A Breath of Life

I read this facebook status the other day and realized it was a MUST SHARE!

"I don't have a blog, but I have a story to share! Read if you're bored, I'll try to keep it brief. Today at work I was going to file a few folders.. Didn't even really notice the man standing at the filing cabinet I needed. I hear him say "hello, how are you?" In a strong accent. I say I'm good how are you, without looking at him, still looking to file my folders. He asks me what my name is, and if I'm new.. I say Andre, what's your name, barely glancing in his direction, focused on my work. I think this is small talk and the conversation is over. So then I hear "where are you from?" So I finally turn and fully face him and I realize he's looking me square in my face, and he's placed his work down on the table next to him. So I answer him and he reaches out to shake my hand and tells me his name and that he's from India. He continues to ask questions and I end up learning about his family here and in India, about his studies and why he's here, some of the differences in lifestyle. He tells me that people back in India are so much happier than here, with much less. He notices that everyone here wants to be rich. He says they live in communities that are so tight-knitted that he has to meet everyone he works with, and know them, and become a friend, and treat them like family. He's not comfortable spending so much time around people and just walking by all day. I learned about their wages for jobs, and other things. He offered me a piece of gum from India. I'm bringing this story up for two reasons. 1 because I want to know why we are so caught up and rushed with everything we do, that we no longer take the time to look up, breathe, and speak to people. I learned about 20 things and tried a piece of weird gum that I never had, within a span of 4 minutes. Leave it up to me and my American ways and I would have never even seen what this mans face looked like. What causes us to be that focused and rushed? Is filing a paper that important that I have to ignore a living breathing human being with knowledge and experiences? The 2nd reason I'm sharing this is because for the rest of that workday I had my head up and was alert, smiling at everybody, engaging myself in little conversation, making work secondary. I took alot from this simple moment, realized something id like to work on changing, and I felt the need to share just in case someone else may feel the same!" - Andre Privott

The Grammys (Come Correct)

Last night CBS aired the 55th annual Grammy's Awards and just like every other year there were plenty of surprises. These surprises may have not lied with who won, but maybe more so of what people were wearing. Apparently this year the Grammy's committee sent out a memo to artist of a set of rules for a dress code. Clearly the committee never learned about when you tell someone not to do something, well shame on you, especially when it comes to a bunch of rich people who have more yes men than divorce lawyers.  Some people came correct, but others clearly had a point to make. Exhibit A, Jennifer Lopez. She has preached that love don't cost a thing, and now that age is just a number. Clearly Casper had a say in the choice. I mean I'm not fashionista so I won't continue about what the female were wearing like I know about it. However, last night The Dream looked like he was in Drake's "Started From The Bottom" video, but never made it out the bottom. Money can't buy you intelligence, but maybe it does buy you self esteem, because your self esteem has to be mighty high for you to walk out the house and not turn around immediately. Mr. Sean Carter eloquently called The Dream's flea market self out though. No way in a balanced universe would Jay-Z perform a song called  "suit and tie"with the classy Justin Timberlake, and then purposely get caught standing next to a man who looked like he just got back from a B2K rehearsal. At the end of the day, when it comes to the Grammy's, the grandfather of award shows for music, you have to come CORRECT.

Rock Wall!

This past week I got to take a trip to ESPN for a meet and greet/interview. For me, being a sports journalism major, ESPN is the end all be all career wise in my eyes. I got to meet one guy who had been working at ESPN for 30 years now. He began working there as a janitor just around the building and now helps produce one of the most successful shows ESPN broadcast, ESPN First Take. He explained to me his whole journey from working from the bottom up and shared some advice I've never heard before. He told me, "life isn't simply about moving straight up, sometimes you have to rock wall." At first I didn't understand what he meant, but then I thought about how one climbs a rock wall. When your climbing a rock wall, you don't just go straight up, sometimes you have to reach out side to side and move horizontally in order to reach the top. Once he got his foot in the door, he managed to keep working his way up slowly until he reached what he wanted. He preached to me about how patience is one of the most over looked traits it takes to work in "the business." Overall, after that day, after hearing that advice, I am going to carry that with everything I'm trying to accomplished. Hope you feel inspired.

Effort Has No Odds

This past weekend the sports world was spoiled with a legendary matchup that we will never see again. Peyton Manning vs. Ray Lewis for a chance of playing for the AFC championship. What we had was a moment where greatness stared into greatness. Both have the accolades that speak for themselves over their illustrious career. At the end of the day and against all odds, the Ravens pulled out a charismatic comeback to advance to the AFC championship rematch against the Patriots.

              "Greatness is a lot of small things done well, stacked up on each other," said Ray Lewis. Those few words perfectly describe the career of one of, if not, the greatest linebacker of all time. He is living proof that you don't have to be the biggest or fastest to make a splash in this gladiator game. He prides his career on the effort that pumps through his heart at a rate that no other player has been able to duplicate.  It's like riding a bike, no matter how tired you get, it's never about that one pedal you are pedaling. It's about the next pedal, and if you can get to that next one, your bike will keep moving. No amount of championships can disguise a characteristic like this, and that is what differentiates between being remembered and leaving a legacy. 

#52

Lucas Saunders 2012 Highlight Tape Middletown, CT

Alex Bednarek, Berlin High School, Berlin, Connecticut

My Thanks

23 years of life and the list of things I am thankful for is already endless. First and for most, I am thankful for my beautiful family. I am thankful for my father who has instilled in me the ultimate level of optimism. The things he has taught have been some of the most simplest and yet complex things at the same time. I am thankful for my mother who has given me the drive that I live by. She has taught me to have so much confidence in myself that I never thought I would be able to carry. Words can't describe how thankful I am for my younger brother, my best friend. He has shown that age does not bring wisdom, attitude does.
          I am so lucky to have not one, but seven best friends. I am thankful for them no matter how much or little I see them. I am thankful for them for having the conviction of keeping it real with me the entire time I have known them.
         I am thankful for my entire Springfield family. I am thankful for the maturation process we have been able to share and the legacy, yes legacy we left on that school.
         23 years of life and I could go on for what I am thankful for. Thank you for the people in my life who have supplied me with the motivation that fuels me everyday even if you don't know it. Little lessons in life are the things that carry dreams into reality, and I am thankful for everyone who have been able instill that into me.