Gratitude Day 1 of 1
Facebook trends have a tendency to invade your life from time-to-time and while I sometimes am idle enough to see which Beatle I would have been (John) or bored enough to know which 80's rock band I most identify with (Springsteen)...I usually scroll on by.
Unless a balding, Boston-based, Steelers fan who also happens to write tremendous inspirational books and coaches others in business applications, Mr. John Brubaker, an award-winning author, speaker, health-food nut, and all-around great guy, asks you to do it.
Did I mention he's balding?
And has that stupid Bahs-ton tone?
Dork.
Well, John (who I met at an book awards ceremony in dumb Boston) asked me to do an exercise in what I am thankful for...three or five things over 10 days...(or some shit)...but here it is:
One good blog on the subject.
First off, I have been extremely blessed in my life.
I have always been surrounded by great people.
I'm astoundingly handsome.
I'm overly brilliant, and everyone else is absolutely wrong about any subject that I ever post a thought on.
Okay, only some of that is true.
I've always been surrounded by great people.
I recall a day when I was standing next to my Dad. I was about 10 years old. He had asked me to chop up the onions for the sauce. I was working hard. Dad asked me if I'd show my kids how to do it.
I remember that I said, 'Sure.'
Dad must have thought that was funny because he asked me how many kids I would have.
"A lot," I said. "Because I want to do things for them like you do for us."
I recall that Dad brought that up to my Mom as we were eating dinner and I was real embarrassed because my siblings attacked me for being a 'brown nosed little bastard.'
Did I mention my siblings there?
My God, I couldn't love a group of people more, and I feel the same vibe from them, of course. We tortured one another in our closed circle with wit and sarcasm and just joke after joke after joke...but man we get pissed when someone outside the circle says or does something to us. Even now. And together we grieve.
We laugh together, Grieve together. Breathe together.
I am eternally grateful to be a part of the Fuzzy clan. Man, we've had fun...and damn we've had sadness, but how can you not Thank the Lord for that placement?
(And that includes my insane cousins...evidently even a touch of Fazzolari blood does a number).
Reading and Writing
On this past Saturday morning I was talking to my Mom about books.
We swapped chatter of what we've been reading. We've been doing that since I was about 8 years old. Mom would hand me books, and vice-versa. My sisters are also in the reading club...and that passion is just as strong now as it was back more than 40 years. People don't believe me when I tell them I read about 60 books a year, but I do...
...and by extension...I've always wanted to write something that makes other people feel the way that I do when I'm so enjoying reading.
Friends will often ask me how I write a blog every day, and keep a journal, and work a lot of hours and then write books, and all I can say is that I am thankful for the passion that God and my Mom provided.
I still love it all, as if I just started that journey.
Food
All right, Brubaker...you knew this one. I am thankful for stuffed peppers, pork chops, porterhouse steaks, pasta, linguini and clams, lobster, broccoli rabe, Italian Sausage, Polish Sausage...are there any other sausages?
I'll eat the bastards.
Yet it's more than just the devouring of the food. I also enjoy taking the time to cook it. I love chopping up the onions as my Dad taught me to do...and then serving the family.
"What do you guys want for dinner?" I'll ask as I'm watching them eat lunch.
So..yeah...I'm thankful that we've always had enough...more than enough (I once chided my wife for not knowing the pleasure of eating until pain)...actually.
Baseball
If God made me make the decision for all of mankind:
YOU CAN KEEP ONE SPORT!
(God would have to speak in all caps and in bold, right?)
It would be baseball.
Vin Scully. All those numbers. Mickey, Willie and Hank. Jeter. The 27-Time World Champion Greatest Franchise in the History of Organized American Sports. The feel of a big stadium. Multiple hot dogs at the park (see above). And numbers....numbers...numbers...
"Baseball is boring!" People scream at me.
Not with the box scores and the records and the pennant chases and the history...that those steroid freaks threatened...and the game is incredible itself. No two games are alike. It can be 10-9 in the 3rd inning or 1-1 in the 17th.
The game can also be watched at the pace that it is played...which allows me a lot of time to sit back and read and listen and at the end of the day you can keep your steroid, wife-beating, murdering, scripted, refs determine the outcome of games in the NFL....the greediest league and sport ever conceived.
Just Thank God for Baseball.
My Beautiful Wife and Children
Of course my wife and children are not down on the list of the things I'm grateful for (I just thought of them, honestly)...but no...
...truthfully
...they're lives are what I live for, of course.
Their happiness is way more important to me than mine.
Their safety is what I pray for on a daily basis.
Their wants are my responsibility.
And how can I not be grateful for them?
In a world that is filled with doubt, fear, bitterness and hatred...
...I found a patch of land and some companions for the long walk.
I hear about families where there is never-ending discord. I know of husbands who hate their wives, and vice-versa, certainly. I know of children who don't speak to their siblings or hate their own parents.
And I am thankful that we have built a house on higher ground.
And that we govern with love.
So, as you can see, there is much to be thankful for...and while Brubaker was setting me up with an assignment...it's one that I am happy to address...
...Because I've said it before in this blog arena and I'm never afraid to say it again:
God gave me everything I want...
