You are as young as your faith, as old as your doubt; as young as your self-confidence, as old as your fear; as young as your hope, as old as your despair. ~Douglas MacArthur
Fake to the right; spin to the left, a step and a half, underhanded layup into the rim. Bam! 2 points. Quick now! Back down the court on defense. Their point guard tries a jumper from about 14 ft, Off the rim; rebound to me, outlet bounce pass to Etchevarria coming down the left side. Etch over to Neal - back to Etch on a give and go. Layup, Boom! we're up by 8 with 2 minutes to go. I push myself back up the floor adrenaline running hot. Move! Move! Move! Move!
15 years later on Grande Island, The Phillipines. In my head and my ears Dale rips off a wonderful Jimmy Page guitar solo on a cover of Whole Lotta Love. In my best Robert Plant; " You need coolin', woman I'm not foolin', I'm gonna send you back to schoolin". I never imagined I would be singing lead in a rock band, even a not very good cover band, but there I was in a world tour having a great time; led Zeppelin, The Kinks, The Rolling Stones, AC-DC, among others. We worked hard, did it right and had fun.
Limes pointed out to me that my post last week on the Tough Guy competition ignored the passion. Standing on my Head reminded me of the times when I have been driven to succeed. I reminded myself that there were times in my life when "just sitting" wasn't enough. You don't get to be Jerry West or Oscar Robertson by just sitting. Passion drives the master to perfect their skill. Passion drives a person to reach for the stars. Passion drives Once known as the Badger to set off in godawful conditions to ride 67 miles. So I rethink my post of the Tough Guy challenge and realize that these folks are reaching for a star. Not mine but theirs. I don't get why those particular passions. Be it Cycling, Yoga , basketball or pushing the limits of endurance, but like friend Leslie we're all "marching to the beat of different drummer". Isn't life grand?
I always say that on my funeral they should play the song “My way” sang by Frank Sinatra… as that is the way I want people to remember me… someone that has no regrets and that did it all in my very own way.
Embracing the differences… well I celebrate that with you, the beauty of human nature is our differences. Can you imagine a life were we are all alike? That will be dam boring! So keep celebrating who you are and embracing others for who they chose to be.
I love that video. I get the impression someone just handed that woman a guitar one day and she figured out how to make music with it. It was just in her. Great accompaniment to the celebration of our individuality in reaching for stars or paper moons.
Nice, tight piece of writing, Tag. You already know I'm all about finding the connections between human beings and savoring the things we share, learning about things we don't share but might find interesting about each other. Life IS grand. I'm glad to have been able to participate in it. Here's a much favored tune from my mmisspent youth to celebrate your post today.
OH, Tag ~ you're the second person to use that word (inspiration) about me today. It humbles me. I think it is too grand a word for me. I'm pretty regular. And I surely do appreciate you.
BTW, for a woman who avidly refuses to understand football, I am a basketball aficionado. My short father and his short brothers were basketball nut jobs and the second generation were expected to be the same. Bob Cousy and Jerry West, indeed! "Hoosiers" be damned, those Welsh-American Emporia, Kansas, boys are basketball freaks. Sometime I shall blog about my father spotting Elgin Baylor across the floor of a restaurant where we dined and about my oh-so-cool father bowing at the altar. Sometime I shall blog about the very short Leslie being the star of a particular basketball game in a dress and bare feet. It was required of me. I was a Morgan.
Thank you Tag for posting the video clip and thinking of me! I don't usually play clips, since in Zambia our internet connection works like an old horse - step by step... But, this time I took my time to download the clip - thank you very much for sharing it with me. Botswana is a great place, I have been there once for work and had the change to meet great people. I love the smile and the joy of the lady playing the song - it’s contagious!
I think of you with admiration Gabi, I wonder what takes you to far off Zambia and Botswana.I know that you are bring loveNlight with you wherever you go.
I moved to Kenya in 1995, then moved to Zimbabwe and then to Zambia - thanks to my work I have the chance to travel to many African countries, which is a blessing. I'm a consultant who specializes on Business Process Re-engineering and Change Management - working with different Utility Companies. I'm in the process of making a career move and heading back to my beloved Uruguay, where I'm planning to travel around South America - following my husband - he will be the one working, while I will be doing writing, taking pictures and meeting people - sounds great!
Thank you for your usual kindness, I do try to give loveNlight to the world if allowed to do so.
Image via Wikipedia
Image via Wikipedia
I always say that on my funeral they should play the song “My way” sang by Frank Sinatra… as that is the way I want people to remember me… someone that has no regrets and that did it all in my very own way.
ReplyDeleteEmbracing the differences… well I celebrate that with you, the beauty of human nature is our differences. Can you imagine a life were we are all alike? That will be dam boring!
So keep celebrating who you are and embracing others for who they chose to be.
loveNlight
Gabi
I love that video. I get the impression someone just handed that woman a guitar one day and she figured out how to make music with it. It was just in her. Great accompaniment to the celebration of our individuality in reaching for stars or paper moons.
ReplyDeleteNice, tight piece of writing, Tag. You already know I'm all about finding the connections between human beings and savoring the things we share, learning about things we don't share but might find interesting about each other. Life IS grand. I'm glad to have been able to participate in it. Here's a much favored tune from my mmisspent youth to celebrate your post today.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking of you Gabi, in far away Zambia as I selected the video clip from equally far away Botswana. Thank you for stopping by.
ReplyDeleteThat's exactly what appeals to me about the clip, Kass. Also that there is a sort of sly smile on her face as if she knows something I don't know.
Thank you Leslie. You are an inspiration.
OH, Tag ~ you're the second person to use that word (inspiration) about me today. It humbles me. I think it is too grand a word for me. I'm pretty regular. And I surely do appreciate you.
ReplyDeleteBTW, for a woman who avidly refuses to understand football, I am a basketball aficionado. My short father and his short brothers were basketball nut jobs and the second generation were expected to be the same. Bob Cousy and Jerry West, indeed! "Hoosiers" be damned, those Welsh-American Emporia, Kansas, boys are basketball freaks. Sometime I shall blog about my father spotting Elgin Baylor across the floor of a restaurant where we dined and about my oh-so-cool father bowing at the altar. Sometime I shall blog about the very short Leslie being the star of a particular basketball game in a dress and bare feet. It was required of me. I was a Morgan.
ReplyDeleteLeslie, you have touched on your Jayhawk relatives briefly in past comments. I admit I am intrigued and looking forward to another fascinating story.
ReplyDeleteThank you Tag for posting the video clip and thinking of me!
ReplyDeleteI don't usually play clips, since in Zambia our internet connection works like an old horse - step by step...
But, this time I took my time to download the clip - thank you very much for sharing it with me. Botswana is a great place, I have been there once for work and had the change to meet great people.
I love the smile and the joy of the lady playing the song - it’s contagious!
loveNlight
Gabi
I think of you with admiration Gabi, I wonder what takes you to far off Zambia and Botswana.I know that you are bring loveNlight with you wherever you go.
ReplyDeleteI moved to Kenya in 1995, then moved to Zimbabwe and then to Zambia - thanks to my work I have the chance to travel to many African countries, which is a blessing. I'm a consultant who specializes on Business Process Re-engineering and Change Management - working with different Utility Companies.
ReplyDeleteI'm in the process of making a career move and heading back to my beloved Uruguay, where I'm planning to travel around South America - following my husband - he will be the one working, while I will be doing writing, taking pictures and meeting people - sounds great!
Thank you for your usual kindness, I do try to give loveNlight to the world if allowed to do so.
loveNlight
Gabi