When people say
to me how do you get through life or each day, it’s the same thing. To me,
there are three things we all should do every day. We should do this every day
of our lives. Number one is laugh. You should laugh every day. Number two is
think. You should spend some time in thought. Number three is, you should have
your emotions moved to tears, could be happiness or joy. But think about it. If
you laugh, you think, and you cry, that’s a full day. That’s a heck of a day.
For those of you that don’t know, Jim Valvano was a college
basketball coach back in the 80’s. He
was a classic, passionate, expressive, crazy, Italian man, and at the age of 47
he died of bone cancer. He gave the speech that includes this quote 8 weeks
before he died in 1993 at the Espy’s.
I’ve never forgotten it.
It really made me stop and think. What makes a great day
anyway? How do you measure it?
Jimmy V seems to nail it here.
I recently had a chance to think about this as I celebrated
my first St. Patrick’s Day overseas. Having lived in Chicago for 20 years (and
managing a nightclub for ten of those), I know a little about St. Patrick’s
Day. In Chicago it’s a green Armageddon, and I’ve had a lifetime of memories
originate from those experiences.
So I wasn’t expecting much from Auckland. It’s a big city and all, but it’s no Chicago.
But boy was I wrong.
Getting an early start, I walked into O’Hagans on the
Viaduct and heard some great Irish music playing and hundreds of people singing
and dancing along.
I was home!
So I jumped in with full gusto. To the front of the dance floor! I met a couple
crazy Irish guys who were arguing who got there first. They both started at like
8 in the morning, so really it was kind of a moot point. But God was it funny,
and I ended up laughing my ass off with these guys.
Valvano point 1? You should laugh every day? Check
The day turned into night, and the musicians launched into
some traditional Irish music. These two little ladies aged 75 and 92 slowly
addled to the dance floor, determined to dance like they did back in Ireland
when they were young girls back in the old country. It was a wonderful lesson
for me. Never stop dancing. And I’m not ashamed to admit I cried watching about
those little old ladies doing an Irish jig thousands of miles from home.
Valvano point 3? (Yes I know I’m out of order here) You
should have your emotions moved to tears, could be happiness or joy. Check.
Later some
American friends met me and we sang and laughed and danced the night away.
It didn’t seem
like a good time for thinking, but believe it or not I summoned the power at
the end of that wonderful day.
And what I
thought about? Life always has the capacity to surprise you. Even though I’m a
little older now and a long way from home, I still had an amazing St. Patrick’s
Day.
Life is what you
make of it. That’s a fact.
Valvano point 2?
Think. You should spend some time in
thought. Check
And that my friends was a heck of a day.
And that my friends was a heck of a day.
