Pep Talk: "Good Going On"

Unless just crawling from beneath a big rock, returning from outer space or emerging from unconsciousness, you know these are challenging times in America.

That was the conversation topic on a recent Friday morning as three knuckleheads drove toward a weekly men’s fellowship. The self-proclaimed “Three Stooges” were debating, via speaker phone, with your scribe’s Kansas City-based 82-year-old feisty mother about America’s president tweeting of a ban on transgender military personnel. The never-reserved octogenarian, after vigorously defending her position, bellowed in the four-way chat, “It’s a bunch of bullsh*t.”

Ma, tell us what you really feel. However, in the craziness of our times, there is good news to report. So, here goes.

“Oh, I haven’t told you?” was the somewhat sarcastic remark from a dear friend when this ol’ jock suggested the mother of two grown kids had plenty of time for other pursuits. “We (hubby is buddy and former CU Buff football standout) took in a family of four unexpectedly between homes and in need of shelter.”

The heart just melted with admiration and respect for a wonderful couple who decided to serve others. A well-deserved respite from raising kids and enjoying life as empty nesters is taking a back seat to caring for others in a vulnerable spot. Bravo.

It’s been mentioned before in these weekly musings, but our nation has become way too isolated and divided. We need to build a stronger cord to one another. Never growing weary of doing good for others, realizing we reap the harvest, is a good place to start.

Here’s another inspiring story. Tom Moller is a friend, long-time radio stalwart and news director at a radio station in the Mile High City. I’m blessed to occasionally join him as co-host of "Colorado Issues on KRKS. We’re sports enthusiasts who love hanging together, interviewing others doing good works and telling stories. The proud Michigan State grad is a patriotic man.

“We were visiting some friends who live on the grounds of the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland,” the father of three and grandpa to five offered. “It brought tears to my eyes every morning, exactly at 8am, to hear a bugler play the national anthem.”

I dunno about you but this (me) ol’ fart, at almost 60, still gets teary-eyed during the playing of the Star Spangled Banner. Before breath leaves my body, it’s on the bucket list to sing it at a sporting event. Upon learning my buddy’s heartwarming sentiment about hearing the national anthem, I wondered, “Why not start playing it on the air?”

Moller liked the idea and KRKS started it last week. Each weekday morning at 6am, programming begins with the national anthem. Be still my heart. “What’s been the reaction?” I wondered. “It’s been awesome,” was the response.

Without question, we live in crazy times. However, please don’t forget the good going on. Caring for one another and the ideals of this nation. We all benefit when embracing each.

  

Pep Talk: "Keep Trying"

“Since a little kid I’ve always dreamed the best years would be my 50’s and 60’s,” was the enthusiastic comment from a beloved buddy over coffee on a recent visit to Portland, Oregon.

Your knucklehead scribe was struck with the irony. A long-time friend was looking forward with eagerness to what lies ahead despite a sobering truth: Multiple Sclerosis was betraying his body, especially the legs. The reality is, barring a miracle, the amazing Jim Fairchild’s ability to be ambulatory without assistance is threatened.

Whenever blessed to have the opportunity to encourage others, especially the efforts of A Stronger Cord, one of the main principles is that life rarely goes as planned. It was not in the father of two teenage daughter’s plans to, at 47-years-old, be working through the challenges of MS, and acceptance of its limitations, while maintaining an optimistic outlook about the future.

As we sat and chatted on a beautiful Pacific Northwest summer morning, the ol’ noggin was in overdrive. Admiration for sure. A wonderful man is trying to turn lemons, the heck with lemonade, into sweet and savory margaritas.

Long ago, Fairchild (producer) and this old sports guy (host) worked together on CU football coach Gary Barnett’s television show. Sweet memories of a cherished time. “I want to spend the rest of life encouraging others through storytelling. I want to encourage them to keep trying.”

