I recently read a statement in a J.A. Jance novel that made me pause. The context was a guy who realized he may not achieve his dream. The statement was “maybe that’s what dreams are for-to fill in the blanks and allow us to glimpse things that would otherwise remain forever invisible.” That statement is worth reading again.

Payne Stewart, the professional golfer that won the US Open in June 1999, died in a plane crash a few months later in October of that year. Before he died he was quoted as saying the following about dreams “The thing about dreams is sometimes you get to live them out.” Clearly, Payne Stewart could live out some of his hopes and dreams through golf but when he died at 42 years old, these words about dreams have much more impact.

The dreams I am speaking of are not the kind you imagine while you are sleeping. We have all had these types dreams where you leave the house in the morning for work and realize when you get to work that you don’t have any clothes on. Ha.

No, the dreams I am speaking of are borne out of a deep hope and desire for our life and the lives of those around us. Just maybe these dreams are in fact a glimpse that allows us to imagine our lives the way we want them to be. Without getting too philosophical here, maybe, it is the dreams that drive the hope for a better future. If I were asked to name the most important emotion we can possess, it would be hope. Hope is that thing that keeps us engaged in life and moving toward the tomorrows we dream of. I know this idea is a lot to take in but I believe if you really think it through, dreams are in fact a glimpse into the life we most want. KT

The other day I was looking though the news completely unaware that I needed motivation. I was generally happy and content and going about my daily life as normal.

As I was reading I came across a news report on the Winter Paralympic Games happening this week in PyeongChang, South Korea. It had articles, videos and pictures of many of the world’s athletes as they compete. As of today, America leads the other countries with 30 metals, 11 of which are gold.

As I began to read about these athletes and watch videos of the competition, it began to humble me unlike anything I have ever seen. We as a society watch sporting events like baseball, football, basketball and with with rapt attention, the regular Olympic games. In many sports, these athletes are often seen as heroes and or role models for our kids when in reality, very few of them are living the model life worthy of hero status.

As I continued to watch these Paralympic athletes that persevered through life with physical handicaps, I believe they are the athletes that deserve the honor, respect and hero status of our youth as well as each of us reading this blog.

look up Paralympic games and just hit the “images” tab or the “videos” tab and see how great these athletes are. KT

Tomorrow we are taking a family trip to Colorado. All the kids, son-in-law’s and granddaughters. The whole fam.

When you think about planning a trip like this there is always reasons not to do it. I have this going on, they have that going on, scheduling, school, meetings, existing plans etc. etc. It is always easier to say, “let’s just go next year.”

Well, next year is, well,,,, next year. Now is,,, now. I choose now over next year because no one knows what the circumstances will be next year. See, that’s the thing about moments. You hopefully will have many more moments similar to now but they will never be just like this one. The other day I was thinking about my 50^th birthday party and how it seems like it was just a few months ago. Then I realized that in that same seemingly blink of time (10 years) I will be 70 years old. Therefore, I called that next morning and booked the family trip.

Life has a way of slipping by without us noticing it. It’s the events and the moments and the memories that we remember most. I say pack life full and choose now over tomorrow. It can be as simple as choosing to reconnect with a family member or have coffee with someone important, telling your children that you love them unconditionally, fix a personal matter or even get on your knees and have that conversation with God that you have been putting off. In short, choose now because it is all you really are promised. Tomorrow is not.  KT

High school football is one of America’s favorite pastimes. Playing high school was quite possibly the thing that changed who I was and the way I saw myself. Before football, I was just another kid in school but when I made the varsity football team as a sophomore it gave me an association that I was proud of and something I belonged to. Many of my teammates went on to play college ball and even coach on a collegiate level.

I remember Charles Sinagra, Eddie Householder, Ray Leake, Jeff Lane, Charlie Cantrell and other guys that I looked up to. When I became part of that group, in a way it changed me. Team sports for a young guy is probably one of the most impressionable activities you can do. Today many kids don’t need a team involvement but for me back then, it was what I needed.

In the spring Jamboree game of my sophomore year I caught an interception that changed the outcome of the game. There is probably nothing more gratifying than to have your peers congratulate you and pat you on the back. I remember Coaches Smith, Gore, Moore, Easterling, Oswalt and AC McCullough. They were men’s men and would yell so loud through the ear hole in your helmet, that your head would ring for five minutes. Back in those days there wasn’t social media and videos and tattling to your momma about how mean the coach was. They basically did whatever they wanted from slapping us in the head to kicking us in the butt. We were their boys, their players, their team and while they could do anything to us they wanted to, they wouldn’t let anyone else mistreat us. We grew into a close group that to this day at class reunions, you will see the old team over in the corner talking about football games.

My home life was mess and in November of my senior year I got in my car and left home for a week. When I returned home (if you could call it that) I drove over to coach Smith’s house and told him I fully understand if he kicked me off the team. I remember vividly that he looked at me and said son, its ok, now get your head back in the game and be there for practice tomorrow. Then he put his arm around me and told me he understood. He never knew what that gentle act of kindness did for me as a troubled teen. It made me want to be a better man when I grew up. I left home for good shortly after that as a senior in high school and found a job and a place to live and started adult life way too young. It was that football team, my friends and especially Elaine that helped me hold it together. Being coached by good men at that impressionable age helped set the example for me to follow in life.

I reconnected with my oldest friend in life, Ray Leake a few months back and as you would expect from high school teammates, we talked a great deal about that period in our lives. We,,,,,, also talked about Oliva Newton John who we were both in love with in the 8th grade. Ha. KT