Happy Sunday Everyone:
5 baseball games yesterday, 3-5 more today….I’m going to retire and become a professional baseball watcher!!
5 years of Sunday Thoughts, some themes might get repeated, but I think that’s a good thing. We all need reminders of what’s working, what’s not, what’s making us grow, what’s making us shrink, and hopefully adjusting accordingly.
I was at a Giants Game 3 weeks ago with Kim and the boys, we share seats w/ 3 buddies. Guy in front of me is someone I hadn’t seen before. He appeared to be there with his girlfriend. He was super skinny, I noticed a 29 inch waist on his jeans, and they were loose. Not sure if he was 100% healthy or not, regardless, seemed like a really nice guy, was chatting w/ the boys etc…He kept waiting for the food guy to come around, which didn’t happen. I decided I’d just go down and get him whatever he wanted, so I asked him. His first response was not to worry about it, I pushed a bit, and he finally told me “two chicken sandwiches”. I got him the food, he tried to give me money, I declined and said it was on me and went back to watching the game.
Two innings later, a guy working for the giants came around the corner and gave him and his girlfriend a hug and talked for 5 minutes. Crowd around us was going a little crazy, turned out it was Will Clark, a SF Giant Legend, for those that don’t know him. I left him alone, didn’t really say anything after but as we’re leaving, the guy handed me his card and said “shoot me your contact info and I’ll get you something from Will”. Here is the email communication below:
Me: Josh-
Good to meet you at the Giants game on Sunday.
I’m a huge fan of Will and I appreciate the thought of you getting us some “stuff”. With that said-I’m trying to teach those monkeys sitting next to me at the game (my boys) that you just do things for other people sometimes without the expectation of something back and the world just gets a little better each time.
Hopefully we will see you at another game.
Josh’s response:
A great and valuable lesson to pass along. I so much appreciate your kindness. Will is a huge part of my life and as I type this I am speaking with him as he is departing to go back home. I told him of your email and he is sending me a few things for your family. I will send along my thanks, and Will’s soon.
We went back and forth several more times about life, and lessons. I finally gave in and now have 3 signed/framed pictures personalized to Jack/Thomas/Me, with signed hats (picture attached).
The point though-is exactly what my email said, if we just went out of our way to help people w/ no expectation in return, our own worlds get better, a lot better. The people that I know who give the most, not just of money, but always figuring out how to make others’ lives easier/better/bigger/broader, those people just seem happier to me. I’m following those people more, and it’s working.
I will challenge everyone on this email today to do something big or small for someone else today, with zero expectations of anything in return. It feels so good when you do its almost selfish.
Enjoy your Sunday.