Jeff Henderson‘s Mom, 95 years-young, …
… doesn’t seem like she’s seeking “Joy”. She appears to already have it, and simply lives it. Among the likely reasons WHY: She KNOWS who she’s FOR! The video doesn’t show the entire conversation, but rumor has it that Jeff’s Mom concluded her conversation with Trae by saying:
“Now, … go out there and score 40 tonight. And then, … go teach Jeff how to improve his crossover dribble!”
There are times I have something to say, … and then there are times like this. THIS … is a time where somebody else has something to say better than I ever could. Enjoy!
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Jeff Henderson: “I have a tendency to take life way too seriously.
The older I get the more I realize life is lived best with a sense of humor, a bounce-back resiliency, and an appreciation for the occasional twist of irony that can come our way.
Let me explain.
My Mom recently turned 95 years old.
For her birthday, we arranged for her to meet Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks, her favorite NBA player.
Jeff Henderson’s first best-seller: The FOR Book
(Our friend Chris Cauley who sang the National Anthem that night helped make this happen. Thanks Chris!)
There’s so much I could share about that night but you can see it for yourself if you search online. The National Basketball Association posted a video on Twitter for their 41 million followers of the moment my Mom met Trae. As did the Hawks, Trae and several media outlets.
“Maybe the reality of starting your own business hasn’t matched the dream you had. It looks different.”
After all, there aren’t a lot of 95 year olds who get to meet their favorite NBA player. Heck, there aren’t a lot of 95 year olds who even have a favorite NBA player.
(By the way, as you can see in the Twitter video, Trae Young was exceptionally kind and wonderful to my Mom.)
I couldn’t help but reflect on the irony of this. You see, I grew up wanting to not only play in the NBA, but to play for the Atlanta Hawks. I wanted to lead the Hawks to their first ever NBA Championship. But my career died at Truett McConnell College, you know, that basketball powerhouse in North Georgia. As a result, the Hawks never drafted me. But I must point out, the Hawks have yet to win an NBA Championship. Are those two facts connected — the Hawks not drafting me nor winning a Championship?
Well, of course they are.
Nevertheless, here’s the point:
Your Dream … nor your “plans” panned out? Jeff’s “What To Do Next” book is a wise approach to guide you forward!
Sometimes, your dreams work out exactly the way you planned. Other times, they don’t. And we’ve got to be okay with this reality.
There I was in the viral video the NBA, the Hawks and Trae Young posted on social media. Sure, I was a bystander but I was there. It just wasn’t the way I had dreamed about all those years ago. It wasn’t what I thought my dream of connecting with the NBA and the Hawks would look like.
Maybe the reality of starting your own business hasn’t matched the dream you had. It looks different.
Or maybe it’s your career, a relationship, or as we said last week, you feel like you would be further along by now. Life just looks different than you had expected, dreamed or hoped it would.
I understand. Like so many of you, I’m a dreamer, and that’s a good thing.
But sometimes, our dreams can hold us hostage because it doesn’t quite match with our reality.
The goal isn’t to stop dreaming, nor is it to let reality have the final say.
And yet, sometimes you have to look for glimpses of the dream within your current reality, and appreciate the joy, humor and, as it’s been called, the wink of God.
Sometimes, you don’t get to play in the NBA. But sometimes, the NBA features you and your 95-year-old Mom on Twitter.
Come on, that’s funny, ironic, a bit crazy and certainly a wink from above.
After all, playing in the NBA is one thing. Playing in the NBA with your Mom is an even better thing.
This week, look for glimpses of the dream within your reality. If you look close enough, you’ll find the humor, joy and the hand of the Lord writing a story you never even dreamed of. And keep looking up. It’s there where you’ll find perspective, humor and some winks from above.”
FOR You,
Jeff Henderson
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I hope you enjoyed this “lesson” from Jeff AND his Mom! Something better may well be out there for you. If you’re in a vocational career transition, then let’s chat. Perhaps I can help!
To your success,
