Thankful

It is once again the time of year where we all come together and give thanks for all the wonderful things in our life. Many families across the country will participate in the “Tell everyone something you are thankful for or you can’t have any turkey” tradition. Chances are you could say the exact same thing for 30 years and nobody would be the wiser.

Of course I am thankful for my family and friends. I’m thankful that I have a job and a roof over my head. I am thankful for all those “traditional” things. However, I thought I might spend some time being thankful for some more obscure things. These things might not get a lot of publicity but in the end make life a whole lot more awesome!

So with that, I give you my 2010 List of Awesome Stuff!

I am thankful for squeezable ketchup bottles. How many hours have we wasted shaking, hitting and knife digging in order to supply ourselves with tomatoey goodness. And often only to have our efforts rewarded with the gooey red avalanche! How grateful I am that my kids will grow up in a world where ketchup is but a squeeze away.

I am thankful for flip-top toothpaste tubes. Time does not allow for me to list all the wonders this marvel of engineering brings. One handed access, no more lost toothpaste caps, a cleaner tube and it even stands upright on the counter. Genius!

I am thankful for car-seat warmers. It could be 12 below outside but once my rear hits my toasty seat in my car, all is right with the world. Let’s face it, warm buns make everything better.

I am thankful for the Wii. I have never been much of a video game guy. Mostly because I have never been good at them. I mean sure I saved the princess in Mario Brothers on the old Nintendo, but that was only after I learned how to “rob the turtle” and gain thousands of lives. But the Wii seems to put me on level playing ground. I can succeed because I can choose games that allow me to actually “do” something. I have now reached the status of “pro” on tennis, bowling and golf. Don’t hate my awesomeness.

I want to be thankful for P90X. However, I have discovered that the results attained by this program are not permanent. Evidently you have to continue listening to Tony day in and day out…forever. The box does not come with this warning…I have looked!

I am thankful that while this blog has not gone “viral” yet, at least it has gone international. Yes, Canada counts. And a big shout-out to all five of my followers!

I am thankful for 80’s music, or as we used to call it…music. No additional commentary needed.

I am thankful that my wife is a deal finding Jedi. For her, it is the thrill of the hunt. Think of something you have recently purchased. Chances are she would have found it cheaper. I can see her someday, telling her grandchildren of the time back in 2010 when grandma found a Leapster game for 70% off. I won’t be surprised if someday she begins to mount the receipts on the wall like a trophy elk.

I am thankful for Dutch Bro’s coffee. I realize those outside of the northwest will not appreciate this one. But come on, a coffee place with friendly staff that seems genuinely glad you stopped in. A coffee place that believes a large coffee should automatically come with four shots! I have often said that the Milky Way Freeze is proof there is a God and that He loves me.

I am thankful there is always “On Demand”. If I can’t find anything to watch on the 700 channels we have, I can always hit the magic “On Demand” button and watch my favorite episode of Mythbusters for the 10^th time or catch that episode of Survivor that I missed. Ya right, like I would miss an episode of Survivor or could even begin to pick a favorite Mythbusters. And don’t get me started on my DVR!

I am thankful that in this digital age, we only have to listen to the songs we want. We all know that we only really like 3-5 songs from each album. Unless of course it comes from Garth Brooks.

I am thankful that Chip Kelly is a football wizard. Take it from a guy who used to drive 3 hours to go to a University of Oregon game, only to leave at half-time because we were getting blown out…this guy can coach. And in an era where most coaches are talking out of both sides of their mouth, Chip can seemingly only use one.

I could go on for quite some time. I didn’t even mention our sectional sofa, Five Guys Burgers and Fries or the miracle that people actually read this blog.

Friends, life is full of awesomeness! It is my hope that you take some time to look around and be thankful for it all!

Now it’s your turn. Have some fun and tell me what you are thankful for.

Greatness

Someday greatness will matter to you. Someday you will find yourself in a place where all you hope for is greatness. Greatness from yourself and greatness from those around you. Don’t you hope that when you need greatness you will find it?

I wonder though, will there be any greatness left when that time comes. “Great” is becoming “good” by the minute.

Right now greatness is playing in a soccer league that doesn’t keep score, declares no winner and gives every player the same trophy. It is in this same league that people are jealous of success, curse those who play too hard and decry teams for wanting to win instead of “just having fun”. Since when did winning and having fun become mutually exclusive?

Right now greatness is in a classroom where good enough has become good enough. Sharper minds are not singled out and cultivated. It seems we are sacrificing potential genius for the stable self image. “Don’t push them…it might hurt.”

Right now greatness is in a home where they are allowed to be “just ok”. There are no lines drawn in the sand. No real expectations to meet. Just stay out of major trouble and it is smooth sailing. The main goal is to get them up, get them ready and get them out the door so your day can start. “Let them find their own way”, “Kids will be kids”, and all that.

Greatness is not celebrated. It is not pursued, praised or purposed. The desire to cultivate greatness has been replaced with the need to make everyone feel special. No longer do we push our young people to be great. Seems like “ok” is the target…as long as they are happy. Average is as average does. Greatness rises up only when it has a reason to. When did we stop looking for potential and then jumping on it, grabbing it with both hands and holding onto it until it matures?

Someday it will matter to you.

Someday you may walk into a hospital to have a brain tumor removed. Don’t you want a surgeon who from an early age was praised for their efforts in school? A surgeon whose drive for excellence has long been cultivated? A surgeon for who top of the class was the only place worth shooting for?

Someday you may be on trial for a crime you did not commit. Don’t you want a lawyer who HATES to lose? A lawyer who learned to compete? A lawyer who wanted to win the medal? A lawyer who will grab a hold of injustice and wrestle it to the ground until it quits kicking?

Someday you may be on a plane that is going down. Don’t you want a pilot who learned to perform under pressure? A pilot who has always delivered in “those” moments? A pilot fixed on success? A pilot who refuses to see failure as an option?

Sometimes good enough just isn’t.

Greatness raises the bar and then jumps over it. Greatness sets the record and then crushes it. Greatness knocks down the door of opportunity. Why? Simply because that’s what greatness does.

Don’t be afraid to seek greatness. Hope for it. Look for it. Encourage it. Root for it.

Be it.

Greatness decided not to move to the back of the bus. Greatness decided that going to the moon was a perfectly reasonable thing to do. Greatness decided to give her life to those in Calcutta. Greatness decided you could replace a heart with a mechanism. Greatness decided to not give up after being cut from high school basketball and eventually won six world championships. Greatness decided that losing his hearing was no excuse to stop making music.

I wonder what greatness will do next...