Rich Man, Poor Man

It's 12:26 pm on Saturday morning. I have to wake up at 6:45 and I know this is going to take awhile. I'm writing this blog, because I just got through watching a great movie. The movie was "Beautiful Girls". I've seen it like 20 times, but tonight I understood it for the first time. This isn't a deep meaningful movie or anything, but for some reason it makes me feel good every time I watch it. I saw it for the first time in high school and it kind of made me think about myself and my friends like 15 years down the road. It was kind of cool to think of it that way then. Well it's 11 years down the road and I now know what this movie is all about. In fact, I was right back in high school. This movie is about me and my buddies from high school in a weird way.

The main character of the movie is going through a stage in his life when he doesn't really know what he wants to do with his future. That is right where I am. I've had the idea in my head since I graduated high school that I wanted to coach. Lately that took a little turn since I started blogging so much, because I decided I wanted to try my hand at journalism. One thing I know is that I am going to do something that involves sports. But I think I am being led into a different direction, one that involves coaching, but coaching people in a different way.

I had the great opportunity to follow a simple task asked of me, with the promise of a reward at the end. My task was simply to get up and go to Sunday school. The reward was a new life-path. I'm writing this not knowing exactly what I'm supposed to do. I honestly have no clue, but if I keep listening, talking, praying, working, following, and many other -ing's I know I will get where I need to be. I think I can reach people, athletes, and possibly make a difference in their lives and the lives that they reach. For good reason, I think that is my calling, my purpose.

Basically what I have here is Jack Sparrow's compass. It's pointing in a direction, one that I am trying dearly to follow, but I have no clue what is down that road. I honestly don't know what it is out there that I am being led to, but I know it is my duty. It is a little scary, but so exciting at the same time.

Through what has gone on in my life this past weekend, I had the great opportunity to meet a guy named Alan Williams over the phone. Click the link and you will find out who he is. By following a small task, I was able to get a hold of Alan. It was a complete shot in the dark. Only by chance, or really because of divine intervention did Alan even call me back. I had no clue what I was going to say to him when I got on the phone, and basically butchered the first five minutes of the conversation. I finally stopped, slowed down and told him my story, and now hopefully I am going to get a chance to talk to him in person later this year. I think this is part of the long strange road I am traveling on right now. Alan is a road sign that is getting me to my destination. I can't wait to see where I will end up.

Back to "Beautiful Girls"........

In the movie, Willie, our main character is faced with taking a job as a salesman, or doing what he loves, which is playing the piano. He feels like he needs to take the salesman job so he can start making money and settling in to his life. This is me. I know I could coach, and be content with it. I don't want to just be content. I want to have my world set on fire, and have the ability to do that for other people daily. Willie's piano is my destination. I can't tell you what it is exactly, so right now it is just my destination.

The best thing right now is that I am surrounded by people who are giving me the chance to chase this thing. My wife is totally supportive, and that has been huge for me. After all she is the one paying the bills right now and I'm sure this could be a little scary for her. My family and hers are all on my side here and I need that from everyone. I need for people to have faith in me right now, the same faith that I have found here lately.

That sounded like I just found faith this past weekend, and that isn't the way it should have come out. I have just actually learned how to use my faith. It's about throwing yourself out there, making yourself completely vulnerable, and knowing that you are going to be ok. Not just knowing you'll be ok, its actually knowing that you are going to do great things. Having a strength to do what is asked of you, no matter how hard or easy it is and not asking why.

In the movie another character, Birdie, decides he isn't gonna go to his high school reunion, because he is just gonna sit at home and watch all "Rich Man, Poor Man on channel 38....all twelve episodes". The name of a television show made me think. It made me think about how you can be a rich man, but at the same time a very poor man as well as being a poor man that is very rich. My dad used to tell me that all the time. I can remember him saying that we didn't have much money, but we sure were rich. I know how important that is now. I don't care to do the thing that might make me think I am rich, when in fact I am really poor inside. I want to be rich, rich with life, and doing the thing that makes me happy. But more importantly, I want to do the thing that makes a difference in other people's lives.

There is some exciting news coming up in the future, involving something I am getting together. I can't say exactly what it is yet, because things aren't pinned down yet. But it is truly exciting and I can't wait to make an official announcement on this blog about it. Hopefully it will come early next week.

If you don't get why I never made reference to who sent me my message, or who is exactly sending me on this unknown road, just ask me. I did that on purpose, hoping someone will ask. Hopefully I will get the chance to tell you about it, or maybe I can call up Alan and get him to.

Richter out..............