High on Life

We see the scourge of drugs in our communities.  What is our response.  There is another way.  When you perspective changes on how beautiful life, what a precious gift it is, you value yourself and the your body that is a Temple in a better way.

What drug compare to sunshine, blue skies, and a cool breeze.  Or snow on a cold December morning.  Nature provides all the beauty and high feeling that you could ever want or need.

The Divine spirit that infuses all of nature and all of life can wash away all your pain and infuse you with a sense of well being and peace that is sublime.

How to we achieve this calmness, this tranquility, peace, and joy.

We ask.  We pray that we may be healed and infused with the Spirit.

We have these natural remedies.  Where there is a little faith, we can move mountains.

Cast away this self inflicted shackles and liberate yourself. 

You have the POWER.  You are EMPOWERED.

Be Free!

Your body is a Temple, treat it as such.  Love it, nurture it, treat as your best friend that is is. Your wellness and well being starts with an attitude, starts with a state of mind.

Simply start by Loving yourself.  You are worthy, beautiful, graceful, and lovely just as you are.  You are infused with the Divine spark, and you are part of universal God.  With that knowledge we can accomplish anything.

So start today.  I am well, I am strong, I am fit, I am joy, I radiate health and vibrancy.

Let it be.


To Your Health,

Coach K

Be The Light

The light is love.  The light is kindness and goodness.  Be the light in the world.

We have so many things to be thankful for

This day. This moment.  The sunrise, the chirping birds, the aromatic smell of flowers and trees bursting with life and Spring unfolds.

You are the Light of the world

Peace be with you

You are the Light of the world

Share your Joy

You are the Light of the world

Bless the children

You are the Light of the world

Love your neighbor

You are the Light of the world

Be at peace

Stay in the Light

With Love,

Coach K

The Power of The Word

From John 1, 'In the Beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God:"

And so it is with us.

Our words have tremendous power.  How we speak is how we define ourselves, how we see ourselves, how we shape ourselves.

So be mindful of your language. Be mindful of the power of the Word.

Speak highly of yourself and others, expect great things, speak great things, do great things.

Every thing in the world was done with a thought and a word.

Our words are essential to Life.

The words we speak and the words we hear.  Choose wisely.

Words have the power to fill us with enthusiasm, inspiration, hope, faith, and love.

Let us begin to speak and hear hopeful, uplifting, words.

Words that touch the beauty and joy in our lives, it is there for all of us to see.

Speak of healing, well being, health, love, joy, vibrancy, abundance, vitality.

Speak of all the good things you will bring into your life and this world.


With Love,


Coach K

Creation

We were born to create.  Every day is a new creation. Every day is a rebirth.  When we spend our time creating whether it be a delicious meal, a fine work of art or music, even a simple love note we are at that time connecting with our divine nature. 

When we tap into our innate creativity we share our talents with others and make the world a more beautiful place.  Creativity comes in so many wonderful shapes and sizes from a business idea, a new invention,  an improved process, a photograph, even a gesture of love or kindness.

When we tap into the spirit of creativity we are summoning the powerful forces of the divine spirit to guide us in creating beauty. Creation and beauty comes in many forms from caring, sharing, helping, and serving our talents and others we make the world a better and more beautiful space.

So let us follow our Divine Inspiration and be a Creator, by sharing and enhancing the beauty in the world.

With Love,

Coach K

Easter Sunday Reborn!

"The Lord is risen let us rejoice and be glad!"

The Easter season signifies our coming out of winter and into Spring.  We go from the pain of Good Friday to the joy of  the resurrection on Easter Sunday. Spring is a time of renewal or rebirth.  Let us be reborn in the Light.

Let our hearts be filled with joy and wonderment with this gift called life.  We have much to do and experience,  Let your life be your work of art, your daily life be your joy.

Wherever you are let that be your masterpiece, this is achievable with your excellent attitude.  The love and joy you bring to your daily living will catapult to the place you want to be.

Remember simply to ask and receive with gratitude, and then help the next person along.

Spring and it's beauty is here.  We are renewed, it is time to play and enjoy all the wonderful things life has to offer.

Let us rejoice and be glad!

