I Wanna See You Be Great

Footsteps rumbled overhead at all hours of the day. Back and forth, back and forth. It sounded like the World Cup games up there. At the end of the week we saw a member of the family who stayed in the unit above us moving a stroller and toddler equipment from our vacation resort. Maybe a future Olympian trained above our heads all week. I suspect other vacationers have experienced the overhead rumbling of a young athlete honing his or her skills. Let’s see what it takes to be great: 

                                       http://youtu.be/BIqVvRh_cEY

He practices for four hours every day. Now that’s commitment! As a youngster, Jashaun set big goals and he’s working to achieve them. He could spend his time doing other things, but he’s sacrificing for greatness.  What will you sacrifice to be great?               

An Awesome Wave

I learned something last week. I attended a school basketball game and discovered that one person can make an awesome wave. No kidding. The key lies in the arms and the hands. When you move them gracefully, in slow motion, you get the perfect effect. When three more kids joined the line, that wave celebration was as good as a crowd wave of fifty-thousand spectators in a sports arena. A good wave feels like a warm hug or a big high-five. Most people enjoy giving or getting a compliment. If you compel people to pay tribute for a great feat, will it still be heartfelt? Take a look and a listen:

                                             http://youtu.be/W9j4Gi0lbR4

The best waves aren’t experiments, but contagious celebrations honoring someone who did well. In our media-driven culture where we criticize every outfit, haircut, and relationship, let’s triple the amount of compliments we give.  Who doesn’t enjoy a little praise? In your opinion, who deserves an awesome wave?

Your Dennis-Kim Connection

If you were planning to catch a basketball game, who would you invite—Dennis Rodman or Kim Jong Un? I'll allow some time for the question to sink in.  (Pause) Apparently the pair caught a Harlem Globetrotter exhibition game together in North Korea. Do Rodman and Jong Un have anything in common besides the love of basketball? Regardless of what everyone else thinks, Rodman insists that he has found a new life-long friend in North Korea. Do opposites attract or do birds of a feather flock together?  What do you think about these pairings?

                                              http://youtu.be/AxYiLzWee84

“Hard to explain,” the announcer said. Another animal expert remarked that the animals fulfill each other’s needs. I agree with both statements. There has to be a common bond, an element that attracts two beings to one another. Yes, birds of a feather do flock together. So, where’s the Jong Un-Rodman connection headed? It started with basketball, but what else bonds them? I wonder if their friendship will deepen with Skype, texts, Facebook or long-distance phone chats?  How do you maintain a relationship with your best friend?