Looking Beyond the Horizon

“Go as far as you can see and then you will see farther.” I like that quote. It speaks to me on several different levels.

To paraphrase, go as far as you can go. And when you get there, what do you find? Do you find that what you thought was all you could do wasn’t all you could do? Or do you find new horizons, new opportunities?

What are our limits?  What are we capable of mentally? What are our emotional limits? And from an athlete’s perspective, what are our physical limits?

I’m going to go way off on a tangent here. I find that when we attempt to console someone that is going through a tough time emotionally, maybe it is a moment of extreme grief, that our words mean very little. My opinion is that our presence, our friendship is what helps someone the most.

“I know what you’re going through.” No, you really don’t. And if it is the loss of a loved one, I’m not going to tell you “with time, you’ll get over it.” No, you’re not. You are not going to get over it and it’s not going to get easy because you can never really get completely over the loss of someone you love.

But it does get easier. And you will be fine. Just not today. And probably not tomorrow. Maybe that’s too dark for this space but I’ve seen extreme grief over the loss of a game so maybe it does belong. I don’t think I’ve ever seen more tears shed than in the NCAA basketball tournament this year. Lose your last game and turn on the tears.

You’ve put all you had into a game and it didn’t end the way you had dreamed. The only people that can really help you at that point are your teammates. The people that you have trained and worked with for so long. They know. They get what you’re going through because they shared your dreams and your heartbreak.

We really have no idea what our physical limits are. I’ve been near the top of a tough climb on my bicycle and wasn’t sure that I could even get there. But then I get there and I find that I have a little bit more. That I’m ready to take on the next hill.

We ask this sort of thing from our athletes all the time. A pitcher is doing their best and we ask them to dig a little deeper and come up with just a little more. A runner is exhausted but the finish line isn’t close and we ask them to find something within themselves to finish the race.

Go as hard as you can go and then see if you have a little more. A few more lifts. A few more sprints. A little farther. A little faster. A little harder. Work as hard as you can work, and then work a little harder. Athletic excellence is the product of that attitude. 

Some of you know my personal story. Underachiever. Never encouraged academically. Most kids where I’m from were glad to graduate from high school and get a job. I got there and saw another horizon.

I get to college and there are horizons all around me. People from lots of backgrounds exceeding boundaries every day. I graduate from college and I find new horizons out there, new opportunities.

I get out into the real world and find a bigger and bigger world. Opportunities everywhere if you just look and then have the fortitude to chase those opportunities. A life without boundaries. I’m personal testimony to all that. All because I got to the horizon and found more.

When you go as far as you can see, all the way to the horizon, you see another horizon. Go chase that one.

T-Ball Days

I have a bit of a confession to make. I’m not a big fan of T-ball. You know the game. Baseball or softball. Kids, 6-7 years old. Or younger. For most, their first foray into team sports.

My kids played. I don’t remember much about liking it or disliking it. It was almost like it was something that kids were supposed to do. The All-American sport and all that, I suppose.

I’m not sure when the game and I had a falling out. It probably wasn’t anything specific. I just sort of decided that it was largely a waste of time. Lots of standing around. Kids playing in the infield dirt. Long periods of inactivity then bursts of very brief activity. Too much standing around waiting for it to promote an active lifestyle.

None of my first five grandkids showed any interest in T-ball. And then came along Grandkid #6. I don’t know if it was his idea or his parent’s. I just know that he is the cutest thing you ever saw out there with his Yankees uniform on (sidenote—his dad played for the Yankees in his first year of T-ball).

This is a pretty special kid. He was born quite premature, weighing only 3 pounds, 2 ½ ounces at birth. He was supposed to spend 6 weeks in the NICU at Children’s Hospital but he got out before that. I still have vivid memories of this tiny thing in an incubator that was about the size of a squirrel.

Let me tell you that he has overcome that slow start. Just pick him up sometime. Oh. My. Goodness. The boy is thick. Not fat, but if he plays football, he will play with his hand in the dirt. And he will talk your ear off. Off-the-scale perceptive.

