Live Your Life, Love Your Life

Back in October and November I listened to the song Live Your Life by TI featuring Rihanna on a loop. I loved the general message of doing what you want with your life and being thankful for what you have. The song made such an impact on me I wanted to write a piece on it right after I heard it, but the words just didn’t come.

For the last 8 years or so I have believed everything happens for a reason, but life keeps telling me that fact with louder volume through my different experiences.

As I was trying to fall asleep about a week ago the phrase live your life, love your life just came to me. Life is wonderful, but love is paramount.

My wonderful friend Linda who has read countless items on positive energy and the law of attraction has taught me that one of two emotions lies at the root of every thought we have. Either we do things in love or we do things in fear. If we always choose love great things will come to us and I promise we’ll have more fun along the way too!

In a way that only makes sense in my brain I saw something on Monday night that has a different point, but somehow it works for me.

I was watching Inside the Actor’s Studio on Monday night and they had Conan O’Brien on as a guest. He said something that I continue to find even truer as each day passes.

When talking to James Lipton he said that there were many interns on Late Night. If they want to know how to be funny watch rehearsal and see how it all comes together at the very last minute. He expounded by saying something like “we don’t have any idea what we’re doing and it just works itself out.”

Mr. O’Brien continued with this idea, “as you branch out into different fields you realize how no one has any idea what they are doing in anything.” He used such entities like the stock market as an example.

Mr. O’Brien furthered stated that when we realize that we all have no idea what we are doing, we all have a choice to make either you allow this to terrify you or liberate you.

Always choose love and liberation! Realize that fear will exist, but we must embrace it like a scared child and keep moving forward.

I am still learning about this myself, but expect a section on love and fear in Have
Courage to Eat Soup with a Fork.

Thanks for reading!
Chris

My Swiss Mistake

I’m currently having a blast at the Knock ‘n Roll wheelchair rugby tournament in Lake Worth Florida. I was very blessed to get an opportunity to play against the national team from Switzerland  on  Friday.

 On the first possession I was in the game I learned a valuable lesson that can be applied to life.

 My teammate Bob inbounded the ball to me and I took off down the court. Without going into great detail, I successfully crossed half-court, which in high-level games like this has been a difficulty for me in the past.

 I got a few quick pushes and then went blind to the right side of the court.   I only saw one very good defender between me and the goal. My ego got the best of me and I tried to make a one-on-one play. It all kinds of blurs together, but there was a collision where we fought for the ball. I ended up getting the ball back but in the process I went out of bounds and caused my team to lose the ball.

 I learned a valuable lesson in that one play and it can be applied to life.

 My problem was rooted in my improvement process and shortsightedness.

Going over the half court line is a much different endeavor in wheelchair rugby when compared to wheelchair basketball because of the rules that say who is at fault if you are to go over and back across the half court line.

 This is a situation that I had a very difficult time interpreting, up until a few months ago. I was so proud that I calmly got across half-court, I zoned out into a mode where I felt it was all on me to score and I would accomplish my goal.

 I do not consider myself to be a selfish player, but that was a selfish moment.

 It is a good reminder how both rugby and life are team sports.   Trying to score the goal with a flashy one on one play is like trying to accomplish a goal in a more challenging and brash manner. Many times if you calm down and take it one step at a time you can accomplish your goal just the same. You may not get all the attention, and it might take a little longer, but you can accomplish your goal all the same.

Some of the other things I learned are:

1.     Just because you make it one step further down your path, don’t go two or three steps ahead when you’re not ready.

2.     Keep your eyes open to the right side of the court. Just because you see one path to your goal doesn’t mean others aren’t available.

3.     Remember life is a team sport. We can all achieve more when we use the help of those around us.

4.      As we all continue to follow our dreams, the speed of the game will increase and raise our heartbeats, but we must have the mental strength to stay calm and use the same fundamentals we learned earlier on down our paths.

