A little bit ago, I told you about the blessings that are likely...scratch that...that ARE with you. At some point...at several points...throughout the course of the trip that represents your life, youll likely be encouraged to ‛Count your blessings, young man. Count...Your...Blessings. It really doesnt matter who it comes from, the truth is- Its therapeutic. It also serves as a re-up of humility. Embrace that medicine. Do it as often as possible. Be refreshed...recharged in it. How is it done, you ask? Simple. Let me tell you about 58 hours of my life. Your Uncle told me about a his upcoming trip to Taipei with the NBA. (Blessing #1) When I told him I would meet him out there. He said he would ask them to change the type of room he was staying in from a King bed to 2 Full beds (Blessing #2) About a week or so before we left he asked my clothes and shoe sizes. He also asked me what my flight arrival info was. I didnt think much of it at the time. But the day before I left, I told him I would contact him when I got there. I told him the shuttle I planned on taking would probably get me to the hotel between an hour and an hour and a half after arriving. The NBA had lined a car service up for me already. (Blessing #3) Lay-flat bed to Tokyo and then to Taipei. (Blessing #4 & #5) Professionally dressed male-female duo front and center holding up a ‛NBA Basketball Without Borders sign post customs. Nice. (Blessing #6) Pulled up to Shangri-La in the city expecting to share a room only to find out “Mr. Davis... The NBA has arranged a room for you. Please follow me. Ill be happy to walk you to it. Dope. (Blessing #7) Got to the room and your Uncle came down from his room to say what up. He brings down a bag emblazoned with NBA BWB logo and my name written on it...packed with shirts, shorts, socks, and a pair of tennis shoes. Another nice touch. (Blessing #8) I realize the good folks of the NBA did all of this for me on the strength of your Uncles relationship with them. His relationship with them. Heavy. Humbling. (Blessing #9) Went to the camp where they hosted 50 of the top 17 year old recruits from Iran to China and everywhere in between. #GoodKids #Godspeed to them (Blessing #10) I saw your Uncle and 3 other coach/player combos coach and evaluate these kids. #GoodTimes (Blessing #11) Without knowing the itinerary, I had a plan to go to the worlds 2nd tallest building (Taipei 101) during some of the downtime. To my surprise, the NBA had already arranged for our group to go there, security and all...hit that 89th floor observation deck, then go down 4 floors and have dinner at clearly the buildings exclusive restaurant. Nice. (Blessing #12) Decided to hit “the scene with your Uncle to do some friendly recon. 1st Stop... Babe 18s then the lounge of The W. If we didnt move around we wouldnt have known anything about the talent pool. Probably would have always wondered. Now we know. (Blessing #13) Talent Auditing in some locales can be a dicey business. Maybe they were being hidden against their will. Maybe not. Doesnt matter...moving on...I was able to partake in a field trip (again planned by the good folks at the NBA) for family while the camp was in session the 2nd day. (Blessing #14) Had three great tour guides/translators (Blessing #15-17) giving us intel on the way to the gondola that took us to the DAO Temple where the locals hung little blessing requests on tree branches and where I caught a glimpse of somebody getting cleansed. We stopped by the citys 222-acre zoo where the panda exhibit is revered like the pyramids of Giza. (Blessing #16) It was an enormous zoo covered in Houston-level humidity which led to us covering only about 10% of that operation. The panda enclosure looked a bit like the place James Franco put Cesar in (Planet of the Apes). I expected something intricate for all the fan fare and lines and assigned time slots for the exhibit. Since the tour ended mid day, I asked the NBA staff if there was any way I could get taken to the camp which was still in session. It was definitely not part of the plan yet they put it in motion so quick that by the time we got back to the hotel, there were two people waiting in the lobby like “Would you like to go up to your room first or would you like to leave now? (Blessing #17) I go shower then come back downstairs and they usher me to a waiting late model big body. Flawless execution. One of the translators rides with me. After all, she worked also worked at the Taiwan American International school where I was headed. We wove through the city...easily a visually stimulating 30-40 min ride and on top of that shes giving me her geo-polictal views, background ‛Ive lived...I speak x number of languages...You should BE nice to me. Me- “Of Course.” Mind you, Im simultaneously taking this in while still thinking about how bomb it is to see plans get altered, reformed, and executed in real time like it was...already part of the plan. The contingencies had contingencies. This life though?!! (Blessing #18) Later that evening, the group attended a mixer on 38th floor private lounge. We then went to dinner at yet another immaculate hotel- The Regent. Good convo with great people. (Blessing #19) We joined the group that was shuttled to the largest night market in the city. Shinlin, if Im not mistaken. (Blessing #20) Looked around...moved around all under the watchful eye of security. Secret Service-like but it wasnt overdone. Next morning car service was outside the lobby @ 0530 sharp...ready to get me to TPE (Blessing #21) Take off. Time Lapse. Land. Time machine-like. Back in Houston. (Blessing #22) You get the point. These few hours alone had multiple blessing types- Traveling blessings. Good rest blessings. Great eating blessings. Great people blessings. Every time I count, I find more. Go run your blessing count again. Doesnt matter what the date is. Go now.
Posted on: Tue, 01 Jul 2014 09:16:20 +0000
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