With Love,

Coach K

Good Friday

Why is Good Friday good if Jesus died on a cross?

That's the question my son posed on Friday.

Good question.  Jesus sacrificed himself so that we may live in hope and so that we may have an extraordinary example of unconditional love. We can take that example and live it in our daily lives. We see it and live it every day as parents by unconditionally loving and accepting our children.  We see it every day by giving and helping others throughout the world in times of trouble.

So out of the pain, suffering, and sadness comes hope, restoration, and renewal.  The death on Good Friday is exceeded by the Glory of the Resurrection on Easter Sunday.  And so it is with us, we often experience pain and suffering in our lives to be only to met with better days ahead. 

Into every life some rain must fall but with the rain we get flowers and crops. Rain is followed by the sun and sometimes even a rainbow.

So keep heart and keep the faith, the Lord has risen. 

Let us rejoice and be glad.

With Love,

Coach K

Wild Irish Rose - A Mother's Love

Helen

 You Owe Me!

"Frankie, Tommy, Chrissy, Brian whatever you're name is, remember you boys Owe Me!"

And Mom was right. 

Mom would often remind us her four boys, Tommy, Frankie, Brian, and Chrissy of the sacrifices she made to bring us into the world. It's a family motto and rallying cry that my three brothers and I use to this day. Besides continually reminding us of what we owed her, she steadfastly implored us to stick together no matter what.  That we were in fact each others soul mates and we would be there for each other though life's ups and downs. Spoken like only a Mother can. 

Helen Ann Keel was born in the Fairmount section of Philadelphia in 1943  She was the black hair, dazzling blue eyed belle of the family, the daughter of her working class parents with Irish and German roots. Her mother Katherine Gallagher and father Frank were devoted to each other and their family.    

Mom was the fourth of five children girl from an Irish Catholic family.  Her oldest sister Kitty, older brothers Frank and Joe, and her younger sister Judy. Like most families from the City, they would spend their summers in Wildwood enjoying Laura's fudge on the boardwalk and Mack's pizza. Kitty would go on to marry and have a daughter, Frank became a Philly police officer then went onto business success.  Frank would also have four boys just like his little sister Sissy. 

Dad was also born in Fairmount in 1943, a legacy of the WWII generation. He was the second from a Irish/German catholic family of four.  Dad's parents had also settled in Fairmount.  They lived in a small interior row home on Perot street. Dad's father was a tough blue collar worker of German descent. Grandpop who would show us some boxing moves while watching TV in his slippers and robe and coddling a can of Ortlieb's beer.  

Dad's mom Katherine was a lovely but tired Irish love that always had a meal and some money for her grandchildren to go to the corner store to get some candy. I remember throwing the dimpled rubber ball again the stoop, and having dinner down at the local watering hole. Dad had an older sister Billy who would happily marry and live in Fairmount, and two younger brothers Johnny and Joe. Johnny would go to Vietnam and struggle with dependency while Joe would go on to become a successful family and businessman.

First Love

Mom would fall in love with a handsome athlete named Thomas J Kaufmann or Tommy from the same blue collar Fairmount neighborhood right off Spring Garden street by the Art Museum. They belonged to neighboring parishes and lived two blocks from one another. Tommy would play basketball with her brothers at the Boat House gym on famed Boat House row of Philly that lines the Schuylkill river along Kelly drive, named after famous Philadelphian and ardent rower Bill Kelly brother of Princess Grace Kelly.

Mom went to all girls high school Hallahan while Pop was bused all the way to South Philly's Bishop Neumann after local Roman Catholic was at capacity. Mom's brothers attended nearby Roman Catholic, Frank player football while Joe was a basketball player. 

Pop upon graduating from Neumann in 1961 was soon  drafted into the Korean War. He would spend two years in Korea and be medically discharged in 1962

The attractive couple would fall deeply in love and be married by their 20th birthdays in 1963 soon after graduating from high school. The two were beginning their fairy tale journey, he the handsome prince and she the beautiful princess.  I can still see the lovely outdoor wedding pictures of the smiling, happy couple from historic Fairmount Park. 