 I hope others can benefit from my international blunder. I feel so blessed to be surrounded by such greatness and I honestly cherish my mistake.

If you find yourself struggling in an area that you really care about, take the time to love the activity and eliminate fear from the equation. If you embrace your mistakes and learn from them they are just steps on your path to your dreams. 

Thanks for reading

Chris

We Are All Dragon Warriors!

I had the great honor to watch Kung Fu Panda on Tuesday.  Once again just like Meet The Robinsons this animated film had so many wonderful lessons about life.

First Po never gave up on his dreams.  He was determined to see who the Dragon Warrior would be so he tried time and time again to get a view of the ceremony.  He would get a small glimpse each time he tried, but then his view would be blocked or some other aspect would thwart his plan.  Then he took the action to make the firework chair, which blasted his reality into his dreams and beyond.

Later on in the movie Po is asked by the masters why he is staying to train. He is doing so poorly, he’s failing miserably at his attempt to learn kung fu.

I can relate so much when Po says something to the effect "the reason I stay even though it hurts so much to fail is because it hurts so much more to be who I am when I don’t try to be who I want to be."

I have been blessed to be involved in athletics since I was nine years old, but a in my four sport journey through my life I have never been great in the way I want to be in the last 18 years. It hurts me so badly to not manifest what I want to be on a consistent basis. I see very small glimpses of the possibilities during eight minutes in November, four minutes in December or some random 15 seconds on any given Tuesday or Saturday, but for the most part I am so disappointed in myself. However I have faith that I am going down the right path to find my firework chair that will blast me into a reality beyond my wildest dreams.

We are all capable of this, but we must have faith in our thoughts and beliefs. We all have dragon scrolls to use, our brains!   Positive thoughts can make small intermediate impacts right away and as you continue to go down that path the momentum builds and builds.

 Here is a small example of the power of thoughts. When I am home in Chicago I think nothing of it when it’s 20°, however when it hovered somewhere in the high 20s in Birmingham I felt so cold. Then I thought to myself why am I cold? It is so much warmer than 0 like at home right now. I instantly felt warmer when I thought of how lucky I was and that put a smile on my face.

 We all have the capability to go after our dreams or change our current outcomes by thinking positive thoughts and having the courage to love everyone around us including ourselves. If you’re chasing a dream and things don’t seem to be flowing right even though it is firmly planted in your heart find a way to heal what is bothering you and keep pushing forward.

In Kung Fu Panda they struggle  to find the one dragon warrior, but there is no struggle because there is no need to limit. We are all Dragon Warriors!

They also say in Kung Fu Panda that "there is no secret ingredient" and even though I understand their point I think belief and love are amazing secret ingredients. Anything is possible in this world if we surround ourselves  in an environment where everything is possible and we are all connected together as one loving family. Sometimes the choice of love does not result in immediate positive outcomes, but if we all have faith to stay the course the fruits of our labors will be immense.

 Thanks for reading

Chris

Going Off the Grid

Hey Everybody

I just wanted to let everyone know that tomorrow I am going to Florida for the Knock ‘n Roll wheelchair rugby tournament. I'm sure I'll be able to find wireless somewhere but just in case I wanted everyone to know what’s going on.

I also wanted to let everyone know that I have made the decision to focus less on the website and blog so I can work more on my book. I have been busy making bricks, but now it is time to work on the structure and how everything will fit together. I am proud of my new house, but I must work on it considerably before it is sound enough so I can have visitors.

I also wanted to let everyone know that I have made a revision to the title of my book. It will now be called Have the Courage to Eat Soup with a Fork and Other Lessons from the Gut. I want to have as much positive language in my writing and other communications as possible.

I will try extremely hard to still write often on the web, but it will no longer be my first priority. I have a couple pieces that I have not shared yet and I will not hesitate to make links back to some of my better work. I am sure new things will pop in my head and my gut will tell me to share them with the world, but I just wanted to make sure we were all on the same page.

