Wow what a crazy summer thus far! It's been a while since my last blog due to a summer well spent with water fights, trips to the zoo, and of course lots of basketball! The crazy thing about the past 3 months is that it is the first summer since I was in 9th grade that I have not worked! Being unemployed is quite the humbling experience. It is ultimately the most trying time in my life and yet my family with all of their love and support continues to make me treasure every moment. Much like basketball, it seems when you are surrounded by a team that cares for each other and is willing to do whatever it takes to succeed, you somehow find a stronger will inside to move forward.
Let me take you back in time to get an appropriate starting point for this weeks blog! September of 2005 I took a leap of faith and accepted a position in Silverdale, Washington. I was tasked with overseeing a full service mid size hotel in the wake of severe mismanagement and with limited resources. As only I can do, I took on the challenge with a focus that somehow tends to leave out the rest of the people in my life! I would spend the next 6 plus years devoting my every moment to the hotel and growing and prospering despite the wonderfully depressing economy! In January of 2012 I found myself on the outside looking in as I was dismissed from my position as the company was going in another direction. The hotel would soon after sell to an outside buyer who has since removed all buy a handful of employees from my tenure.
The initial shock of losing my job was hard enough, but upon my return home that cold, snowy morning, I thought allot about who I was as a person, and what I had done thus far in my adult life! I thought about how much I had always loved working in the hotel industry specifically because of the opportunity to serve others and work great communities. As I entered the front door and was greeted by my surprised wife and kids, I had this terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach! That feeling that no matter what won't go away for a while. My wife gave me a puzzled look and asked if everything was okay. At that point I figured there wasn't any other way to explain so I just sheepishly informed her I had been let go. She quickly came to my side with a hug and was softly supporting my emotions while my 7 year old daughter at the time Ella looked on. The next words came from Ella and completely changed my mood for the day. She so innocently says, "Daddy you got fired"? As my wife and I both looked at each other I smiled and knew right then and there what I had been missing for the past 6 plus years.
My family has always been the one thing that has given me so much happiness and for the past 6 plus years I had put them behind my work goals, and efforts. This was the wake up call I needed to understand what exactly I was supposed to be doing. I've always found the game of basketball to help me process my emotions and thoughts! It is very spiritual for me to step on a court and think the game as I am playing it. For the past 7 months of my unemployment while worrying about how to pay my bills and how to keep my house, I have been able to find a great deal more clarity in my life. It has started with being able to spend so much more time with my kids and wife than I ever had. Whether it was going to the zoo, the mall, to beaches, or to my daughters basketball games, we seem to do everything together and it has been absolutely incredible. The reality is for some reason whatever I end up doing for work it will take a back seat to what has really enhanced and changed the man I am today.
And of course this always winds back to basketball somehow. During this time of playing Mr. Mom at home, I have continued to build a better relationship with God and have a better understanding of what things in life are out there for me. I have come to get closer with a good friend that I hadn't seen for more than 10 years, and now I am side by side with him and his wife in a new venture that involves a professional basketball team. When Ashley asked me to coach this pro team I was not only honored but extremely excited to have an opportunity to do something that I have always dreamed of. The Kitsap Admirals is the team that I am incredibly honored to be coaching and working with Ashley to build in our community. The best part about the whole situation is that Ashley brought this venture to fruition by the word of God in him. Everything Ashley does is about spreading his mission of God's love for all of us! Not to long ago something like this would have scared me away and I would have gotten out quickly. But with the before mentioned clarity I have gained, it is something that I am running at head on.
Work will come hopefully and if not I will continue to keep the faith. What this summer has brought me is that Home is truly where the heart is! In 7 months I have experienced so much goodness from my wife and 2 children that I almost feel spoiled. I have seen my son go from saying only a few mumbled words, to talking in sentence after sentence. I have seen my daughter continue to grow into an amazingly beautiful little girl who has so much spirit it is almost hard to contain her. I have seen my wife in such a different light that it humbles me to no end that she is still standing by me! Most of all I have seen inside myself all of the fears of failure and angst. I have seen all of the worries of what may come and what could come. I have seen all the areas in me that for a long time I never saw and never cared to look. Whatever comes in the future I will no longer hold my head low and try to avoid. I have been given a great lease on life that for the first time I am truly ready to embrace!
Thank you Pam for coming on this journey with me! Thank you for being my wife of 10 years. Thank you for being my partner, my best friend, my soul mate! Most of all thank you for not giving up on me when I was at my worst!
Well this one was a little light on basketball, but it has been a crazy 2012 thus far. Don't worry though, as I have my summer recap of NBA happenings and of course the 2012 Dream Team in action in UK coming very soon!
As always I appreciate the feedback and thank you for those of you that have continued to read my ramblings. Whether I have 5 readers or 5 million, the fact that anyone would take the time to read what I put out there is truly appreciated.
Lakers 2012 Champions!
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