And playing t-ball at Maryville Little League. I agree with somebody that observed coaching t-ball was like herding cats but after watching a game on Saturday, I’ve come to really enjoy T-ball. Not just because I have one out there but for the lessons that are learned.

Think about this—you’re taking a bunch of 6 and 7 year olds, getting them where they are supposed to be, and (mostly) getting them to pay attention. Where else are you going to get that?

Oh, they’re still playing at the dirt, completely surprised when a batted ball rolls by them. And I’ve yet to see a successful throw to first for an out. Or a caught fly ball. But I’ve seen energy and enthusiasm and team spirit. And coaches that know that this year of t-ball is not going to make or break their kid’s athletic career.

Whether or not they learn baseball (or softball) skills is not really important. What they are learning is eye/hand coordination and how to throw sand catch something. They learn a little bit about what it is to be a part of a team. They hopefully learn that it is OK to cheer for somebody to do something well, even if they are on the other team.

They’re learning how to be where they’re supposed to be. They’re learning what it means to “run home” even though that concept can be quite confusing. They’re learning simple skills and that mistakes have consequences.  And, yes, they’re beginning to learn life skills.

I was never in favor of games where they don’t keep score. Keeping score gives a game structure and parameters. The kids usually know what the score is anyway. But these kids, knowing who “won” and who “lost” doesn’t seem to matter.  As soon as the game is over, all they want to do is get to the post-game snacks.

Just like kids forever.

Walking Home

I attended a track meet recently. Actually, it was a middle school track meet. I was there to cover the high school baseball game next door but I had two granddaughters competing in the track meet so I stuck around the track meet until they ran.

If you’ve never been to a track meet, it’s a lot like a 3-ring circus, with events happening simultaneously all over the place. Jumping here. Running there. Throwing over there. Not usually considered a spectator sport, it can be quite fun.

At a middle school meet, you can see just about everything. Kids that look like they should already be in high school. Little ones that you can’t believe will be in high school in just a year or two. All of them seem serious about what they’re doing. All of them trying hard, doing their best. But this isn’t about a track meet at all. This is about one kid.

I noticed this kid in one of the sprints. It was probably his unusual haircut that made me notice him at first but then I noticed that he was quite good. After my granddaughters competed, I headed over to my baseball game, which had just started. About half way through the baseball game, I could see that the track meet was finished. Now jump ahead about an hour later and I’m driving home. It’s just about dusk and I’m thinking about a pre-bed snack.

Walking along on the sidewalk was that kid that I remembered from the track meet. He looked young, not real big. Still in the clothes he ran in. His backpack on his back, it seemed obvious that he was walking home from the track meet.

That alone isn’t earth shattering. I used to do it by choice from time to time. Or at least ride my bike to and from school. (It’s at this point that my kids roll their eyes and tell you that I led them to believe that I walked miles to and from school every day. In the snow. Barefoot.)

But we were easily a couple of miles from the track. And it seems equally obvious that this young man had walked all the way from that track. I immediately wanted to know his story. I thought about offering him a ride but these days that just isn’t a good idea. If I had known him—different story.

First came the obvious questions. Where were his parents? Did anyone offer him a ride home? Too often, I assume the worst because I’ve seen the worst.

Years ago, I was taking care of a football player from the opposing team. His team didn’t have any medical coverage and his injury was a concussion. His symptoms were mild so I didn’t send him to the hospital but I did want to talk to his parents.

“Where are your parents,” I asked. “They’re not here.” OK...this was a varsity high school football game. Friday night. “Where are they.” It turns out dad was probably at home watching TV and mom was at a church meeting. Unbelievable.

So after assuming the worst (negligent parents), I turned to the best. This kid might have great parents but both of them had to work on this particular evening. And maybe he just wanted to walk home on this nice spring evening or didn’t want to bother the parents of his friends.