White Picket Fences

Chesnut Hill, Philadelphia 1970

Mom like all princesses had dreams of castles and white picket fences.  She found her Prince Charming and was now going to live happily ever after. 

Soon after the wedding, I was born in July of 1964 while both Mom and Dad were a young 21 at the time. He was working as a local package delivery driver with H&M delivery and they rented a house in aspiring Chesnut Hill which is a delightful blend of the academic, professional, and artistic classes. So while technically in the city, it borders bucolic suburban Lafayette Hill and Springfield, PA. 

Historic Chesnut Hill dates back to the American Revolution with cobblestone streets, a great neighborhood bohemian vibe, where the locals stroll the streets, and enjoy talking with the neighbors. Beautiful Chesnut Hill is a Normal Rockwell painting come to life. Mom had high expectations, and did not want to stay in a small stifling city rowhouse. 

Mom's parents had both passed around the time she finished high school, and her older siblings had moved on with their lives. Her connection to Fairmount was gone.  Mom wanted to leave Fairmount and start a new life with just the two of them.  She wanted him all to herself.  

Mom wanted her castle, her single family house with the white picket fence. 

Dad's both parents were still living, and he had family and friends pulling him back to Fairmount. His life was back in Fairmount, he was comfortable being close to his family and the boys back in the neighborhood.  His weekly basketball game, his softball team, everything he knew was in the city he loved. At the young age of 21, he wasn't ready to let his old life go just yet.

We rented a small twin on a quiet street. Chris was just born and the fourth boy before the age of 26 put some pressure on their fragile marriage.  Dad may have been experiencing some emotional recurrences from Korea and Mom had her hands full with the four of us and not enough money to go around.  Mom would hock her diamond wedding ring for $400 so she could feed her four growing boys.  When she returned to get the diamond, the pawn dealer to her she was late and the ring was sold!  Mom is 76 now and just recounted this story to me the other day.  She remembers it like it was yesterday, and you can still hear the heartbreak in her voice.  A diamond is indeed a girl's best friend.

The Kaufmann's were becoming the rolling stones as we prepared to move for the third time in our young lives.

Roxborough

After struggling with the rent in Chesnut Hill, we migrated over to neighboring Roxborough with its steep hills and strong sense of community.  We had a little two bedroom roach motel next to Daisy field and the wondrous Wissahickon Valley trail that tacks the meandering Wissahickon Creek. Wissahickon was named by the local Lenape Indians and means Yellow Water.  As I grew older and lived nearby, I would find myself gravitating to the magical place for serene walks and runs among the trees with fellow nature lovers. 

The brothers were all born in Chesnut Hill surprisingly the same as my children when we lived in the bordering suburban town of Plymouth Meeting.  Working class Roxborough was full of kids our age, and we made fast friends and started hanging out with the older guys. Good guys that taught us how to egg a Septa bus and how to take the best route to get all the Halloween candy.  One of them was named Dave and the other Kevin,  I wish I could remember their last names and tell them how much they meant to us.  We would flip baseball cards, and I remember losing a lot to a master flipper.  I was stubborn and kept on losing.  I had my coming out in baseball at the age of 6 at Daisy field where it was obvious playing with the other older kids that I had a little ability, all thanks to Pop who was a standout first baseman at Bishop Neumann high school and had a try out with Pittsburgh Pirates. 

I remember one funny story and yes there are many.  Pop was off to work and Mom was wrestling with Chris the baby and the other two boys, she was getting ready to walk me to Kindergarten a few blocks away.  Mom said, "Tommy start walking while I get the kids ready".  I wound up finding my way and made it in time for class.  Mom came along a half hour later with the brothers, and peeked in the first floor window to make sure I arrived safely.  That was just the start of our next 12 years together. Today, if a 6 year walked alone to school it would be a national story and Mom would be arrested. 

So there was the family. Mom, Dad, and the four boys living in our little two bedroom driving a metallic green Chevy Caprice.  Six years had passed it was 1970, and the Princess and Prince were about to embark on their greatest adventure in the working class suburban steel town set by the very same Skukyllkill river.

