Grateful in 2015

For all the goals, aspirations and resolutions that I hold for 2015, the key to any success will be gratitude, my theme for the New Year.

As I have grown older, I have become more spiritual and devoted to living in a way that will hopefully make God proud. That means living with more gratitude. If I can be more grateful for the daily blessings in this life, it will help me be kinder, more present, more patient, and more courageous. This will have to be a conscious decision I make and action I take every day.

Deciding to appreciate the young smiling face that serves me at the restaurant. Deciding to appreciate the incredible view of the Rocky Mountains through a ninth story window. Deciding to take five minutes at the end of the day to remember all the positive things that happened. Deciding to pray and give thanks before every meal. 

More gratitude will start at home. My hot wife Jill is the greatest of gifts and brings as much light as the sun to my world. I will let her know more that I am so grateful for her. I appreciate what wonderful young women my daughters Ellen and Molly have become. They make the world better. I will let them know more.

The passing of the great Stuart Scott, at the young age of just 49, is another cold slap in the face to remind us all that we do not chose when and when do not chose how our lives will end, even if you are bright star adored by millions. Scott’s passing is also a reminder to not put off tomorrow what you can do today, so that gives me even more urgency to be grateful every opportunity.  (You can check out a nice tribute to Stuart Scott: http://espn.go.com/espn/story/_/id/12118296/stuart-scott-espn-anchor-dies-age-49)

To say I knew Scott would be inaccurate. I met him at a few NBA functions back in the day and spoke with him on the phone a handful of times. I cannot remember any specific conversations or any memorable interactions other than he was a nice, personal, vibrant guy. Scott and I were similar in age, and he also had two daughters, which more than anything else makes his death jarring. SportsCenter in heaven just became a lot more interesting.

Recommendations:

Books: Love Does by Bob Goff

My friend Matt Guarino recommended this one to me and it was my favorite read of 2014. The premise is to show love in everything you do and to keep an element of whimsy and wonder in life. Goff does a wonderful job of telling engaging and stories that inspired me want to go out and “do” like he and his family.

Film: The Imitation Game

This story of tortured genius Alan Turing is well-crafted and well acted. Benedict Cumberbatch gives a tour de force and Kiera Knightly is lovely and believable. Rory Kinnear as the English investigator who uncovers Turing’s secrets does a great job of capturing the sadness of Turing’s fate. As a World War II nut, I was anxious to learn more about the breaking of the German Enigma machine, and the human element of this story was fascinating.