Regardless of the circumstances, there are lessons to be learned. Every kid needs a support system. Sure, this kid might be learning independence, self-support, diligence…but I can’t imagine a world in which there was no one there at the track meet to support him. To cheer him on. To lift him up if he were to fall short. To let him know that he is loved regardless of circumstances or outcomes.

I suppose I’ll get to know this kid a bit as he moves into high school. Especially if he’s ever injured. I will be looking for him. I already know that I am a big fan of his. I hope I get to see what kind of man he grows into being. I bet he does good things with himself. I will be watching.

12 Questions

I’m a big fan of the magazine Men’s Journal. Yeah, I know…still reading magazines makes me a dinosaur.  I do actually read printed material. And I love the feel of a newspaper. Part of the joy of Sunday morning is getting a real newspaper in the mailbox.

One of the recurring features in Men’s Journal is this question and answer thing on the last page. It really doesn’t matter much who it is. Sometimes it really isn’t someone that you want to emulate.  I guess I just like that format.

So since those magazine folks aren’t knocking down my door to interview me, I figured I would do it myself. I’ve done something like this before. My wife will probably tell me “enough with the self-interviewing.” But I do it anyway. Oh well.  So here goes.

What is the best advice you ever received? A job worth doing is worth doing it right. I didn’t realize it at the time but I got a lot of those kind of tidbits from my dad. I built a tree house one time with him sitting at the base of the tree insisting that I do it right.

Who were your heroes growing up?  That’s easy—high school football players. Butch Crabtree. Raymond Stamey. David Messamore. I wanted to be like them. No doubt that was part of growing up in a small town, but I think it holds true today. These days I watch kids playing on the field after a high school game, arguing about who gets to be Tee Hodge or Spencer Shore. Don’t take that role lightly guys.

What advice would you give your younger self?  Believe in yourself. Believe you are worthy. I was so insecure and a huge underachiever. I was in high school football before anybody other than my parents thought I would be a productive adult.

How should a man handle getting older?  With a sense of humor and a bottle of ibuprofen. And remember that you’re not in your 20’s anymore so don’t act like it and don’t dress like it. But you can dance like it.

What role should vanity play in a man’s life? Nothing beyond basic hygiene.

How should a man handle criticism? The same way he handles praise. Only about half of it is true.

Who has been the biggest influence on your life? I’ve mentioned my high school football coach here many times. He turned me around. I tell him that every chance I get.

What human trait do you most deplore? Not reaching for your potential.

And what human trait do you most admire? Kindness. It’s terribly underrated.

How should a man handle regret? Consider this—the mistakes that you’ve made in your life have helped you become the person that you are today. If you’re OK with that then you will understand that you really shouldn’t have any regrets.

Who would you invite to your dream dinner party? My dad. I often want just one more conversation with him, to tell him how things turned out. But I guess he knows. Frederich Nietzsche. He had a lot of things figured out. Dietrich Bonhoeffer. He did too. Claude Monet. I’m fascinated by his work. Amelia Earhart. I want to know where she went to. James Taylor for the music.

What adventure changed your life? Probably a Boundary Waters Canoe Trip with the Boy Scouts. It was the second step in me figuring out that I wasn’t that kid that the guidance counselor told “people like you don’t go to college.”

Things I've learned

I just got back from APTA’s Federal Affairs Forum. Three days in our nation’s capitol advocating for my patients and my profession. It is an honor and a privilege to do so, something this country boy from Loudon doesn’t take for granted.

Just yesterday, I walked by the Capitol, pausing to take touristy photos amid the cherry blossoms at their peak. I passed the building housing the U.S. Supreme Court, a regal and imposing building where reverence and law are molded.

I walked the halls of the Senate and House office buildings, most of which have not changed for a very long time. I saw Congressman John Lewis walk by and was properly awed. Congressman Lewis marched with Martin Luther King in Selma. He has been a voice of wisdom in the House of Representatives for many years. It was an honor to breathe the same air as him.

I visited with Congressman John Rose from Cookeville. New to the House, he was interested and eager. I chatted with Congressman Mark Greene from Clarksville, an extraordinarily gifted Tennesseean and a physician as well. He’s also new to the House.

