THE BENCH: Learning what matters from history

I was thinking a great deal about what to post as we enter the final portion of the year, but perhaps most as we approach the Thanksgiving holiday and we tend to slow down and have time for ourselves and our family members. The BENCH hit me hard as I thought about the troubles we are seeing get worse and worse each day of this year and what did that really mean to me and to my own family and world.

The BENCH is a symbol of what and who I am, not fancy, not always pretty, shiny and polished but what I am is hardworking, dependable, you can lean on me no matter what and like the bench, I am and will always be there to support my family and my friends, no one will ever doubt this. THE BENCH is a living history of this.

I though long and hard about why and what made me this way? I have caught myself saying , "well I came from very little" , now I can say this is 1000% wrong, I should have always said, "I came from so MUCH". I came from a family that gave and gave to others, no matter if we had no a penny, we gave what we had. I came from a Mother that loved and cared and was so proud of her son's that she could not help tell everyone about what we did , even in the check out line in the grocery stores, she gave me self esteem, inner pride. My father , worked so hard, so dedicated and from sun up to sun down he worked and never complained, he taught me about always taking care of things I borrowed and to always return them better than when I got them. He never wrestled a day in his life but he never missed a match, he complained how "sore" he was the day after my matches because he strained so hard with every move I made he made with me.

I had no country clubs , no fancy cars, no big house, I HAD EVERYTHING, proud loving always showing up parents, cheering for us to win always and proud of what we did and always doing for others. Family and community was our core. I HAD EVERYTHING. Life is what you put into it, your results, your purpose, your reason is what you put into it. The BNECH WITH ALL IT's duct tape and ugly beauty is a symbol of giving back , showing up, investing in no matter what. I want my children, my friends, those I mentor to know the importance of not what you have but rather what you give.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!