Thank you so much for reading!
Chris

Inauguration Day!

Today is a very exciting day for the United States of America and the rest of the world. Today we welcome the administration of the 44th president of the United States of America, Barack Obama!

I’m extremely excited for the Obama era to begin and it has very little to do with politics. President Obama understands community and love that in a way that will allow this to be a time of transcendence in the world. He is blessed with the ability to inspire millions and he also realizes that inspiration without action has no value.

I have been impressed by President Obama since the Democratic National Convention in 2004. In spring 2006 than Senator Obama gave the commencement speech at Northwestern University. I was no longer on campus because I graduated early in December, but I downloaded the Senator’s speech on that day. I was so impressed by what I read that document has stayed on my desktop screen for the past 2 ½ years.

I have wanted to write about the inspirational abilities of the President for a long time, but I was apprehensive that I could not do him justice and I still feel I have not digested everything I need to in order to say exactly what I want to say.

I promise an extensive piece on President Obama and connected issues when the time is right.

Until then please realize that even though today is a special day in history, citizens of the world can build whatever we want any day.

Peace and Love on a monumental day!
Chris

The Mayonnaise Jar and 2 Beers

This post is dedicated to my Uncle Ralph. He sent this to me in an email today and I think it is great. With the forwarding nature of emails and the Internet I have no idea who the orginial author is, but he or she is a wise person and should be commended. The only editing I have done is to make it easier to read.

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 beers.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.

He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar he shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full.

The students responded with an unanimous "yes." The professor then produced two beers from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor as the laughter subsided, 'I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.

The golf balls are the important things---your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions---and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car. The sand is everything else---the small stuff.

"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you."

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Spend time with your children. Spend time with your parents. Visit with grandparents. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf ball first---the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the beer represented. The professor smiled and said, "I'm glad you asked. The beer just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of beers with a friend."

Please share this with someone you care about. I JUST DID

Thanks for the wisdom Uncle Ralph.

Thanks for reading everybody
Chris

Lets Move Mountains

I have been trying to keep a list of all the different topics I would like to write about. My very creative title for it is “The List”. Even though “The List” is at record length right now I will not be addressing anything on it in this post.

This is because I was inspired today by a commercial that I saw for the first time today, which ran in Canada this summer. Aliant Commercial

It stars my friend Dave Durepos. I have been honored to call Dave a friend for the past eight plus years. He is a great player, but that's not the thing I admire most about him. I admire the journey he took to become great. Dave does not take no for an answer and he finds a way to make opportunities for himself.

Dave lives in a relatively isolated part of Canada where there are very few players close to his caliber. This means quite a bit of time alone in a gym practicing by himself. It was also hard for him to find games on the domestic level that are challenging for him. Dave found a way to get more playing time by rostering with American teams and sometimes taking up to three connecting flights to get to tournaments.

Dave will always have a special place in my heart for the way he mentored me in my late teens and early 20s. Dave understood life is a team sport before I could even fathom the concept. I know Dave led some cheers for me when he was sitting on the sidelines while I would get in during the final minutes of a game that had already been decided and all I would do is hit a layup.

Once during my sophomore year of college Dave and I were working at the same wheelchair basketball camp for junior players after not seeing each other for several months. During the breaks the counselors would scrimmage. We were on the same team for the first scrimmage of camp. After the scrimmage Dave came up to me and said you have improved A LOT!

The way that Dave said it I knew I had just crossed the line of being a good player in Dave's eyes. I did nothing special, I made a couple layups and set screens so Dave could do his thing from downtown, but Dave understands the power of positive talk and he instilled so much confidence in me.

Dave is not the only thing that is so inspiring about the commercial. The song that is playing in the background is called Believe by Suzie McNeil. I highly encourage everyone to check it out because it is one of the most inspiring songs I have heard in a long time. As the lyrics say “You can move mountains with dreams” and “You can get through almost anything if you just believe.”

