Rambling

In all things we must seek balance. Without balance there is dysfunction and instability. Balance is illusive and fleeting. It can be gained and then lost as time and circumstance shift the loads we carry. As long as we are truly seeking our journey will be productive. We will accomplish great things in sport, in training, and in life.

Coach - what the heck are you talking about?

Time to put the seat belts on - the ride is about to get bumpy. We have been stretching our muscles - now it is time to stretch our mind. The brain is after all just another muscle.

We are about to enter in to the realm of the poet warrior, the cerebral athlete, the Renaissance man/woman. To seek balance in all things we must train our mind with the same enthusiasm that we do other muscles.

You are who you think you are - perception is reality - life is good if you say so. Today is good - if you say so. Today can also be great - it can be the very best day of your life - for in reality - today is all we have. Today is what you make it.

There is an old Sanskrit verse that puts things into perspective:

Look to this day for it is life, the very life of life.
For yesterday is but a dream , and tomorrow a vision.
But today, well lived, will make every yesterday a dream of happiness and every tomorrow a vision of hope. Live well therefore this day.

We had a guy on the fire department, long since retired, who with out really thinking about it, lived this proverb to the tea. He savored every moment and squeezed every second out of life. As is true with all great men, his words, or better yet, his catch phrases, have become part of our fire department culture. When he was asked about the food he was eating - his response was highly predictable - "the best I ever ate." It didn't matter what the food was - a sandwich or a steak - if it was lunch, dinner, or just a snack - the food in his hand became the best he ever ate. He was very grateful to have it and enjoyed it thoroughly.

Those who love dogs and truly know them understand this concept - dogs keep it in the now - they remember little, forget quickly, and appreciate this moment completely. They can be scolded and punished for peeing on the carpet but give them a bone a minute later and all is right with the world. The bad memories are forgotten and life is good once more. The dog bone is always "the best I ever ate."

So what does this have to do with anything - and why are you posting this on our blog?

Sometimes we need reminders to help us seek that which is important. The signs along the highway remind us to check the gas gauge on a long journey. They don't actually say "check your gas level" but they remind us with pictures, works, and symbols that gas is available. Running out of gas is never an accident - it is the result of misguided priorities. This translates into a lack of balance. Something else was more important than putting gas in the car.

Misplaced priorities can also turn a long and happy life into a tragic footnote. If we fail to take care of the machine through proper diet, exercise, and stress management we are setting ourselves up for failure.

Life is a journey -you choose the destination and the means of travel. This blog is but a sign along the way - seek the balance and enjoy the ride. Capt.