Conshohocken

Conshohocken founded in 1850 is a town of 10,000 people and about one square mile.  Back in 1970, Conshy was a blue collar steel mill town. Alan Wood steel was the company that provided jobs for the locals. The town was known for its hardscrabble mentality, and was filled with churches, schools, bars, ball fields, firehouses, and a Community center.

Conshohocken or Pleasant Valley in the local Indian (Lenape) tongue, was set against the Skuchyllkill river rising up from the water's edge from Elm St, to Hector St. to the avenues counting up from 1st to 13th.  The main boulevard is known as Fayette St. after the great French general and American Revolutionary hero General Marquis de Lafayette.  Conshohocken is about 20 miles northwest from the birthplace of freedom Philadelphia's Independence Hall and 10 miles from historic Valley Forge.

Conshohocken or Conshy in local lingo was a town known for four things schools and churches, bars, and the community center called The Fellowship House otherwise known as the Fel.  The town had four Catholic churches.  St. Matthew's or St. Matt's located at 3rd and Harry Streets was for the Irish, St. Cosmas and Damian or St. Cos residing at West 6th Ave for the Italians, and smaller St. Mary's for a devoted Polish community on Maple street.St. Garbriel's or St. Gabe's is located just across the Matsonford bridge in neighboring West Conshohocken.

Each of the four churches contained schools with St. Matt's being the largest at around 200 students, St. Cos around 175, while St. Mary's and St. Gabe's each had approximately 100 students.
The schools and churches were the bedrock of the community. There were also several Baptist and Protestant churches within its cozy borders. Harvey S. Walker was a public elementary school that was right across the street from St. Matt's and close to the little town library.

Conshohocken would host the annual Fourth of July Soap Box derby down Fayette Street and the fireworks show later that evening.  The 4th was a big holiday for the town and us, we would light firecrackers and sparklers, and an occasional M-80 that would blow your ear drum.  The festivities included watching the soap box derby. The cars were kept in the gym at the Fel before the race, and you would pick out your favorite based on it's sleek design.  One of our good friends Al actually raced in the Derby and won a few races.

When the night came we would migrate up to the B field a few blocks away to watch the fireworks.  The fireworks were actually held in "A" field stadium on East 10th avenue, but why go inside where you have to pay when you can see the show just as well outside the walls.  Folks would bring blankets and the town would sprawl out on the field and enjoy the show. We would then gravitate back to Marywood park and have our own fireworks show on the merry-go-round  complete with bottle rockets, firecrackers, and roman candles.  Summer had begun.

Conshohocken was always a diverse town of different ethnicities and cultures fom the Irish, Italian, African American, to the Polish, and German. Conshy was a metling pot of the working class. The town had plenty of parks, ball fields, and outdoor basketball courts for us to play.  Perfect for growing boys to exert their abundant energy.  The heart of Conshohocken and the town gathering spot was the Fellowship House.  The Fel was the town community center with an indoor basketball gym, game room area, Hall of Fame trophy room, and Senior citizen lounge upstairs. It even had a stage that was probably used for local theatre plays back in the day, but now was just used to keep the ping pong table.

The Fel was more than a community center to us it was our personal Cathedral. We would spend more time there than any other place in Conshy, and as time went on it would help shape and define the men we would go on to become.

220 E. 5th Avenue

Without realizing it Helen and Tom would stumble on a perfect little gem of a town to raise four growing boys.  They were in love and Mom was finally getting her suburban house with a white picket fence, or at least a small 3br/1bth twin, aournd 1000 square feet, with her own little yard.  Her little slice of heaven. For Pop, well that was yet to be decided.

I remember the excitement and buzz about moving from the tiny two bedroom apartment in Roxborough.  And while we were sad to leave our new found friends, we'd probably only been there a year or so, we were excited to move into a big new house. At the time in 1970, I was 6, Frank was 4, Brian 3, and Chris was under a year old.

I'm not sure where all the new found wealth came from but besides buying a new house in 1970 for the princely sum of $10,000, Mom and Dad also bought a brand new shiny red Volkswagen squareback station wagon.  I can still see how giddy we all were when we piled into gleaming red box.

That little red squareback wagon has a lot of secrets to share. And so many of our great memories are in the family cars.