Lets believe, have some fun and move those mountains so we can all get to our dreams!

Thanks to Aliant for bringing together the brilliant work of Dave and Suzie! It inspired me deeply.

I hope everyone has time to check out the commercial and the song. It is well worth it!

Thanks for reading
Chris

Please be sure to check out my new website chrisrathje.com Everything will be moving over there once I get word press blogging down.

Be the King & Queen of Your Life

I came up with this analogy a couple of weeks ago in the wee hours while playing chess on my new buddy Mac.

When I was a kid I didn’t like chess because the different pieces had different values. I know this sounds funny, but even as a little kid I hated inequality. That is why I stuck to checkers growing up, however as I am maturing I enjoy chess more each day because over the last several years I realize that having different abilities is not equal to being better or worse.

Chess is so much like life. However to fully understand what I mean perception is the name of the game.

It is a sad truth that people misinterpret and abuse other people in life. I am fully certain this is not the default setting on human nature, but it happens. We all have many pawns in life which are moving pieces as we make the transactions of our lives. Problems only arise when one person interprets another person as a highly valued piece while the other person sees them as a pawn. Make sure that the people you surround yourself with see you as the knight or bishop you truly are. Everyone deserves to feel highly valued because everyone is.

We must always realize how much control we have in our own lives. There is no loyalty like self-loyalty. Remember everyone is their own king and queen on their chessboard of life. We are the queen because we are the most powerful piece and we are king because we are the most valuable piece.

This analogy made me think of the wonderful romantic comedy made a couple years ago called The Holiday. Even though it is a wonderful story about love I enjoyed the LA screenwriting neighbor the most. He instilled “gumption” in the Kate Winslet character and made her fully realize that she’s no best friend, she is a leading lady. Please remember we are all leads in our own lives. Go out in the world and get what you really want!

In the movie The Holiday they also say anything is possible when the Santa Ana winds are blowing. As far as I’m concerned the Santa Ana winds are always blowing.

No matter what anyone thinks of your value, remember that if a pawn is able to outthink and outplay its opponents to get all the way across the chessboard it gets promoted to queen the most powerful piece on the board. We can get anywhere we want to go in life no matter where we started as long as we keep moving up the chessboard of life.

Thanks for reading!
Chris

Party Clean Up

Thanks to everyone who attended my virtual birthday party yesterday. The beautiful thing about the Internet is even if you couldn't attend yesterday, you can still do it today.

First things first I'm sure plenty of you are wondering about the photo. A few weeks ago my dad sent me that photo and dared me to somehow incorporate it in my blog.

Even though some have said I am too deep for my own good this picture is proof I don't take myself too seriously. I think it is very healthy to be able to bust out the inner four year old on occasion. The last kid waving her arms up and down on the video yesterday inspired me to bust out the photo.

I had wanted to share with you my dream from yesterday, but I just couldn't figure out a way. So I guess when we're cleaning up the party is as good a time as any.

The last thing I saw on TV before I went to sleep was a piece on CNN about this great kid’s choir in Atlanta that is being invited to President-elect Obama’s inauguration. They were animated and extremely entertaining.

As I drifted off into dream world, these wonderful kids were practicing being led by a man in a suit who used cup crutches to get around. When the practice was over the leader joyfully walked home dancing and singing while he did it. What made this such an odd dream was he was walking home by using a major highway in which he was going the wrong direction. Somehow he was fine and happy even though cars were coming at him with incredible speed.

I just thought this dream was such an incredible metaphor. I think if we do the right things in life we are always being protected, but we don't always see it. He was so full of joy that the craziest of circumstances could not harm him.

The essence of life to me is to follow your dreams, work hard to make them happen and help out our fellow man. I strongly believe if we take care of those things we are constantly being protected down our path. This has been a gradual process over the last couple years, but I try extremely hard to label things as little as possible. A “bad” experience last month can be the catalyst for an experience beyond your wildest dreams next month.

