I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
“One of the greatest blessings in not only my vocation, but all my life, is getting to see the evolvement of my kids.
There is something special about seeing where they’re at today, knowing who they have the potential to become tomorrow, & then watching them become that person.”
-Ray Zingler on X
At the time of this writing, it’s 11:30pm et, Thursday, and I am sitting in a hotel in Austin, Texas.
I’ve been up since 3am Thursday, and I have a Lyft picking me up at 3:20am, for my next flight that leaves (left) at 5am, Friday.
I’m exhausted, but I am overwhelmed with gratitude.
And when I’m overwhelmed, regardless of the reason, I write.
Writing is my outlet. It’s what I do.
I had one of the greatest days of my life today (yesterday), seeing a person who is very dear to me accomplish her dream of playing for the US Womens National Soccer Team.
A girl I began working with as a skinny high school student, coming off an ACL tear, who I saw world-class potential in.
I knew from the very first day I met her, she was going to be special.
But let me tell you about her.
She isn’t a daddy’s money girl.
She didn’t have all the connections.
She didn’t have any of the political leverage.
Because of her injury, she was underrecruited out of high school.
She was never on any Youth National Team.
And many pre-draft boards had her slipping late into the draft, despite going 5th overall.
Hal had to grind.
For fucking everything.
And guess what.
She still has to.
She is what I refer to as a workhorse, in a show horses world.
I speak with Hal regularly.
And most of our conversations revolve around her continued growth and evolution as a person.
A person whose never had it easy, but a person who has worked to earn everything.
A person who has been evolving since the day I met her.
I believe in Hal with every fiber of my being, I always have, and I always will.
And while I had no idea (neither did she) if she was going to accomplish her dream last night, my ass was on a plane.
I bet on her.
And if it didn’t happen last night, I would have bet on her again.
And again.
Though this is only the beginning of her journey, I wasn’t going to miss.
Be there for your people in their biggest and smallest moments.
It’s what this life is all about.
