I remember as a young teenager, my mother warning me about hanging out with “the wrong crowd” because often people paint you with the same brush by association. However, when we are young teenagers – we often know better than our parents what is best for us – or so we think until we are old enough to admit that we were wrong.
When we are young, we believe that we are in complete control of our own behavior. We believe that we are capable of making our own decisions and we can take responsibility for our actions. What we don’t see, is that the people we associate ourselves with WILL ultimately define who we become. So to revert back to the title of this entry: Choose your closest friends wisely.
Recently I was reminded that negative people can have a negative influence on positive people because negativity is contagious. If you were fortunate enough to attend Catholic school (like my good Catholic self), you probably remember and still know the words to the song “friends are like flowers, beautiful flowers…”
Well, negative people are not like flowers at all – negative people are like annoying, tenacious weeds. You get one single weed in your garden or your life and before you know it, you have two, then three, then a whole bunch of them just show up!
The bottom line is this:
“Character is so largely affected by association, that we cannot afford to be indifferent as to who or what our friends are.” - Unknown
The National Lacrosse League 2012 All-Star Game will take place February 25th at 7pm in Banditland.
Denver Broncos @ New England Patriots
No doubt, football fans across the globe will be watching this game to see if Tebow is in fact the “chosen one” but there won’t be any fourth quarter heroics from “you know who” in this game. Jesus can help Tim Tebow against Tom Brady.
Winner: New England
Never get caught trying to tell a hockey player it’s just a game. Never get caught trying to explain to him all the things in the world that matter so much more. His mind might well acknowledge the truth to your point, but his soul would be powerless to accept it.
Considering the immensity of what he gives to the sport, & the immeasurability of all it offers in return. Nothing ever feels as perfect as a moment of flawlessness on the ice. No bond is as strong as one that compels brothers to bleed for one another.
Not many leaders will disperse in the craft of motivation. Not many pursuits can evoke such visions of brilliance. This is why it hurts so much when skill falls short of what the will desires. This is why it’s so unforgettable when absolute passion yields ultimate reward. And that’s all just the start of what the game can do to you. The stakes rise as the season continues from here. While you watch from a distance remember what was validated up close. Hockey may very well be just a game, but it’s also who they are.
There are dreamers and there are realists in this world, you think the dreamers would find the dreamers and the realists would find the realists, but more often than not the opposite is true.
Seriously, Pats? You’re killing me. Things we learned in week 9: Apparently the Cincinnati Bengals are good at football. Oh, and the Colts still suck.
New York Jets at Buffalo
The Jets have yet to win on the road. Winner: Bills