As my party cleaning is wrapping up I would like to make everyone aware that my wonderful friend Benjamin Reece has directed a new fifty people one question starring the people of London. The question he asks in the London and Brooklyn video is beautifully simple and thought-provoking at the same time.

My answer would be: Right where I am and so many other places all at the same time. In order to know the question you should check out the video at fiftypeopleonequestion.com

I hope you enjoyed the party because I sure did!
Chris

It's Birthday Time!

Hey Party People!

Guess what? It’s the 27th anniversary of my birth!

For a guy who likes to treat every day like a holiday in the past I’ve been really poor at celebrating “my day”. That’s over now though. I am celebrating right here and everywhere right at the same time through the power of the Internet. We are all so blessed to live in a time where communication and connections happen at the speed of a broadband cable.

My friends and family are dispersed throughout the world, which makes celebrations in the traditional sense difficult, but I say when tradition is impractical; innovate!

Welcome to Chris’s virtual birthday party. The party will not be televised however it can be found on a computer screen, a Blackberry or a piece of paper near you.

I wanted to write a nice fun piece that might resemble a party. The topics might not be connected just like when you talk to different people in a party situation however by the time it was over hopefully everyone had some fun and it was worth your time.

In an ideal world maybe something at the party sparked something inside you and we can use that light to brighten the world around us. If there is some extra light maybe we can use it to illuminate the candles on the virtual cake. :)

Every party needs some planning so I reviewed my wrap-up piece for 2008 again. I was extremely surprised how much of it I had already forgotten. I think this shows a major shift in my attitude. I used to remember everything and now I just let life flow and it seems to be working out so much better. I think it is important to be reading and writing our own life story at all times. Remember the past, but don’t live in it because you have so many more experiences that are left unwritten.

What is a party without music?

If there is a composer to my playlist of life it is definitely John Mayer. In a recent iPod upgrade I realized that 13 of the top 25 listened to songs is the work of my favorite lyricist from Connecticut. His words speaks so loudly to me and I am proud of the fact that I saw him play live in the same auditorium I had accounting classes before I ever saw any of his videos on MTV.

My favorite song on his most recent album is entitled In Your Atmosphere. For me it was one of those songs that I had to listen to for days before I understood what it was about. It is a song about lost love, but it also taught me a wonderful lesson in perspective.

The line that sticks out to me the most is “I don’t think I’m gonna go to LA anymore.” John sings the lyric in a way that speaks of sadness, which is totally understandable, but I think I’ve come up with a different way to look at it.

He could say I’m not going to LA anymore full of enthusiasm and joy. One connection did not work out, but that just means something better lies ahead. He doesn’t have time to go to LA because he has to visit others that are on his frequency all over the world.

I know my way is much harder, but having faith in the unseen reaps massive benefits. As I was reminded today by my wonderful friend Linda most of the time life is about what we feel and we don’t need to focus on labels or our two-dimensional world.

Trust the feeling, love the feeling, and live the feeling.

You better believe I am rocking out hard-core with the beautiful music that plays in my head. I hope you have time to celebrate with me by finding a joyful feeling and say a few thank yous for the unexpected blessings in all of our lives.

Those that come to mind over the last year include ownership of my beloved Element, what a wonderful experience Vancouver was in June, and my parents and I grinning ear to ear over the Peabody Ducks. Not to mention all the wonderful people that has assisted me in getting a forum for my new career and life.

What’s a party without some entertainment! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTif6Sz2PPQ

Keep it light, with the light of life! Thanks for the link Conor. Another special thank you goes to Gary, Crystal and Linda for spending my birthday with me in person.

Until we can meet again in person I hope you enjoyed this little virtual gathering I created. I am so blessed to have you all in my life and I am so excited that I just threw the biggest party I’ve ever had!