I sat with Congressman Chuck Fleischmann of Chattanooga. Congressman is and has been fully invested in the best interests of the citizens of the state of Tennessee.  You cannot leave a meeting with him and not feel honored and appreciated.

I missed new Congressman Tim Burchett, my Congressman. I’ve known him for many years, mostly from his work in the Tennessee legislature. I will meet with him in a couple of weeks in Maryville. I look forward to that meeting. Tim is one of those people that makes you feel comfortable and respected.

Others in my contingent met with Senators Lamar Alexander and Marsha Blackburn. The “Tennessee Tuesday” event is a weekly event where you get to meet and hear from our Tennessee Senators. That meeting is always impressive and makes one proud to be a Tennesseean.

Our Tennessee delegation included a mix of people, newbies and those with lots of experience in DC and the art of advocating for our patients and profession.  We took two students, Kurtisha Norris from the physical therapy program at UT-Chattanooga and Trey Martin from ETSU.

So here’s my take-away from this trip:  Our country is divided. Painfully. Our politicians reflect that. We don’t send Senators and Congressmen to Washington to be wise, visionary, or collaborative. We send them to Washington to represent us. Maybe they are greedy. Maybe they are self-centered. They are definitely quite partisan. Maybe our country is too.

But these new legislators seem genuinely interested in doing a great job. None of them asked me if I was Republican or Democrat. None of them asked anything of me. Each patiently listened to my issues and concerns and seemed genuinely interested. I am encouraged by what I saw. In person. Up close.

I’m excited about the experience that the two students had. They were already committed members.  I believe that now they will become fully engaged members.  They have had a taste of how important these things are. They have been exposed to the national stage. They now understand that being a professional means that the job is never 9 to 5 (and that it really isn’t a job—it’s part of who you are).

So if you want to hear more from me about all this, just stop me sometime. I’m rarely at a loss for words or an opinion.

 

People I want to be around

I want to be around people that are always trying to get better. Those people that are trying to get more informed (better educated). Those people that are trying to be better people. Those people that are trying to get better at whatever they do.

I want to be around people that are always looking to know more, be more…who move with and embrace change. The cliché says if you are standing still, you are getting behind. It’s true. Everything is changing. Technology. Families. How we prepare to pursue our sports. Health care. Nutrition. Access to Information.

Remember when cell phones first came out? I do. My first one was that brick looking thing. I couldn’t believe I could make a call without being physically connected to a land line. When I was a kid, there was this Dick Tracy cartoon. Dick Tracy had this watch looking thing that he could talk to and communicate with others. I never thought I’d see that day.

With the technology of today, our lives are so much more convenient. You can gripe about your cell phone and that you can’t escape but I don’t see it that way. I see it as a convenience—I can make or take a call when I want to. And if you’ve ever been worried about a family member, being able to connect with them on their cell phone is a true angst-reliever. And don’t gripe too much about technology or somebody will come and take your microwave away.

Technology is moving forward so fast that if you so much as pause to take a breath, you’ll be behind. Instant access to the last football play on the sidelines? It wasn’t too long ago that we had crude photographs of the last play being hand carried to the sideline. (Truth be known, I remember chalk boards on the sideline.) Now you have iPads that break the last play down in slow motion immediately after the play is over.

Who would have thought that CD’s would be a short lived source of music? I thought cassette tapes would be around forever. Now you can download all the music you want, keep it in your phone, and play what you want, when you want it. Amazing.

Families are always changing. Growing. Moving. Family dynamics changing. There comes a time when parents become the dependent and children the parents. And your kids won’t stay babies forever. As the old saying goes, if you blink your eyes, they’ll be grown. As a parent, change is constant. As a kid, change is inevitable.

Training for your sport is always changing. I can remember when Pete Rose was criticized for lifting weights during the baseball season. These days, if you aren’t participating in strength training, you’re getting behind.

