Tom Brady & Thulsa Doom

“Now they will know why they are afraid of the dark. Now they learn why they fear the night.”

For those of you who live in New England you might have an inkling of what those words mean. Thulsa Doom said them to Conan after he was discovered at the Mountain of Power. Yesterday the Boston sports world went suddenly dark with one misplaced tackle on Tom Brady’s left knee.

It was amazing to watch the collective breath of football fans held while awaiting word on Tom’s knee. Both those who love him and those who find him an adversary. Without a doubt a great athlete was dealt an untimely and disappointing blow. His season is over. The world went dark for Patriots fans.

And yet as I have spoken of in many of these blogs Life is full of opportunities. All I could think of when I heard the news was how many of them there are.

Check it out:

For Tom it’s a chance to see how he handles an injury that will keep him from what he loves for this year. How will he handle that reality, what stories will his mind tell him, what kind of beliefs will manifest in his dealings with the media, fans, and teammates? (Is this the end of my career? Will I be as good again? etc.)

For his team it’s a chance to see that football is in fact a team sport. It takes 11 players from each team to play the game. Sure one player can create an impact but is it all about him? No it’s about the chemistry of all 11 players. So the entire Patriots organization has an opportunity to pull together, re-focus and keep showing up to play the game. Just keep showing up for Life.

For the fans it’s an opportunity to see football is just a game. A dangerous game and a thrilling one no doubt. But why stop rooting for your beloved team? Why not have faith and cheer harder? Things happen that are unexpected in games as in Life. Adjust and keep playing, keep moving, keep living. Keep the Faith.

Modify. Adjust. Take the opportunity as a gift. Or not. But the choice still is yours. Sure life dealt a bummer. But maybe that bummer turns into a blessing.

Tom if you’re listening – get down off the Tree of Woe. Go toss a football to your son (gently though). Enjoy this down time. Maybe read the Four Agreements again. Maybe find the open door in front of you…

Blessings to you and yours.

J

Comments

St. Valentines Day

I find it odd that we pick a day in February to celebrate the heart, the emotion of Love, the honoring of those we love. What apparently morphed from some racy pagan festivity into a more buttoned down Christian celebration has now become synonymous with the greeting card maker Hallmark. Hmmm. Regardless of this days origins it has been firmly established in the American psyche (not sure about other countries). Forgetting this day for your beloved, your kids, maybe even your pets, is tantamount to being un-loving. A slouch in the Love department. Nobody wants to be that. What about honoring yourself on this day? Congratulating yourself for making it this far on your journey? And along the way how much love was expressed? How open was your heart as you navigated relationships and all the challenges relationships can reveal? On my late afternoon walk with my two dogs back home these were the thoughts running round my head. And checking in with my heart it felt a bit sad....

Cold Turkey Ain’t All Bad

Warning: If you’re young and healthy and never think about getting older and the world is your oyster and you are under 50 don’t read any further. “Going cold turkey”. The connotation is that we are giving something up. Usually for good. Things like heroin, or booze, or Oxy. Things that really aren’t that good for you. My cold turkey moment was bicycles. Wait. Aren’t bikes supposed to be good for you? Yes, absolutely in theory. However, in my case, not so much. Of course, I loved the feeling of riding a bicycle – the rush of the wind, the freedom of motion, the ability to push my limits, and the boost in fitness. All healthy benefits for sure. Except when crashes happen. They will and they do. Typically, it’s some road rash or bloody knees and elbows with dirt applied. In my case it’s been all the usual get offs plus head trauma. It’s the “plus head trauma” that has me hanging up the bike for good. I just can’t seem to keep from bashing my head when I do ...

Actually, Age Isn’t Just a Number

It’s a mindset. And one that until you reach certain milestones around age, you really don’t think too much about it. Here are some obvious milestones: Puberty. Getting your driver’s permit at 16. Being able to vote in your first election at 18. Legally able to drink at 21. Then the next couple milestones might be around 30 or 40. The realization sinks in that you’re not 25 anymore. A deep dive into middle age is on deck. ******* I have felt youthful my entire life. And by good genetics or a Peter Pan outlook on life I never really felt my age. Turning 50 was no big deal. Turning 60 also didn’t feel that momentous. I did have a total knee replacement that year and that was an indication that some things with my body were worn out. But that was a game changing operation allowing me to continue my very active lifestyle pain free. But this past year being 65 has fucked with my head. I see the manifestations of aging showing up on my body. Hair loss. Muscle loss. Whi...

Before My Last Breath

Search This Blog