Thanks for attending!
Chris

Keep Moving Forward!

Last night I watched the Disney movie Meet the Robinsons and man was my night full of pleasant surprises. Back in 2007 when Meet the Robinsons first hit theaters I wanted to see it because I thought the animation looked great and I thought the dinosaur saying I have a big head and tiny arms was pretty funny, but man those reasons were selling this movie remarkably short.

It is a wonderful tale with a wonderful message regardless of the age of the viewer. It takes a refreshing and surprisingly profound look at “failure”, personal responsibility and the importance of beliefs, dreams and possibilities.

The movie also does a wonderful job talking about family and how we do not need to be bound together by genetics to be a family. This warms my heart because I know we are all in this together.

The movie closes with this wonderful quote that will stick with me the rest of my life.

“Around here, however, we don’t look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things… and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”
–Walt Disney

As a person who has failed 100 times for every time I succeed it so rejuvenating to be reminded of the right path when the soup seems to be falling through the fork at record levels. The most beautiful thing is that movie can be shown to anyone and they can benefit from the message!

God and the universe have wonderful things in store, but we must keep moving forward to reap the benefits.

I am sure some are saying this is easier said then done, but believe me when I say I have been there many times over. At times the only thing I had to hold on to was faith in something better. At times, I feel I am far from my dreams, but no one can deny that I keep moving forward.

I would like to finish this post with a wonderful bible verse that has inspired me lately.

"By your endurance you will gain your life." Luke 21:19

Life is a beautiful journey with twists and turns we don’t fully understand, but to get to the success that waits for us down the path we must keep moving forward.

I would have never predicted the twist that came my way on Monday night. A Disney movie that I thought would be something light and relaxing ended up having a great impact on my life. Who knows what other twists and turns lie ahead for all of us, but we will never know unless we have the courage to listen to Walt.

Thanks for reading
Chris

Go to Denver!

I watched Grey’s Anatomy Thursday and a simple line spoke to me very loudly.

One of the patients in the story had a medical condition that had gone undiagnosed for quite some time. This medical condition had been a major burden on her life and had limited her in many ways. As soon as she was diagnosed and proper medical care had been given she wanted to know when she could leave the hospital. When asked if she was looking forward to going home she responded “No. I'm going to Denver.”

She was determined to reconnect with a lost love. Even though I thoroughly enjoyed this example of someone going after what they really want, I enjoyed the doctors’ response even more.

I'm going to Denver became their battle cry for the day that basically replaced seize the day. This concept made me grin ear to ear. I have no idea if this is human nature or not, but it is very important to me to keep things fresh and make up new sayings and other concepts all time.

I believe wholeheartedly that life is supposed to be fun and sayings like this reenergize me. Even when I'm going after my biggest dreams like the Paralympics and being published I need a kick in the hindquarters every once and a while and for some reason “I'm going to Denver” does it for me. Even if you don't like Grey's Anatomy be like JD and Turk from Scrubs and “go to steak night and eat it right!”

My point is there are so many ways to have fun in life and you do not have to subscribe to anyone else's sensibilities. Do what works for you so you can have more fun and get more done.

I know one thing that is currently making me quite apprehensive is the editing process for my first book. I haven't come up with the perfect battle cry for the situation yet, but I know I need to start assembling the bricks and figure out if I have enough to build my first house.

Please keep it fresh and get excited about every step in your journey!

Thanks for reading
Chris

Please check out my new website chrisrathje.com at some point in the near future everything will shift over to there.

Lefty is Taking Over :)

I would like to sincerely apologize for not writing the last few days. I have had a myriad of things going on in my mind and I’m not really sure how many posts this purge of my brain will result in.

