“This is Totally and Utterly Pointless. A Complete waste of time”
I knew the words weren’t nice ones…..but they fit how I felt.
Having just missed a 3rd open layup in 10 minutes, I was running my third lap around Joel Abramson’s over sized back yard as self imposed punishment for my ineptitude on the court.
As 2 undersized Jewish kids from the suburbs, we realized our only real chance of making it to the NBA relied on a self imposed carrot and the stick discipline – big baskets were rewarded with enthusiastic high fives and missed 5 footers were punished by the brisk jog of shame around the Abramson’s carefully coiffed pool and 1/2 acre back yard.
We had been doing this for going on a full week, and both of us were convinced it was our ticket to top shelf pre-pubescent fitness and a lucrative career as professional point guards for the philadelphia 76ers.
Somewhere in that 3rd lap I had an epiphany.
In one bright and frightful moment, I realized I was never going to play professional basketball.
I would never hear my name screamed by the roar of the crowd.
I would never trade knowing nods with Dr. J before a big playoff game.
I would never hear Magic Johnson talk about the difficulty of guarding me one on one with the game on the line.
Having been a kid who wore bright red NBA style wrist bands to all but the most solemn occasions - everything BIG I believed in up to that point in my life was taken from me….in one white hot bolt of terrible truth.
I began to run faster.
I was in the midst of my first existential crisis.
I was 9 years old, and had absolutely no idea what I was going to do with the rest of my life.
Maybe like you, I’ve spent most of the years since looking for something big to believe in.
Something meaningful.
Something that matters.
My own pursuit of passion – both personally and professionally alike – has lead me on many odd, unusual and even ominous paths.
And every time I’ve felt (or found) myself beat up, busted and broken……one thing has always redeemed me.
Believing in something big.
Serving something bigger, bolder and more important than myself.
And trusting that there was a wisdom in betting BIG on that something to show me the way.
I’m not talking about religion per se.
Or dogma, ritual or blind faith.
(although that’s certainly ok if that’s what motivates You)
Instead -
I want to share 3 quick stories with you.
They are a bit revealing in ways that I don’t typically share – but I hope that they help you connect to your sense of what that big thing is.
If there is a point in any of these stories that it seems like I’m sounding like a saint – or someone who goes out of his way to do good for the world – trust me - while I’d love to believe that was true – it’s not. (or even remotely close)
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