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Yesterday afternoon (10/11/06) I turned on CNN and was shocked to learn about the plane crash in NY City that killed Yankee pitcher Cory Lidle. I was about to head out the door to the Oakland Coliseum to watch Game 2 of the American League Championship Series between the Oakland A’s and the Detroit Tigers with my wife and daughter. I was stunned and really impacted by this tragic news. While I did not know Cory and we never played together, I felt as if I had lost someone I knew. We are about the same age, he played with many former teammates of mine, and I watched him pitch in Oakland dozens of times. I couldn’t stop thinking about his family – he left behind a wife who he’d been with since high school and a six year old son.

In light of hearing about his death, my concerns about whether or not the A’s were going to win Game 2 of the ALCS didn’t seem like that big of a deal. My self-consciousness about attending my college reunion this coming weekend didn’t seem to bother me too much. And, the many, many things on my to-do list that I’d been pretty stressed out about earlier in the day seemed meaningless.

I’m always amazed at how easily I forget to keep things in perspective. A tragic loss like this is an important reminder for all of us about the unpredictability of life and how precious each moment truly is. Cory Lidle had so many things going for him – a 9 year Major League career, a lot of money, a family he loved, and a handful of productive years in the Big Leagues still ahead of him. And, just like that, he’s gone.

Today, take the opportunity to reach out to someone you love and let them know. Take a moment to stop, reflect, and remember who you really are and what is really important to you. If we lived our lives each day a little more aware of our own inevitable death, we would all do and say things in a much different, more authentic, and more conscious way. My prayers and blessings go out to Cory Lidle’s family…and to each of us on the planet in this incredible moment. My prayer is that we all remember how important each moment is and continue to practice appreciation and gratitude all the time.

With Appreciation,

Mike

Jack Canfield and Gay Hendricks just released an awesome book called You’ve Got to Read this Book. It is a series of stories written by well known people about books that changed their lives. The book is powerful and such a great reminder of the positive power of the written word. There have been so many books that have impacted my life in a positive way – from Where the Wild Things Are when I was a kid, to my fourth grade teacher reading us The Indian in the Cupboard, to the many personal development, self-help, and spiritual books I have read over the past 15 years.

Ironically, it was a book written by Gay Henricks, and his wife Kathlyn, that came to mind when I was running this morning and thinking about books that have impacted me in a deep and meanngful way. Their book, Concious Loving – The Journey to Co-Committment, altered the way I thought about romantic relationships and really nourished me in a great way. What I learned from that book helped me enormously in creating the fabulous relationship that I have with my amazing wife Michelle. We truly have a “co-committed” relationship and I am grateful to have read the Hendricks’ book.

This week, look for a book that will “rock your world.”

Thanks for reading my new blog. This is fun…

Have a great week!

With Gratitude,

Mike

Hey there! I’m super excited about my new blog and I appreciate you coming to check it out. My goal with this blog is to keep it short and sweet (which you may know isn’t that easy for me) and to update it once a week (or more) with simple ideas, insights, and actions that you can take to bring more appreciation and gratitude into your life. I may also throw in some other thoughts about life, baseball, my wife and daughter, or various other stuff. I’ll try to keep it fun, relevant, and interesting! Stay tuned and keep checking back in for future posts. Have a great day and remember, don’t wait ’til it’s too late…appreciate yourself, others, and life and do it right now!

This week, check out Go Gratitude (https://www.gogratitude.com). This is an incredible website and project that focuses on bringing more gratitude into your life and expressing more gratitude in the world. The site has ideas, resources, multi-media, and great information about the power of gratitude. You can also sign up for “42 day experiment.” This 42 day program is simple and powerful. You will get an email each day with ideas and insights about being grateful. Enjoy!

With Appreciation,

Mike