What’s it all about? Once Again I am reminded that there are no coincidences as I meet a positive ambassador (Chris)

Yesterday I took my youngest son to the park.  We had a ball, and I must say as I chased him around and did a few chin ups on a bar, I realized that maybe, just maybe I am getting a little older.  I thought about how I used to be able to do quite a few more chin ups back in

the day, and how we used to play football and basket ball every chance we got.  As I played with my son, I thought about how life changes, and how we change.  Our bodies change and our interests change.  I thought about how when I was a teenager my dad outran my good friend Barney and me one time.  I wondered if I could outrun my eighteen year old son Cory or his older brother Tony.  Probably not, but maybe I could.  Sometimes you wonder what’s it all about this changing life?  Now it is Jordan’s time to run around all day or as often as he can.  As we ran home, I thought about how my teacher used to say “a house without children is like a cemetery, it has no life.  I truly felt alive as I raced my son.  I remembered Mr.  Ambrister at the age 85, would take a van full of children to the park, and how when I was at his house, kids from down the street would walk in, go to the refrigerator and grab a Popsicle, and then go back out and play.

Later I went to the Franklin Covey store at Twelve Oaks, a nearby mall.  I chanted my mantra in my mind as I walked though the mall.  I felt so good, I felt like I was floating.  To some the word mantra still sounds out there, but the truth is we are all chanting mantras all the time.  Most of us are chanting the mantra of our hopes and worries as we go throughout the day, and then wonder why are we so stressed out.  Me, I was getting centered as I enjoyed my walk.

When I got to the store I was greeted by a very friendly guy named Chris.  As I tried to decide which inserts I wanted, he told me how he uses the ones with two pages per day.  Then he happily told me how he had to have a lot of room for all his appointments with his nephews.  He talked about how he takes them many places.  Chris also explained how he and his wife live right next door to his sister who is a single Mom.  He said “for them I am like Dad.  If they are up to any mischief, when I walk in they say “here comes Uncle Chris”, and all scatter.”  You could see the pride in his face as he talked about his nephews and his dedication toward them.  All I could think about was how he stepped up and jumped in to fill the spot of a male role model in their lives.  I wondered if it was a coincidence that he and his wife lived right next door to his 3 young nephews or had he planned it that way.  In either case I knew it was a part of a Universal plan for both his life and theirs.  As I drove home I thought “this is what it is all about.  Life is about giving and we don’t have to go far out to be great givers.  Life is about caring and sharing and being a positive influence.”

When my teacher talked about children, he knew that spending time with them is one of the best ways to give and move beyond our petty concerns, and ultimately move into the life of a giver.  As we do this in the correct spirit we truly come alive.  Yesterday was a great reminder.  It was no coincidence how everything seemed to all come together and operate out of a particular theme that focused on children and giving.   I thought about how we all start out as children living to learn and simply have fun.  Then we get older and give to children and anyone else we can, and that can be fun.  As the great one once said “I have given my life.  What have you to give?”

Sincerely,

Craig