Be The Ripple

We had a football player at one of our schools several years ago that was pretty unique.  He wasn't very big, a trait not really favored among football players.

A decent athlete, he wasn't that fast-at least not fast enough that would get a little guy on the football field.  He never gained a starter's spot.  I do recall that he was on a couple of special teams.

But what he had was an enthusiasm that was infectious.  He was inspirational and dedicated and never let the fact that he didn't play much affect his attitude.

To watch him around the locker room, you might think he was one of the stars of the team.

Nope.  Hardly ever played.  But he was a leader on that team.  He had a positive impact on his teammates.

Do this.  Find a quiet body of water.  Toss a small stone in the water and watch what happens. 

What you see are ripples that start when the stone hits the water.  Those ripples keep going out, further and further, until they meet an obstacle. 

That's what this kid did.  He was the stone that created the ripple that extending much farther out than you would expect it to.

A lot of talk on team sports centers on the Team.

Things like there's no "I" in team.  Coaches always asking their players to put the team first.  Lots of emphasis on being a good teammate. 

And then there's the kid that doesn't play much.  Like this one.  Maybe they made it to the second team, never quite making it to a starting position. 

At that point, that athlete can do one of two things--either continue working as hard as possible, keeping a good attitude, being ready in case they are needed--in other words, being a good teammate--or they can begin the blame game and lose all that other stuff. 

I saw it not long ago with a little twist.  The starter gets hurt and the backup comes in and does a great job.  Then after the starter is well, that starting spot is not necessarily theirs.

So they can sulk and have a bad attitude, which helps no one.  Or they can support the new starter and the team, keeping a positive outlook even helping with advice.  That's what this kid did. 

And when he regained his starting job, nothing changed.  Not his attitude.  Not his body language.  Not his words.  He was still that same person.  That spoke volumes to the kid's character.

That consistency and commitment to be a good teammate defined who he was and, I truly believe, will serve him well his entire life.

We never know what affect those things that are so tiny as to be hardly noticeable will have on the big picture.  We never know what ripples that small stone will create.

But the affects can be life changing. 

Be the ripple.

Birthday Perspectives

I had a birthday a couple of weeks ago.  You heard about it here.

I don't feel old but I'm getting there.  And I've realized a few things. 

As you get old, life gets slower.  It's not just that you get slower (you do), but life seems to slow down.   Or maybe it's just that life gets simpler.   Maybe even, as your vision declines, things get clearer.

I'm pretty sure that your priorities change. Priorities at least get more distinct, probably more narrow. 

"Things" just aren't so important any more.  Money, houses, cars, jewelry, vacations.  OK...forget that part about vacations...they're still important, maybe even more so.  You heard a little about mine last week.

I used to have an uncle who liked to say "I'm working on my second million...I gave up on my first."   

Money doesn't seem as important as you get older but then most of us of a certain age probably have fewer bills and a steadier income so maybe it isn't fair to say that. 

Maybe you wanted to have a lifestyle that would put you on TV's Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.  

If we're honest, we all, at one time, probably wished for riches that would give us the ability to jet off to exotic places on a notion, stay in the finest hotels, eat everything on the menu.

I think I'm one of the lucky ones that realized that I was rich beyond my wildest dreams a long time ago. And it didn't have anything to do with money.   

I didn't have to get old to know that.   When I was much younger, all I wanted was a job that I enjoyed and enough money to put food on the table and make the house and car payment(s).  And kids...I always wanted kids.

At a certain age, you're probably living in your last house and it's probably paid for.  It no longer matters how big your house is but it does matter if you can easily get in and out of the bathroom.  It might even matter more what the yard and landscaping look like than the house.  A lot of old folks are like that. 

If you're old, you probably don't trade cars as often.  We don't.  My wife and I drive the wheels off of our vehicles.  And there are no fancy cars in our garage.  As long as I have a pick-up truck and my wife has a car with seat warmers, we're both happy as can be. 

Jewelry?   Maybe my wife would give you a different answer.  I sure don't need any.  My wedding ring is enough and my watch is so old I can't remember where it came from.

Family becomes more important.   That's probably because you understand better how precious they are.

