You Never Know Who is Watching

People have asked me frequently what my book is about. Most people assume that it's a book about Harry Kalas...you know, a biography. Actually that is exactly what it is not. The title comes from chapter two where I relate the story of the Phillies winning the 2008 World Series and how that affected my life. People asked me what is my "elevator pitch"? That is the thing you would say to someone that completely relates the entire message of the book in about 1 minute. I tell them it's "Chicken Soup for the Soul" meets "Invincible". It's a story of a guy who hit hard times, chose the hardest road in order to do the right thing, and what he learned along the way. That was me...I lost my career, my home, my whole life and wound up living in my car for six months in order to remain in my daughter's life.
The real lesson that weaves it's way through almost every page is "You never know who is watching and who you will effect...so live your life well." Do what you do with enthusiasm and with your whole heart because you don't know how it is effecting someone you might never meet. Harry Kalas didn't go to the broadcast booth the afternoon of October 29, 2008 thinking: "I need to really be on my game tonight because there is some poor guy in Nashville who is living in his car and he will hear me tonight and be changed forever". Harry had no way of knowing that. He just did it like he'd always done it, but that was so special, so marvelous, that it freed me from the two year run of failure that I'd been experiencing and made me have some hope again.
When I met R.J. last weekend I didn't go to Baltimore knowing he'd be there. And in a place as cavernous as the Baltimore Civic Center it was a long shot that he'd ever have found my booth in the first place. But he did, and we spent those 30 minutes or so, remembering, relishing and connecting and we have each made a friend for life. Because you never know...
I think back over the course of my life to people who had great effect on me without ever knowing it...many without ever having met me. Men like Brian Piccolo, the NFL running back whose life was tragically cut short by cancer. I saw "Brian's Song" as a boy and at age twelve received a copy of his biography and decided right then, at that tender age, that this was a remarkable man and I wanted to try to be like him and live as he lived. Or Harold Alexander, whose children I grew up with and who was an unassuming, no limelight businessman but who set the example of a dad that I still try to emulate. Or Russ Staats my favorite baseball coach, or My college hockey coach, Gary Habermas, who exhibited grace and strength in a difficult time. Or my pastor and his wife who have taken the darkest time of grief and pain and made it something great that has helped thousands and will touch millions.
There are more. But the point is that these are people who just do what they do. They don't try to be heroic, they learned that just living well in this world is heroism enough. The real heroism is found in living an example that someone else can see, grasp, and use to rebuild their life with.
No matter what you do for a living...really live. Someone is watching...someone you might never meet, as I never met Harry Kalas. But you will touch them no less.

R.J. And Me

Thursday at the National Sports Collectibles Convention I met a guy whose story was so much like my own.
His name is R.J. Reyes and he is a Philadelphia area native. In fact he grew up in Lower Marion Township and had the distinction of playing against Kobe Bryant in a High School Basketball game. That story is really nice and it gave me a little different appreciation for Kobe.
R.J. was born with a medical issue that renders his left side somewhat inhibited. But he wanted to play sports and so he played basketball. This one game he was assigned to guard Kobe. R.J. laughed when he told me Kobe dropped 89 points on him that night. But the one thing he did do that made me admire him a bit is with about 2 minutes left, R.J. was bringing the ball down court and Kobe tells him "If you don't score you can't get your name in the paper". So Kobe fouled him on purpose and R.J hit two free throws.
That was a nice story but what really touched me this weekend were the four emails RJ sent me.
RJ is in a wheelchair because of his medical situation. He came by my booth and told me about the many times he met Harry Kalas in the grocery store or out and about in Lower Merion. He smiled until he had tears. I gave him a book on the house and he was so gracious. We talked of home for a long time. RJ lives in Omaha, Nebraska now and has for some time. As he was leaving, I asked him what he missed about home. he laughed and said "Tastykakes". So I got a list and promised him I would return the next day with some goodies. Later that day he emailed me the first of four emails. He told me he had started crying as he wheeled away from my booth because he was so homesick and it felt good to speak of home with a fellow Philly guy. He told me that meeting me and visiting about Harry and about home was the highlight of his convention and that it was "meant to be". That made me shed tears of my own. I got another email later that night and two more over the weekend.
Yesterday he was supposed to come by my booth and pick up his Tastykakes but he was in a lot of pain and couldn't leave the hotel room. This morning his wife Ashley stopped by and I loaded her down with several boxes of the greatest dessert ever made and some Herr's Potato chips as well.
She thanked me and promised they would stay in touch. RJ emailed me later in the day and was so sweet.
This is exactly why I wrote this book. I had no idea when I decided to come to Baltimore that I would meet this wonderful young man and his wife. But there is a plan and as I say in the book..."You never know who is watching your life...so live it with High Hopes".
Thank You RJ...and best of luck to you and Ashley. I am a lucky man to have a new friend.
Craig

Greetings from Baltimore! (not a post about Ergun)

Hey everyone...
I am signing books at the 31st National Sports Collectors Convention in Baltimore. I will be here until Sunday.
Having a great time thus far. Tomorrow I have a wonderful story to tell about a great guy I met.
Stay Tuned