While watching the movie, my friend "J" drove up. I haven't heard
from him in a month. He greeted me and asked if I were coming in... I wasn't. I was just finding a place to relax
and watch that movie and honestly, once you start watching a movie like We Are Marshall, just like a great book, you don't
want to interrupt it for anything until you finish, even if you already know how it ends. It's the cheese and the onions
and the tomatoes that add the flavor to the story and not just the simple thing that it happened. I wanted to know all
the parts and interrupting it wasn't any option on my plate.
I needed a part for my Excursion that the modifier had destroyed so I
decided to go to the best salvage yard I've ever been to in Lockhart: Henslee Auto Parts. As I rode to Lockhart, I
watched the rest of the movie and it tore me up at least 3 or 4 more times. THAT movie has spots in it all throughout
it that touch your heart and it was more about all the people than just a few stars and a story.
Like the movie, Henslee is more than just some salvage yard with
late model parts, it has character that only the people that own it
(Harold) can readily define. I can find a salvage yard closer to home, sure but I never have found one that has given
me the confidence in their products sold, even though perhaps though said products may be equal where ever else found.
The bottom line is, like when choosing to back any team or conduct business with any entity, it's the character that defines
the reasons that we decide.
Even
if I lived in Dallas I would drive to Lockhart to visit Henslee's because of my relationship with Harold the past 36 years.
THAT'S my point.
It was a great movie and now I am a better Texas Longhorn fan because
of it. Now I better appreciate having known Cotton Speyer, Freddy Steinmark, Darryl Royal, Roosevelt Leaks, Kenneth
Sims, Raymond Clayborn and all the other players that KNOW me. Now it doesn't matter so much IF we win or IF
we lose because after seeing THAT movie, after feeling THAT loss, the most important thing is having had the connections.
Who cares about the score when you are talking about life?
It's not about winning,
losing or HOW the games are played... not really.
I believe it's about PLAYING the game, being a part of the whole experience,
connecting with each other, teamwork of the whole enterprise, appreciating the desires and loving each other in victory and
defeat because of the efforts we make. Counting on each other and the connections you make are far more valuable than
a trophy or bragging rights.
If you cannot understand this, I understand
because neither did I before today.
Before today I didn't understand when I was wrong about something that
I might've believed that I was right about. Before today I didn't really look from the other person's perspective because
I must always consider my own first... of course.
And you already know that before and after today,
that other person STILL won't look as deeply at whatever they say or do as I will, so they will still be wrong to me no matter
HOW I see them, whether I am right or wrong...
And yet before today I didn't care to
even evaluate this process which might actually make a keen difference between us all... tomorrow.
I learned a lot today, between trumping strangers for THEIR own benevolence,
making a new friend and greeting an old one, watching a movie and thinking about another one to finally just taking a
lazy drive in the country buying parts from an old friend.
I learned a lot about you and me today and I just want to thank whoever
made that movie for this fantastic lesson that will help shape my next moves.
Thank all of you very much.