I'm not exactly like most grandparents who seem prone to say that if they knew grandparenting was so much fun they would have skipped having kids and moved straight into being a grandparent.   I love and enjoy my grandkids but raising my own children was one of the absolute greatest experiences of my life.  

I do know that it took me a while to realize that it was more important that they be happy than it was for them to be the star of the team or to bring home straight A's.  Or clean up their room.  (And I just got the stare from both of them over that straight A's comment.)

Your plans to change the world get modified.   But you're OK with that because you might just realize that you've changed all the world that you need to.  Or maybe you've been able to decide which world you want to change.

Yep, this getting old thing isn't too bad.  I'm healthy and deliriously happy.   

Getting older?  I hope so!  Like Kenny Chesney says "Lord, I want to go to heaven, just not today."

Everybody Needs to Be a Big Deal Sometime

I've been on vacation.  It was wonderful.

Every year we take our children and grandchildren and go to a beach somewhere.  Where doesn't really matter much.  The fact that we're somewhere together means everything.

Our days were hardly routine yet there was a routine that made it memorable and special.

I usually started my day early with a couple of miles on the Standup Up Paddleboard.  The water is calm, there is no one out, and the workout feels good. I look forward to that time all year long.

I'm in charge of breakfast every morning and the kids all have their Daddy Joe favorites.  (The adults do too.)

From there it is a day of beach, pool, snorkeling, naps, and whatever else we decide to do.  The randomness of it all and the total lack of structure (do what you feel like) is part of what makes it a vacation for us all.

Dinner might be at one of our favorite restaurants but we might cook too.  Doesn't matter.  When everyone jumps in to help cook and clean up, there is something really special about the time together.

On this trip, I ran into a guy from Tennessee that I hadn't met but had heard of.  He said something that struck me oddly.  He said "you're sort of a big deal in physical therapy."

I had never thought of myself in those terms.  I think mostly that comes from being around as long as 

I have and partly because I've stayed in the same place as long as I have (36 years and counting).

But I've got to be honest, it does feel good for somebody to say that.

As I walked away, one thought came to mind--isn't that what everyone wants?  To be sort of a big deal in one place or another?

I hope I made my children feel that way.  I hope each of my grandchildren feel that way.   I want them to know that they're a big deal in my eyes.  I think it is crucial in their development to be a big deal at some time.

Maybe that's a grandparent's role.  If so, I embrace it fully.  Because I know with absolute certainty that they are the smartest, the best looking, the most athletic...just like yours.

Don't all children need that?  And maybe, just maybe, adults do too. 

I've said it before (many times):  I don't see bad kids, but I see too many bad parents.  Parents who mistreat their kids.  Parents whose expectations for their children are just not based in reality.

Parents whose children are taking a path of their own choosing that just might not be what their parents have chosen for them and the parents aren't handling it too well.  Parents who are living vicariously through their children.  Maybe those parents never had a time in their lives when they were "sort of a big deal."

We should get that from a lot of places.  Many times, it's from sports.  That's OK, since sports reward effort and dedication, traits that are basic to human success.

So look around you today.  Who in your world needs acknowledgement that that they're "sort of a big deal?"  Let them know it.

They will be better because of it.

Happy Birthday to Me!

Tomorrow is my birthday.  I'll be 62.  There...that gets it over.

62.  Sixty-Two.  Six Score and Two.  7th decade of life.

I've gone beyond "you look good for your age" to "dang, man--you're old!"

Beyond professorial to doddling.

I have the body of a 20 year old...it's at home, in the freezer.

So what does it mean to be 62 in today's world?

It means you remember what cooking was like before microwaves.  You know what to do to with a rotary phone (or even what a rotary phone is).  You remember when there were 3 channels and always got mad when a Presidential address pre-empted all three channels.

At 62, you're a member of the Baby Boomer generation and proud of the work ethic that it seems to imply.  You might have gone through hardship but probably not too much.  Your parents made sure of that.

62 means that you aren't bothered as much by the senior citizen discounts or the constant AARP solicitations. 

