poem in high school and being moved by it's honesty.  The transgressions of Nazi Germany on humanity will never be forgotten.  Yet in this short prose we see that the responsibility not only rested with Hitler and the Nazi Party, but it also rested with those that did not stand up against them.  As Edmund Burke said, "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."  I know this is a heavy concept, but it is a constant reminder of what happens when we stand aside and allow injustice to continue as a means of self-preservation.

I'm out.

The Summer of Phil...

As I was watching golf this weekend, I was reminded of the scene that followed Phil Mickelson's final round at the Masters.  He walked off the green and embraced his wife Amy.  With everything the Mickelsons have been through this last year, those few moments made for a very touching scene.  It was right up there with Ray Kinsella playing catch with his father in 'Field of Dreams.'  I couldn't help but think about what would have happened had Tiger won.  Who would he have embraced?  Who would have been there to celebrate with him?  Who would have shared his joy?  It will be interesting to see how the rest of this season plays out.  Tiger is obviously distracted and Phil seems to be as sharp as ever.  That is why I am going to declare this, "The Summer of Phil."  Hopefully he doesn't slip on an invitation and fall down the stairs.  That would be tragic...

I'm out.

With a little help from my friends...

We celebrated Danielle's birthday with my family tonight.  I've never really given much thought to birthdays in general.  One year, I actually forgot it was my birthday until I received an email from Danielle's Grama.  However, this year is a big one.  I'm going to be 30.  I'm going to officially be an adult.  Why is it that you have to be in your 30's before anyone will take you seriously?  Just a question I've always had.  Anyway, I've recently found myself looking back over the last 30 years and thinking about what I've accomplished.  I learned how to use the restroom by myself, graduated from high school and college, married my best friend and passed the CPA exam.  Obviously, I've had more accomplishments, but these were some of the more important ones.  None of these accomplishments would have been possible without the support of people that cared about me.

I've thought about the family I was blessed to be born into.  Without my parents' discipline and guidance, I would of had a very different life.  I hope to someday provide the same for my children.  I've also thought about the friends I've made, the ones I've lost and the ones I've reconnected with over the years.  These friendships, some lasting longer than others, have all played a vital role in my development as a person.  I've thought about friends and loved ones that have passed away.  Some lived full lives while others were taken too soon.  I've thought about all of the people that have had an impact on my life.  I'm grateful for everyone that took the time to make a difference in me.  I would not be here today if it weren't for these people; these friends.

I'm excited about what the future holds, but want to take the time to look back and think about where I've been and the people that have walked with me along the way.  It's been a great 30 years.  It took me 19 of them to meet the love of my life and I'm looking forward to spending the rest of my journey with her by my side.  Hopefully she can live with the gray hairs because I'm not really into dyeing it...

I'm out.

The Zen Master says...

The following is from the movie Chalie Wilson's War:

There's a little boy and on his 14th birthday he gets a horse.  Everybody in the village says, "How wonderful, the boy got a horse."  The Zen master says, "We'll see."  Two years later, the boy falls off the horse, breaks his leg, and everyone in the village says, "How terrible."  The Zen master says, "We'll see."  Then, a war breaks out and all the young men have to go off and fight, except the boy can't cause his leg is all messed up.  Everybody in the village says, "How wonderful."  The Zen master says..."We'll see."

The wisdom in the concept of "We'll see" is simple, yet profound.  As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "Life is a journey, not a destination."  Everything we experience, both good and bad, is simply a precursor to the next life event.

Too often my reaction to situations has been based on the short-term and I would quickly respond in one of these two extremes.  A while back, I decided to stop making quick assessments, to stop worrying about situations and allow time to prove everything out.  As Jesus said in Matthew 6, "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself."

Will it be wonderful or will it be terrible?  We'll see.

I'm out.

Jefferson lives...

I'm not much of a blogger, but I thought I'd give it a try. I love this story and feel it is appropriate on this, the day after our nations birthday. On July 4, 1826, just 50 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died. Adams' last words were, "Thomas Jefferson survives..." Little did he know that Jefferson had actually passed away just hours before. Although they were political rivals for most of their lives, Jefferson and Adams began corresponding later in life and became good friends. Each one contributed to American independence in his own way. It's a good story and I always think about it this time of year.

I'm out.