365 Days of Gratitude - #10 Baseball

I love baseball.
I love the lessons baseball teaches.
I love the game, a game that teaches you life is hard. A game that you have to takes chances every second to succeed and the realization that many of the chances that you take are necessary for success but often end in failure.
Failure is part of the game, just as failure is part of life. There is no escaping it, but without taking a risk it is impossible to win.  Think about that for a moment and you will realize it to be true.

One must step into the batters box where the advantage is in the corner of the pitcher. A great batter fails 6 put of 10 times and most likely 7 or 8 out of 10 times. Those who do get paid millions of dollars to fail.   Don't be afraid to to step in the batters box, for if you don'f failure is certain and boring.

To "steal" a base to advance and help your team you must leave the safety of the bag. No one is fast enough to keep one foot on the bag and steal a base. Most likely the player will be thrown out for trying but the reward is putting your team in position to win. YOU MUST TAKE RISKS to get a reward that will allow you to win.

Not every call will go your way.  You may get called out on a strike that is not a strike, You may slide safe at home only to be called out. You will get upset and realize a mistake was made but the call will most likely stand and there will be nothing you can do about it to change the outcome.  You can either move on or freeze and not advance anymore.  CHOSE TO MOVE FORWARD.  For those who cannot let it go and move on are eventually ejected from the game. The game gets tired of those who lose their control.  But i also love the fact there is always another game and an ejected player gets another chance to start fresh and is not punished in a new game for past actions. However, a player is also not rewarded for past success in a new game, they start over and must earn rewards every game. It must be earned.

Yes, baseball is slow moving sometimes, like life. However, each action and intention figures into winning or losing, just like life.

Baseball is life.  But don't let the fear of striking out keep you out of the game!

I soon will smell baseball in the air and I will remember the games my boys played in and I will smile and think of the lessons learned from baseball

PLAY BALL

Spring -- If you could use a little happiness give it a try.

https://vimeo.com/160391284/2f36d8f4d1

365 Days of Gratitude - #9 Hand Me Downs

Today I give thanks for the many items I have in my life that once belonged to others.  Others like my Grandparents, both on my Father and Mother's side as well as both my parents and Lisa's parents.

(Before I go on, I want to take a moment and say how grateful I am that all four of our parents are alive and doing well. I realize more each day how lucky I am to be able to say that today and how truly blessed I have been to always have them in my life. 53 years of knowing I have two of the best people on this earth and in my life to guide and direct me and when necessary, correct me, to be the best person I can become on a daily basis.  As well as a loving and supporting wife for 32 years. I pray I will never take them or others for granted.)

Today as I was working on a project in the house I went to the garage and used two separate tools, one that once belonged to my Grandpa Hogge ( Ray Arichibald) and the other to my Dad (Glen Ray).  As I held these tools and finished my project I had a flood of memories of the past and how lucky I was to learn from three of my Grandparents ( My Grandpa - Barclay Standing passed way before my birth but nonetheless still left " Hand me Downs" that I reflect on daily and I am blessed by).

For may things I personally prefer Hand Me Downs over new items and give thanks for the lessons and material things given to me from my ancestors whom I Love dearly. I hope someday my Children and Grandchildren will give thanks for the Hand Me Downs they will receive from me!

365 days of gratitude - #8 Mt. Fuji

Today as I sit in my hotel room in Tokyo, Japan I am blessed to be able to open the curtains to my large window and see Mt. Fuji in the distance rising above the city.  I love this Mountain and I must say it is my favorite mountain outside of the United States and maybe my favorite of all.  You see my Father, once climbed to the top of this mountain when he was younger.  He was a brave young Navy Cadet stationed in Japan during the Korean war and day accepted the challenge, along with other cadets to climb to the top!  He reached this goal and wrote his name in a book at he time and looked over the city of Tokyo.

Each time I come to Japan, I admire this great mountain and picture my dad on top.  In the 6th grade I did a 50 page report all about Japan.  I chose Japan, as like my sisters before me, to honor my Father who told us about it and brought back souvenirs to cherish forever.  I love that fact that Mt. Fuji will always be here each time I come, and its legacy will last to millions of others, even after I am gone. Just like my Dad, who climbed to the top of Mt. Fuji and left a legacy for me and my family.