Happy Sunday Everyone-
I was in Cleveland all week for work. When you mention to someone you’re going to Cleveland, it’s similar to “pass me the brussels sprouts”, most people don’t go there on purpose. With that said, there are good people in Cleveland. Our HQ is in Cleveland. I was flying home Thursday night and was thinking about the quality of the characters I was rolling with. Crossed my mind this morning, hang out with good people and you get gooder. Do I know that gooder isn’t a word? I do, but it should be. I’m reminded of our lives being a direct correlation to the people we spend our time with.
My Cleveland friends are the buffalos. I searched how many times I’ve written about the buffalo vs. the cow, its 9 times. This market continues to be the story of the buffalo. Buffalos run into the storm to get to the other side as fast as they can, the cow runs from the storm and ends up getting caught in it and freezing to death. The story of the buffalo has taken shape in my life. Jack and Thomas have them everywhere, my team has stuffed buffalos on their desk, I have mini buffalos throughout the house…I love the buffalo. Hang out with buffalos and you’re going to get through the storms faster, it’s that simple. I’ll do my best not to offend everyone I hang out with but I’m looking you in your eyes and I’m asking the simple question “are you a cow, or are you a buffalo?”.
I was listening to some music on the flight home. On came, “Lean on me”, also something I’ve written about a few times. It was the walk-out song to end my dad’s funeral. We used to listen to it on full blast. I’m sitting here now listening to it as I type, “just call on me brother when you need a hand”….”lean on me, when you’re not strong, and I’ll be your friend, I’ll help you carry on, for it won’t be long, till I’m going to need someone to lean on”. I can’t help listening to that song and having massive gratitude for the people in my life (give it a listen on full blast and you’ll feel the same). You put the right people in your life and shit just rolls in the right direction, even when it doesn’t feel like it. There is some weird comfort knowing when I’m in a storm, but especially knowing I have buffalos all around me to get through it.
Gratitude-As we head into Thanksgiving, I’m considering what I have to be grateful for, and it’s a lot. Having gratitude requires some contemplation. You have to sift through the stories of our lives and find the blessings in the storms. First Thanksgiving without my dad, brutal market, lots of changes…and then I flip that thought upside down, massive gratitude for the life my dad gave me, this market is creating great opportunities, and I’m rolling with some of the greatest buffalos of all time. As we roll into Thanksgiving week, please know I have massive gratitude for you.
Have a great week ahead.