I remember the days when people would go to the gym to lift weights and stay for hours. We now know that the fastest and most efficient way to get stronger and more fit is to do High Intensity Interval Training. No longer are hours upon end necessary to get better.

Health care, particularly in sports medicine, is constantly changing. Better diagnostics. Better surgery. Better rehab. We are getting people healthy with effective, efficient interventions, returning them to a full life—a life without limitations.

Nutrition. Oh my…nutrition. We still haven’t reached that point where bacon is considered good for you (a personal dietary dream of mine) but we are a lot smarter about what it takes to eat healthier. We know there are good fats and bad fats. We know that white sugar and white flour are twin evils. We know that no one diet fits all.

We have better information at our disposal these days. The internet keeps us better informed. Don’t know how to do something? Look it up. Don’t believe what the talking heads are saying? Do your research. Learn to get facts. In a world filled with bias, prejudice, lies, and innuendo, learn to think for yourself. Seek out reliable sources of information.

As Bob Dylan said, “oh the times, they are a’changin’.” Don’t be left behind.

The Eagle Award

I missed John Wilson Huffman’s Eagle ceremony yesterday afternoon. I had a previous commitment. I would really like to have been there. John Wilson is one of my favorite kids.

The Eagle award is Boy Scout’s highest award. It comes only after years of dedication and commitment and requires the recipient to have demonstrated leadership and the many tenets of the Boy Scout Oath and the Boy Scout Law. Trustworthy Loyal Helpful. Friendly Courteous Kind. Obedient Cheerful Thrifty. Brave Clean Reverent.

John Wilson’s father is an Eagle Scout. So is an uncle and a cousin. It’s not unusual to see multiple generations of Eagles. I am an Eagle Scout too. It is something that no one can ever take away from you.

I was a green 13 year old kid when the Scoutmaster decided that he was going to make me a Patrol Leader. Boy Scout troops are broken down into smaller groups called patrols. Mine was the Owl Patrol and was populated partly with kids that might be kindly considered misfits.

I was never the smartest, most athletic, natural leader that some were. I was sort of from the wrong side of the tracks. I certainly didn’t have any experience at all in being any kind of a leader. That Scoutmaster was taking a big chance on me.

My Patrol didn’t have a lot of experience in Scouting. I guess they were sort of like an expansion team. What I do recall is that the Owl Patrol pulled together, formed a strong team, and won a major competition at the next Jamboree, a big meeting of several Boy Scout Troops.

Most of the leadership skills that I might have as adult came from the foundation in leadership that I received in Boy Scouts. Everything from building a team to working outside my comfort zone to doing things that I had no idea I could do—all contributed to helping me be the man that I am today.

And any success that I’ve had as an adult is in due to no small part my time as a Boy Scout. So when John Wilson began telling me that he was nearing completion of his Eagle quest, I began encouraging him to finish it up.

Let me tell you a little about John. He came out for the football team at Maryville High last year as a kicker. Most of his sports background had been soccer. Playing behind a couple of kickers that had been doing it for quite a while, John Wilson was not going to get many opportunities.  So he asked for some time at defensive back.

I spend a lot of time with our kickers at practice. They can’t kick the whole time so they get to finish early most days. One of my jobs is to run the kickers through conditioning drills, go over any announcements that might be later shared with the whole team, and send them on their way.

If you were to meet John Wilson, you would immediately like him. With a smile as big as you will find, he will come up and start talking to you at the first opportunity. He got the chance to play cornerback in a couple of JV games. Being on the field, I captured his play on video and sent it to his parents in the stands.

John Wilson will not likely make his living playing professional sports. He isn’t likely to go to college on an athletic scholarship. But he will go to college and he will be successful. I know that just as sure as I know my own name.

He is following in the path of thousands of men that have gotten the Eagle award and then became famous. Men like Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon. Our own Lamar Alexander. Director Steven Spielberg. J Willard Marriott, CEO of the Marriott Corporation. Sam Walton, founder of Walmart.

Congratulations, John Wilson. Now go change the world.