It's 2014. Do Something Good.

It's my first post after the holiday break. I've been playing with all of my toys over and over. I should be hired by the toymakers to test the toys for repeated abuse. I've only broken 3 so far. I've also been skiing in Vermont with a friend who is also a special needs ski instructor with whom I have skied for the last 3 years, Mark James.  With Mark's help, I was able to ski without a tether or harness for the first time this year. This means that I will be a terror on the slopes fairly soon. Even though it is Mark's job to help me, he obviously does his job for other reasons. He treats me like a normal person while being the most patient and enthusiastic instructor. He withstood some abusively cold conditions while using his bare hands to fish out a kleenex to wipe my nose which would continuously form snotsickles as Dad calls them. Always with a smile, Mark never gave up on me. He was as ecstatic and proud as my parents to see me ski without the tether. Spending time with Mark got me to thinking about people like him who seem to make the lives of others a little better, especially the less fortunate. They don't do it for money or fame, but my guess is, they get rewarded in ways that money or fame cannot compete with. There are lots of buttheads out there who make lots of money or have lots of fans who do nothing for anyone which is sad. I won't embarrass people like Kanye, the Kardashians, Miley, Tiger or A-Rod by naming them, but you get the point. During this time of year when everyone swears they will better themselves by making some soon-to-be-broken New Year's resolution, why not just commit to doing something good for someone else this year. You don't have to teach a handful like me to ski or swim or play tennis like Mark James or my great swim instructors at the Y, Cait, Christine and Lauren, or my Big Bro and Julia of Tennis Buddies, you just need to do one small thing for someone who isn't like everyone else. With that, I would like to start the new year by thanking everyone who made a difference in my life in 2013 and everyone who will make one in 2014. Happy New Year everyone!!!!