62 means that you have no more time to waste in getting healthier.  The Grim Reaper now knows your name.  It means that you have no claim whatsoever on the term Middle Aged.

Oh, I don't feel so old.  I still ride my bike farther and faster than pretty much everybody around here (no disrespect David, Steve, Emil, Trent, and Barry-all of whom can kick my butt any day, any time). 

I have held up pretty well, if I do say so myself.

I still do 2-3 CrossFit workouts a week with buddies, most of which are quite a bit younger than me.  You'll have to ask them what it's like to keep up with the old man.

Biking, hiking, backpacking, paddleboarding, fly fishing, writing, painting, stained glass, gardening, farming....my interests are all over the place.

So what's next?

I still love my job, so retirement is still way off in the future.  I do want to travel more.  There's some places I haven't seen yet that are on my bucket list.  I still study and read constantly-fearful of growing irrelevant.

I've come to a better understanding of all those Gen Y's and Gen X's that now make up most of the work force.  The fact that they don't mow their own yard and cook far less often does not mean that they are lazier or less driven than we were.  It simply means that their values are different.

They value their personal time, their family time, and their down time.  My generation doesn't know what to do with down time. Or if we do, we just lay around and get fat.

If the 20-somethings and 30-somethings do something, they do it well.  They're smarter, better educated, more innovative, and much more likely to change the world. 

Sounds like a formula for me to follow for the next 62 years.

Hopefully you can teach an old dog new tricks.

Sunny Side Up!

I got called out again.  My piece a couple of weeks ago on my negative side (things I just don't like) generated some healthy discussion.

And since it's just not my nature to remain negative about anything, it was suggested to me by friends that I tell everybody about what I do like. OK.

I like Sunday mornings and pickup trucks.   The smell of coffee and the feel of a spring breeze.

I like long bike rides and piddling with my blueberry bushes. 

I said I didn't like shopping but that isn't entirely true.  I love shopping at Boyd Thomas Clothing.  Bill Womac is the style guru!  And Cycology/Little RIver.  They blow up my credit card every month. And The Market. 

I like dugouts when you're ahead or at least when you're the home team and know that you've got one more at bat.  I like parents that let the coach coach.

I like good restaurants but really like it when the owner is in the kitchen.  I like Benton's bacon and Cruze Farm milk.

I like curvy roads and long descents.  I like listening to my buddy talk non- stop on the bike even though it doesn't matter much what he has to say.  Or it does.

I like movies that tug at the heartstrings although I don't want to admit it.  (If you think I'm going to admit to liking The Notebook here in public, well you don't know me:  I'm not gonna risk losing my man-card.)

I like football jamborees and state championships and everything in between. 

I like Friday nights right before kickoff.  I like it when I walk into the coaches office and the boss yells "JoeBama."  He does stuff like that. 

I like riding home on the bus from a football win and listening to two of the best coaches ever dissect the game. 

I like seeing that kid on the team who is struggling, that needs a little pick-me-up.  Maybe it's a Starburst or a word of encouragement.  I like being that guy that maybe knows what they need and when the need it.

I like meals that include Jim Gaylor regardless of what's on the table. I like canoeing with friends and hiking with my wife. 

And speaking of my wife, I like coming home to her in the evenings, waking up with her in the mornings, and fixing breakfast for both of us.  And then cleaning up the kitchen.

I LOVE Spotify and listening to local artists like Robinella and Logan Brill.

I like having adult children and a family that is inclusive enough to embrace family members that aren't really related to us.   Of course I especially like all those grandchildren.

I like having a job that when the alarm goes off, I can't wait to get there to see what's going to happen.  I like being the person that people come to when they need to get healthier.  And I even like being stopped in a restaurant with a question related to that same thing.

When that sort of thing begins to bother me, it's time to quit.

And maybe most of all I like walking in the door and a grandkid yells "Joesie" or "Daddy Joe" and comes running and jumps into my arms.  It doesn't get any better than that.  

Taking Risks

I recently shared a photo of a buddy and I descending The Dragon on our bicycles.  Among the kinder comments was one from the wife of one of my college buddies who questioned my sanity for being on The Dragon, suggesting that I address those risks in a future column.

OK, here it is.