Mom had us all in nearby Norristown one day and ran into the  local Welfare office building with baby Chris, leaving the three of us in the car by ourselves, she wasn't gone long maybe twenty minutes.  We still had the Chevy Caprice and being inquisitive we proceeded to put the car in neutral, release the emergency break and start the car rolling gently down the parking lot.  While the car started to move, we decided the best thing to do what to jump so we opened the door and leapt from the car.  Poor Mom she came out to find the rear driver's side door sheared from the car.  We were OK but there was the door laying lost on the blacktop lot. We picked the door up, put it in the trunk and drove home without a rear door.

We spent a lot of time in Norristown, the county seat of Montgomery County.  We would often go to visit the Welfare offices, see Dr. Cipriano,  the local Salvation Army, Marcie's Water Ice, and Kmart.

Was this the fairy tale Mom had in mind.

The Fel

The Fel would play a large part in all of our lives, as it did for many of the youth in Conshy.  We would spend the majority of our childhood playing, competing, and just flat out enjoying ourselves with all the kids from the neighborhood.  Our days were spent playing basketball on one of the six outdoor courts or in the undersized indoor gym. The Fel also had a large stage with sliding doors that could be closed on from the gym.  The stage had different uses over the years from ping pong to weight room and we utilized every bit of the place. 

There was a reception area that would double as a game room for after school activities, it's where we played Connect Four, Stratego, Battleship, and Rebound.  We also learned to play Chess at the Fel. The Fel was there to serve the community with a focus on the youth.  There would be afterschool hours and evening hours, so we could double dip from 3-5pm and then as we got older from 7-9pm. 

We could mark our stages of childhood, adolescence, young adulthood, and adulthood with a timeline of events at the Fel.  As wonderful as the place was, the people were even more special. There was Dennis the Director, and Frank Z. or Coach who had his hand in everything named Conshy, we had Jimmy and Maureen the star crossed lovers that would give you the shirt off their backs, Mrs. L. that ran the place behind the scenes. They would become our extended family that would love us, support us, and watch over us as we passed the years.

St. Matt's

Mom was insistent that we went to Catholic elementary and high school, even though we didn't have the money to attend.  Mom talked with Monsignor Simmons and volunteered at the Church to make sure we went.  St. Matt's was a few blocks from our house and we could walk to school in about 10 minutes. We met many friends there and it helped establish us in the community.  We of course gravitated to sports playing both CYO basketball and baseball.  

The wonderful Sisters of St. Joseph were our primary teachers but we also had an eclectic mix of lay teachers that shaped and molded us in our early years.  Sisters Consolata, Frances, Helen, and Louis would teach us from the 1st grade to the 8th grade.  Ms. Duffy, Ms. Gradwell, Ms. Price, and Mr. Igor were some of our influential lay teachers. The principal Sr. Pierre became a close friend of Mom's and was instrumental in helping the Kaufmann boys continue on the right path.

The sisters were great and has a special place in their hearts for Brian.  Brian always had a rebellious streak and like causing a little mischief now and then. Just like every other boy.  So after another run in with the good sisters, they decided that was enough.  They were going to recommend Brian go to Girard College for wayward boys. Mom marched right in there for a meeting told the Sisters that they seemed to picking on BK and that since he wasn't getting a fair shake and St. Matt's she was removing him from the school.  Quite a bold statement for an Irish Catholic girl raised strong in the faith!

Brian went on to the local public school and flourished. As Mom often reminded us take care of your Own!

We of course had a few run-ins with the good Sisters. 

Camp Rainbow

Camp Rainbow was our summer retreat, or better said Mom's summer respite.  Even though, the camp was just up the road in Jeffersonville off of Egypt road it could have been in the White Mountains of New Hampshire for all we knew.  Camp was a welcome break from the long boring summer days after the summer park season closed and every one headed on vacation to the Jersey beaches.  Our jersey beach vacation was an overnight in a Wildwood B&B, where two of us usually slept in the Volkswagon squareback.  We loved every minute of it from the big sandy beaches, to Mack's pizza, to Laura's fudge.  We would often do day trips where we would drive to the beach, spend all day on the beach, eat dinner, and then roundtrip it home in our sandy clothes and sun kissed bodies. Good times. 

