"Best Year So Far!"

I was watching a little tv recently and a Super Bowl advertisement caught my attention. It was glitzy. It was quick. It had flashes of great plays and some comments by athletes on teams who still have a chance at the big event. One player was holding the Super Bowl trophy in out-stretched hands and then he lowered it long enough to kiss it. Then another player comes on the screen talking about how this is what its all about. All of the work, the sweat, the pain leads to this defining moment... which will be the most important moment in his life. Wow... the most important moment of his life. That's saying something.

Now, don't get me wrong, I've been a sports fan over the years and have cheered for my favorite teams. Gee, maybe that's the problem... I'm just sore because the Ram's didn't show up to play this year. Be that as it may, there is still something telling when a person indicates that their defining moment is an athletic event... a big one for sure... but its just a game! Can you imagine how many people are just simply out of luck because they didn't have the opportunity to win the Super Bowl? I guess they don't get to have a "defining moment" in their lives. It's too bad... all is lost.

Now again, I'm just a Basicguy, but I hope there are other things in life that can be considered "defining". Recently I was with my son and his young family. I saw him tenderly hold their newborn son, raise him in the air for others to see, and then lower the babe so he could kiss his son on the forehead. I know it may not have the glitz of the Super Bowl trophy, but to the normal Joe's like me, it certainly was "defining".

Basically speaking we all have defining moments. They are made of events or experiences that we place value on. Frankly, there are some things that deserve to be way more valued than they are. If we would just open our eyes and hearts to the world around us, we'd find plenty of things to love and to value. Often it is in the basic things in life that real defining moments are found. Basicguys tend to find them while the not so basic walk right past them on their way to the glitz or the money or the fame.

Well, its a new year. Is it possible for us to land some real defining moments this year? It is for the Basicguy. Years ago, another Basicguy had a profound influence on me. As we came together from opposite directions one regular day, I gave the traditional greeting: "how are you doing?" His answer wasn't traditional like, "good (fine or great), how are you?" He surprised me with: "Best day so far!" The look in his face convinced me that this was no joke or some platitude. He meant it.

So, I wonder, is it possible that such a positive approach to daily life might garner many more of those elusive "defining moments" for Basicguys? I'm willing to bet on it. Maybe we could try an experiment. What if Basicguys like you and me approached this new year with a new attitude and practiced greeting others with, "best year so far". I know, I know, its one thing to say it, but quite another to believe. By all means believe it. What do we have to lose? That's right... nothing.

So, how is this Basicguy doing? Best year so far!