But first, let me talk a little about taking risks.

I believe that we are made to live full, robust lives.  I also believe that every time we get out of bed in the morning, we take risks.

Just think about your daily routine.  For many of us, our morning routine involves a drive somewhere.  Maybe it's to work or taking the kids to school or meetings or appointments or...you get the idea.

Now you may be a perfectly good driver with an impeccable driving record.  Always stay within the speed limit.  Always alert, practicing defensive driving. 

But along comes a 16 year old that just got their driver's license and they just HAVE TO answer that text message that just came through.  So they're driving a 3000 pound machine going 50 miles an hour when they fail to see that the light turned red.

They t-bone into your driver's door and you wake up in the emergency room.  Or not at all.

Risky?  Sure.  Scares me to death.

Or your travel is on an airplane (which, by the way, is one of the safest forms of travel that we have).   That airplane might weigh 735,000 pounds fully loaded.  That's 367.5 tons.

And those two engines, each about as tall as a man, is going to get this thing off the ground in the span of the typical runway?  If you understand that then tell me how a bumblebee flies.

What about singing in front of people.  Think you can do it?  Try it. 

Anytime you put yourself out in front of people to be scrutinized, to be judged, it is scary.  But you take that risk and move on or you don't and miss an opportunity.

Jump out of a perfectly good airplane?  Not for me.

These videos of a narrow path etched into the side of a cliff in some foreign country?  Scares me just watching them.

You see, life is full of risks.  Some calculated.  Some beyond on our control.  Some forced on us and there's nothing we can do about it.

The Dragon gets thousands of visitors on weekends, spring through fall.  It is a gorgeous drive and a fun road.  But it also has to be respected.

Descending that road on my bicycle, I'm going about 30 miles an hour, barely creeping for some of the motorcycles.  Risky?  Maybe.  But a life without some risks is boring indeed.  And besides that, it is a ton of fun.

The Efficiency of Running

My buddy Cecil had been off the bike for 7 months when he joined us last weekend.  It really wasn't anything but life getting in the way for him.

The bicycle takes a lot of time.  It's part of the reason that you see a lot of older folks on bicycles.  It's a lot easier to get away if you are an empty-nester.

There's no way I would ride as much as I do if I had children at home.  It's not only time with the kids but it's all the other things that you are responsible for. 

And that's what happened to Cecil.  He told me "I can run for 30 minutes and get about the same amount of exercise than biking for 2-3 hours."

That's actually quite true.  On the bicycle, if you're going to be good, you've got to spend a lot of time.  Too much time, actually.

Running may be the most efficient way to get your exercise in. 

It probably is the simplest too.  No equipment.  No schedule.  Just put on your running shoes and head out the door.

Just this morning, I saw two groups on my way into work; a group of three males and another group of four females.  I'm pretty sure they are the same groups that I see regularly on the Greenbelt.

Speaking of which, there may not be many better places to run than on the Greenbelt.  The track at one of our schools is OK but is there a prettier place to run than the Greenbelt?

It connects our parks, travels for much of its length along Pistol Creek, and yet has very few road crossings from one end to the other.

Turtles, ducks, geese, osprey...really in the heart of town you can see all kinds of wildlife. 

Originally created as a bike path to connect our communities, it has become a true local treasure for a lot reasons.  And a great place to go for a jog.

Back to that running thing:  About all you really need is that pair of shoes.  I recommend being fitted for good shoes made specifically for running and selected because of your foot.  You will need to visit a shoe store that knows runners and their feet to get all that.

The right shoes can make it a joy.  The wrong shoes can make it misery.  Running shoes are definitely not all the same. 

Contrary to popular opinion, you don't really need to stretch much before you run.  Stretching is best done after you run.  Just start out at a slow jog to get warmed up before you get up to cruising speed.

If you are over 40 are have any health issues, you really need to get the blessing of your primary care physician before starting on any exercise program.

Start slowly and build mileage very gradually.  The biggest problem I see in the clinic is when people try to go too fast or too far.  Like every exercise program, be smart about it.

Not at first, but before long, you will be looking forward to that run and the health benefits that go along with it.