Camp was another opportunity for the Kaufmann boys to shine.  The camp catered to lower income families and provided a means for the city kids to experience the country in an overnight setting complete with sleeping in log cabins on cots.  The camp was for boys only and you would check in on Sunday and leave on Saturday.  What a break for Mom to only have two of us in the house when two of us would be at camp.  If you won a first place trophy for a sport, or be nominated for Cabin Boy for good behavior you would automatically earn another week at camp.  Over the years, we would often wind up staying four weeks at camp.  We would play sports, learn to swim, do arts and crafts and just hang out with the other boys, and make new friends. 

We also learned to fend for ourselves.  We had to make our cots every morning, and had other chores around the camps that were assigned by cabin.  I remember there were 5 cabins for around 60 boys were there for the week.  We would eat 3 meals a day in the mess hall, and play ping pong, pool, and just have a fun time in the woods. 

Mr. Cornwalls would tell ghost stories on Friday night by the campfire about Cat Man who was half man half cat where we would sit enthralled and a little frightened. Afterward we enjoyed marshmallows by the fire before heading home on Saturday morning. 

Friends

The Fel would symbolize the rest of our experience in Conshy.  We were surrounded by friends and children our own age.  We had ready-made basketball teams, wiffle ball partners, baseball teams,  street hockey, and even a little ice hockey. We were lucky to have each other as we whiled away the days playing, growing, and living in our own little world.

Each of the brothers had best friends our own age and for me it was Michael  who lived a few houses down the block.  Mike was a second generation Irish kid who was tough as nails,  Mike was the third boy in an immigrant Irish Catholic family.  Mike was fun loving, energetic, and a little restless.  He was always looking to try new things.

Dennis was a few years older than us, a great athlete, and a good friend.  Even though he was older and cooler, he always looked out for the younger kids, always had an encouraging word.  We had many wiffle ball and basketball games together at Marywood park, and he was a joy to be around. Dennis was full of light, but I remember him asking if we had any wine in the house, as an 8th grader I really wasn't sure what he meant, but I went into the house and got a jar full of Mom's sangria.  That began one of the teenage journeys that we all make experimentation with drugs and alcohol.  Many of our Conshy friends succumbed to their weaker impulses, but we remember them with love and kind memories for they are our friends.


Our lives would revolve around going to Marywood park and playing with our friends whether is was box hockey, wiffle ball, horseshoes, or just climbing the monkey bars, we were out and about and having a good time.

We were blessed with a great group of friends as we shared our daily lives on the playgrounds, ball fields, streets, and alley ways of Conshohocken.  We were lucky to have each other and made our days filled with fun. 

The Green Jacket

The Green Jacket

The Green Jacket is awarded every year to the Masters golf tournament winner. The Masters is the origin of golf legend Bobby Jones.  There are 33 players that have slipped on the jacket in the tournament's 70 year history which began play in 1934.

The Green Jacket was originally worn by members of the club to help patrons of the Augusta Invitational tournament identify a resource that could help out with any needed information. 

The first Green Jacket was awarded to Sam Snead in 1939.  Sweet Swinging Sammy Snead would go on to win 3 Green Jackets. Members are to wear the green jacket only while on the grounds of Augusta with the exception of the annual winner, who may take the jacket off grounds for up to a year in kind of a victory tour. 

The jacket is made in Ohio home state of legendary Jack Nicklaus who has won six Green Jackets, followed by the brilliant and resilient Tiger Woods now winner of five Green Jackets after a historic win in the 2019 Masters. The charismatic and patriarch of golf Arnold Palmer who has been a tremendous ambassador for golf has earned four Green Jackets. Multiple jacket winners are only awarded one jacket. 

It's interesting how a simple jacket becomes one of the most iconic items in the world of golf and all of sports.  Many would forgo the million dollar pay day just to wear the Green Jacket and to be welcomed into golf immortality and the pantheon of golf's greatest players.