...and it's up to me to use it properly.
Thanks, Brubaker.
You...on the other hand...still suck.
Unless a balding, Boston-based, Steelers fan who also happens to write tremendous inspirational books and coaches others in business applications, Mr. John Brubaker, an award-winning author, speaker, health-food nut, and all-around great guy, asks you to do it.
Did I mention he's balding?
And has that stupid Bahs-ton tone?
Dork.
Well, John (who I met at an book awards ceremony in dumb Boston) asked me to do an exercise in what I am thankful for...three or five things over 10 days...(or some shit)...but here it is:
One good blog on the subject.
First off, I have been extremely blessed in my life.
I have always been surrounded by great people.
I'm astoundingly handsome.
I'm overly brilliant, and everyone else is absolutely wrong about any subject that I ever post a thought on.
Okay, only some of that is true.
I've always been surrounded by great people.
I recall a day when I was standing next to my Dad. I was about 10 years old. He had asked me to chop up the onions for the sauce. I was working hard. Dad asked me if I'd show my kids how to do it.
I remember that I said, 'Sure.'
Dad must have thought that was funny because he asked me how many kids I would have.
"A lot," I said. "Because I want to do things for them like you do for us."
I recall that Dad brought that up to my Mom as we were eating dinner and I was real embarrassed because my siblings attacked me for being a 'brown nosed little bastard.'
Did I mention my siblings there?
My God, I couldn't love a group of people more, and I feel the same vibe from them, of course. We tortured one another in our closed circle with wit and sarcasm and just joke after joke after joke...but man we get pissed when someone outside the circle says or does something to us. Even now. And together we grieve.
We laugh together, Grieve together. Breathe together.
I am eternally grateful to be a part of the Fuzzy clan. Man, we've had fun...and damn we've had sadness, but how can you not Thank the Lord for that placement?
(And that includes my insane cousins...evidently even a touch of Fazzolari blood does a number).
Reading and Writing
On this past Saturday morning I was talking to my Mom about books.
We swapped chatter of what we've been reading. We've been doing that since I was about 8 years old. Mom would hand me books, and vice-versa. My sisters are also in the reading club...and that passion is just as strong now as it was back more than 40 years. People don't believe me when I tell them I read about 60 books a year, but I do...
...and by extension...I've always wanted to write something that makes other people feel the way that I do when I'm so enjoying reading.
Friends will often ask me how I write a blog every day, and keep a journal, and work a lot of hours and then write books, and all I can say is that I am thankful for the passion that God and my Mom provided.
I still love it all, as if I just started that journey.
Food
All right, Brubaker...you knew this one. I am thankful for stuffed peppers, pork chops, porterhouse steaks, pasta, linguini and clams, lobster, broccoli rabe, Italian Sausage, Polish Sausage...are there any other sausages?
I'll eat the bastards.
Yet it's more than just the devouring of the food. I also enjoy taking the time to cook it. I love chopping up the onions as my Dad taught me to do...and then serving the family.
"What do you guys want for dinner?" I'll ask as I'm watching them eat lunch.
So..yeah...I'm thankful that we've always had enough...more than enough (I once chided my wife for not knowing the pleasure of eating until pain)...actually.
Baseball
If God made me make the decision for all of mankind:
YOU CAN KEEP ONE SPORT!
(God would have to speak in all caps and in bold, right?)
It would be baseball.
Vin Scully. All those numbers. Mickey, Willie and Hank. Jeter. The 27-Time World Champion Greatest Franchise in the History of Organized American Sports. The feel of a big stadium. Multiple hot dogs at the park (see above). And numbers....numbers...numbers...
"Baseball is boring!" People scream at me.
Not with the box scores and the records and the pennant chases and the history...that those steroid freaks threatened...and the game is incredible itself. No two games are alike. It can be 10-9 in the 3rd inning or 1-1 in the 17th.
The game can also be watched at the pace that it is played...which allows me a lot of time to sit back and read and listen and at the end of the day you can keep your steroid, wife-beating, murdering, scripted, refs determine the outcome of games in the NFL....the greediest league and sport ever conceived.
Just Thank God for Baseball.
My Beautiful Wife and Children
Of course my wife and children are not down on the list of the things I'm grateful for (I just thought of them, honestly)...but no...
...truthfully
...they're lives are what I live for, of course.
Their happiness is way more important to me than mine.
Their safety is what I pray for on a daily basis.
Their wants are my responsibility.
And how can I not be grateful for them?
In a world that is filled with doubt, fear, bitterness and hatred...
...I found a patch of land and some companions for the long walk.
I hear about families where there is never-ending discord. I know of husbands who hate their wives, and vice-versa, certainly. I know of children who don't speak to their siblings or hate their own parents.
And I am thankful that we have built a house on higher ground.
And that we govern with love.
So, as you can see, there is much to be thankful for...and while Brubaker was setting me up with an assignment...it's one that I am happy to address...
...Because I've said it before in this blog arena and I'm never afraid to say it again:
God gave me everything I want...
...and it's up to me to use it properly.
Thanks, Brubaker.
You...on the other hand...still suck.
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