Giving Thanks

How lucky am I to be playing professional basketball? Very Lucky

How lucky am I to be in great physical health? Very Very Lucky

How often do I count my blessings and really appreciate my luck? Not Enough

A few weeks back, I had a chance to get over to the Children's section of the Gottingen Klinikum (hospital) and shoot around with some of the kids there (we set up a hoop, they don't have basketball courts in the hospital). The orange team was out there giving the golden children the business.

It was a ton of fun and it meant a lot to these kids. I've been lucky in the sense that I've never had to spend too much time at the hospital (knock on wood). My family genes are pretty strong and there is no history of anything running in the family of those I love.

That being said, the hospital still gives me the heebie-jeebies. I don't like the smell, I don't like the food and I don't like seeing people in pain, but a visit is due every once in awhile to remind me just how lucky I am.

After shooting around with them, we signed some autographs and gave away some cool prizes but the best part of the whole experience was meeting Vincent. He's a young kid who had to have a bypass heart surgery and he's the epitome of toughness. It didn't hit me until one of my teammates (whose name I won't say) asked him if basketball was his favorite sport. His mother told us that his "heart has never been strong enough to play sports" and I almost broke down. It made me really think that every time I hate running sprints or hate going to practice, there are people out there that would give anything to be in my shoes...and that's the kind of stuff that keeps me going.

Stay Strong Vincent...You are the Man

Happy Thanksgiving

Do What You Do       Hallelujah Hollaback      ...blackhercules21...