Some more fun info on the origins of the green jacket

https://www.golf.com/tour-and-news/story-behind-masters-green-jacket

With Love,

Coach K

An Attitude of Gratitude

Gratitude

A wonderful saying have an attitude of gratitude.  We should give thanks for the gifts in our life.  A simple prayer of Thank You is a wonderful habit to start.

I am grateful for the gift of life and being part in the joy of divine expression.

I am grateful for all the wonderful things in my life.  I have challenges just like anyone else but I will overcome them just like I have throughout my life with God's help.

I am grateful for the love in my life from family and friends

I am grateful for the love and caring of a single mother that raised four boys

I am grateful for finding my angel wife who has been the best thing to happen to me

I am grateful for our three wonderful children Alex, Eric, and Morgan. We are blessed with parenthood

I am grateful for the health in my life that allows me to experience life fully

I am grateful for the beauty in my life

I am grateful for the ability to help others

I am grateful for the opportunity to serve others

I am grateful for the care and support of my my family

I am grateful for the sunshine, blue sky, fresh air, and beautiful trees

I am grateful for green grass and Spring time.

I am grateful for the beautiful splendid oak trees

I am grateful for a peaceful and restful sleep

With Love,

Coach K

Bottoms Up Leadership

Leadership

What is Bottoms-Up leadership?

Leadership that puts employees first.  Leadership that focuses on the well being of every employee from bottom to top.  If sacrifices are needed for the well being of the company, they start at the top. We lead by example.  

The CEO and executive salaries have become exorbitant compared to the average employee.  Stock and bonus payments while well deserved have become excessive. 

A good parent will always put the needs of the children before themselves and the same goes for a good leader.

The old adage of leading by example is ever present. The executive leadership team are caretakers first and foremost, and let the caring start with each and every employee.

With Love,

Coach K

Redemption

Redemption

Tiger Woods has come all the way back today to win the 2019 Masters golf tournament.  As a winner of 14 majors, 3 Amateurs titles, and over 80 wins across the world he is accustomed to winning. 

Tiger, Bobby Jones, and Arnie Palmer have done more for the game of golf perhaps than anyone. 

He was on top of the world, the most recognizable figure in sports.  He had fame, money, success, and family. But that wasn't enough and he fell like so many of us we after all are only human.  The difference with Tiger's fall is that it was in the public eye, millions of fans felt let down and disappointed.   

As a big fan of Tiger's for all the magical golf moments he gave us, there was disappointment for selfish reasons but also hope. We all loved watching Tiger play golf.

Tiger endured knee and back surgeries, his road back was long and arduous.  Just like the road to redemption is hard and full of setbacks. But with forgiveness and faith anything is possible.  

And so it is.  The undoable has been done.  Eleven years after his last major victory and with many of us proclaiming him "done" and "finished" he has won his 5th Masters and 15th major.  

As the laconic Jim Nance would say,  "A Return to Glory"! 

Tiger's story is inspirational for all us.  He made it back from the depths of despair, his spirit and body were broken, his fall from grace was long and painful.  But there is always hope and with the faith of a mustard seed we can move mountains. 

So Tiger has been renewed and restored.  Let ii be for all of us.

A little Green Jacket history

https://www.golf.com/tour-and-news/story-behind-masters-green-jacket

With Love,

Coach K

Uni Verse

Uni Verse

The word is universe or is it the world universal.  As are continually reminded of the current political climate or the seeming, it's important to remember that we are all one.  We are all human beings living in this beautiful world. One verse, one song, one people, one love, one God. 

Differences sure but at our core we are the same. We sing from the same song or one verse and while our music may sound a little different we have the same conductor. 

We have to remember not get caught up in all the hullabalo we have our own wonderful lives to focus on and work to accomplish.  The forces that look to divide us by politics, by color, by creed, by region, by country, by sports team are just looking to entertain us.  Let's not get too caught up in the day-to-day jostling.  Ours is a higher calling.

We know that we are brother and sisters in the global community and anything we can do to lift each other up is a benefit to all us. 

And as the song goes, We are the World, We are the Children, We are the ones who make a Brighter Day. 

With Love,

Coach K

You Are Powerful Enlightenment

Enlightenment Power

You have power beyond your wildest imagination.  You were born in the very likeness of God.  You are infused with divine energy that can help you achieve and accomplish wondrous things. 