Wow. The small-business owner’s spirit knocked me back into the comfy pillows of a hotel lobby couch. He’s dealing with MS, going through a painful divorce and still finding an internal reservoir of hope. We know from Proverbs that “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is the tree of life.”  A guy who believes, considering his age, that the “Best is yet to come” focuses on that dream ahead of a debilitating disease, raising teenagers and the ending of a 20-plus year marriage? Are you kidding me?

Way to go buddy! My mind races to others who impressively ride this roller coaster called life with such an attitude. Bartender, a round for everybody to try and get intoxicated with such a spirit! It ain’t easy. “There are dark moments for sure,” Fairchild admitted. 

What’s causing any current angst? If you’re taking a breath at this time, you have challenges. We all do. It’s one of the central themes of the ASC Knuckleheads’ efforts to unite communities with wellness. We all have our stuff. Let’s use weekly fitness, relationship building and community service gatherings to build a stronger cord to one another. We’ll become more fit, connected and giving. Healthier and inspired to keep trying.

Our time together was too short. I’m blessed that darling wife does business in Portland. It gives me a good excuse to visit an inspirational dude. He does a podcast and we plan on doing one together soon.

Buddy, thanks for the reminder. It’s good for all of us. Despite current obstacles, the best may indeed be ahead. We gotta keep trying.

Pep Talk: "Do The Turtle"

“What are you doing?” inquired darling wife. We were waiting at DIA’s terminal for the underground train to Concourse B and a flight to Portland, Oregon. Your knucklehead scribe was moving the jaw bone back and forth. Somewhat loving, the brown-eyed beauty cracked, “You look like a turtle.”

I was practicing something learned at A Stronger Cord's Wednesday night gathering at All Soul's Parish. It was a Pilates move. Instructor Catherine Glenn shared it with the Knuckleheads during the enjoyable sweat-producing workout. Moving the jaw back and forth, from tucked to extended? “It helps line up cervical bones!” is recalled as the logic. It works and felt good. So, while killing time waiting for a train, this ol’ jock is doing the turtle. The boss was annoyed.

The exercise triggered thoughts of an old buddy and awesome mentor, Jerry Gibson. Long ago, the former University of Illinois football chaplain, minister and all-around spiritual warrior, over breakfast, told a powerful story involving turtles.

“McIntosh,” roared Gibson, “When it comes to overcoming fears and chasing dreams, we could learn from turtles.” Sitting across from a beautiful soul devouring runny eggs, sausage and hash browns, I was dodging food particles flying from his mouth. Between quick moves to avoid chewed-food debris, a quizzical counter. “What? We could learn from turtles?”

A man who, eventually, would mentor many students and student/athletes at the University of Colorado, quickly retorted. “Think about it.” He proceeded to, first, tuck chin to chest before extending it forward, “A turtle doesn’t make any progress until sticking its neck out.” Amen dude.

A short while later, while on board the train the ol’ noggin starts processing: A wife’s loving, I think, ridicule leads to Jerry Gibson and then to another respected buddy, Bryan Sederwall.

The basketball-junkie pastor leads the Denver Dream Center. I love the community-outreach church. ASC teams up with these amazing folks for many events including Adopt-A-Block, Hardcourt Hustlers and Third Thursdays. Its mission is to, “Rescue people, rebuild lives and restore dreams.” Be still my heart. ASC and DDC make good teammates.

At a recent DDC staff meeting, Sederwall, the father of three athletic boys, was talking about the “Law of Entropy.” The Illinois’ native was raised with a science teacher as a father and boiled it down. “It’s a scientific fact: The world is chaotic.” Yep it is, especially these days. At a Denver Rescue Mission devotion the other morning, I heard a guy speak about the “darkness of the times.” To name a few from close observation, health care woes, growing inequality gaps and too many displaced folks. 

A Stronger Cord and its many partners are trying to change that. Working to deliver, through a three-pronged approach to wellness, communities positive energy and welcomed light in the darkness. Wanna join us? All are welcome.

If not, at least consider investing time somewhere else. Go ahead and stick your volunteer neck out. Do the turtle. Who knows, such efforts might bring order to chaos, light to darkness and health to cervical bones. Yours and others.