But how do we tap into this fantastic source.

I think it starts with a knowing or acknowledgment that we have been given the gift of life and with this precious gift comes a responsibility to use our talents and share them with each other and the world.  Since we are infused with the Divine, we are able to accomplish any goal.  So think of what you want to achieve, ask for it, write it down, and go to work.

Allow for some more quiet to enter your life.  The silence and stillness lets the beauty within you surface.  Disconnect from the phone, computer, tv, video games, and internet for a little while and feel the peace inside you build.  A few deep breaths and a little prayer or meditation will do wonders for your overall health and well being.

With patience your dream will become a reality.  Ask and it is given, and patience in all things.

With a little patience everything gets resolved.  Faith and confidence eliminate stress and worry.

Any challenge be it health, financial, addictions, or relationships can be overcome by using your innate goodness and kindness.  Remember to feel good is to feel God. When you infuse all of your daily living with love, a joy and peace washes over you and life begins to easily work for your benefit.

Ask for help if you need it there are plenty of others that have been where you are now and have made the successful journey to peace and enlightenment.  So can you!

With Love,

Coach K

We Are Spirits

Spirits

The 80's band the Police have an interesting song, "We Are Spirits in the Material World".   A song that hits on a key truth, the we has human beings are indeed having a spiritual experience in our human material world. 

We often get so caught up in the material world that we lose sight of the more important experiences of love, kindness, charity, friendship, and service. 

When we turn down the material and accentuate the spiritual, we find ourselves more buoyant, joyful, and peaceful. These are the qualities of enlightenment. 

We can be challenged to achieve peace when we are bombarded by the negative news of the day.  In a a world of such awe inspiring beauty, why focus elsewhere.  We need to take ownership of our personal experience and as the other classic song goes focus on peace, love, and understanding. 

What we focus on expands.  

We need to make a concerted effort to focus on the beauty in life, on the splendid wonder of nature, an on the love and friendship in our lives.  We need to continually remind ourselves of the gift of life and to live in the present moment.  After all is there anything more perfect than a sunny Spring day. 

We have the choice. 

We can live in the light.

With Love,

Coach K

 

Patience In All Things - UVA

Virginia

Patience in all things.  The University of Virginia Cavaliers waited 250 years to win their first NCAA basketball championship.  The university founded by Thomas Jefferson, the writer of the Declaration of Independence, has risen to the heights of college basketball. Led by the defensive minded and humble Coach Tony Bennett, the Cavaliers suffered the ultimate humiliation in 2018 in being the first team losing as the #1 seed to the #16 seed UMBC.  Our son Alex actually predicted the win! 

Last nights game was worthy of a championship with the talented upstart Texas Tech surprising the world with their magical tourney run and being on the cusp of their first national championship.  The game went into OT, with Virginia winning the game displaying collected poise and heroic 3 point shooting.

The great Ralph Sampson and founding father Thomas Jefferson must be smiling, indeed "We hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal and endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, among them life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

Happiness was achieved by the Cavaliers.

With Love,

Coach K

In All Thy Getting Get Understanding

Getting

America is blessed with prosperity.  In a short span of 50 years, we enjoy modern conveniences that the world's richest people never had from the Internet, personal computers, cell phones, to cable TV. 

Many families were lucky to have one black and white television, 10 channels, and one car.  Now, 50 plasmas are standard, 300 channels, and a car for every driver is the norm. 

Yes, in the midst of this incredible wealth and materialism something seems to be lacking.  We are working harder and longer to buy more things that we don't need or want. We're trading our precious time and energy for shiny baubles,  

I came across an excellent bible quote from Proverbs,

"In All Thy Getting, Get Understanding"

Elegantly simple.

We know the important things in life are indeed free, we just need reminders every now and then.

Health, Love, Joy, Friendship, Kindness, Adventure are all these wonderful experiences at our finger tips to enjoy every moment of every day. 

The gift of life being alive today and living and enjoying each present moment.

We all like nice things and that's fine, but let's remember to enjoy and prioritize those beautiful things that make life truly wonderful.

With Love,

Coach K