I suppose my most recent physical injury is as good a place to start as anywhere. I fell in rugby practice on Tuesday night. There did not seem to be anything particularly unique about the fall, but there must have been. I have fallen countless times during my rugby career without any consequences to speak of. When I returned to my apartment on Tuesday night I felt a slight pain in my forearm area, but I didn’t think much of it. I did not work out on Wednesday or Thursday and I was ashamed of that, but there was some pain and I was exhausted, sleeping at least 10 hours a night. I was so mad at myself that I was accomplishing so little.

In retrospect my body was telling me “ You’re not right, you need to rest”, but I was not listening. In blind love for the sport and commitment to my team I practiced on Saturday making my sprained wrist and whatever else is going on with my arm worse. This has resulted in some pretty intense pain and my left hand and arm being more useful than my right for the first time in my life.

I fully believe with God’s grace that I control my life and I’m trying to figure out what I did to cause this current situation in my life. Even though I am deeply within my own head on this one, this is what I’ve come up with so far:


1. I must listen to my body especially when it is telling me something negative.
I am trying to learn that just because I acknowledge and deal with something negative that does not mean I am creating negative things. We all must deal with negative components in order to receive the abundance that is awaiting us all.
2. The only way I could see the strength that exists in my left arm was to harm my right arm so severely. My arms work far from normal and my right one functions better because of the practice it has had as my dominant limb, but what my left arm has been able to accomplish in the last couple days has truly amazed me.

I hope this post has not been too self-indulgent. Please know I realize how blessed I am. There are millions of people who are suffering way more intensely than I could ever imagine.

My points are simple. Listen to your gut in the face of negative experiences, always look for the silver lining, and you will always surprise yourself when push comes to shove.

We must always remember a negative experience is just helping to provide the contrast for the wonderful things that awaits us down our path!

Thanks for reading
Chris

Opportunity or Obligation?

This post is dedicated to anyone who has ever played college wheelchair basketball.

No matter who you are that simple question can be applied to many activities that we have to deal with in our everyday lives. Is having to drive your sick relative to the doctor an opportunity to spend time with them in a moment of need or is it a family obligation? Only you can decide what is the right answer for you.

I first came up with this theory when I was a student athlete playing wheelchair basketball at the University of Illinois. Is studying for that exam an opportunity to better yourself or an obligation to stay eligible? Is going to practice an opportunity to become a better player and person or is it an obligation to stay on the team?

Playing college wheelchair basketball and being a student is a unique and challenging task. I know I was exhausted for the vast majority of 2000 through 2004, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. The experience made me tougher and more able to face life’s challenges after my days in Champaign were done.

I was once asked in grad school how I could possibly smile after several 80+ study hour weeks in a row. I replied “I get to sleep in every morning until 8!” I have a different view of the world thanks to getting up at 4:45 AM during my freshman year.

If someone finds themselves in the middle of this experience I would like to humbly submit some pieces of advice for consideration.

1. Always remember you are special and this experience is special. Playing college sports is a huge opportunity and playing wheelchair sports is extra special. You get to be around your peers in an unmatched way. This experience will broaden your horizons in immeasurable ways whether you are newly hurt or have been living with your disability your whole life. However this is not a given, you must be open to the opportunity and be willing to work for it.
2. Find a way to love your teammates even if you don’t always get along. I do not use the word love lightly. When you become part of a college team you become part of a family. Take the time and energy to get to know and appreciate all of your teammates. It is worth it in the long run and it will suit you well later on in life to be able to get along with a wide variety of people.
3. Always remember you are one team. Cliques are bad news and unnecessary, take the time and energy to reach out to everybody.
4. Look for the respect. I know things have changed in a few short years, but I know in my days we were frustrated by how little the university as a whole paid attention to us, but the respect was there. I was always surprised when I would get a complement out of the blue on how hard we worked from a football player who was a Big Ten champion or a college tennis All-American.

Take or leave my suggestions. I am nothing special. My career scoring total equaled great games for several players. I am still a work in progress, but look at people like Will Waller and Paul Schulte who made the most of their opportunities and now are All-Stars on all levels. They are great athletes, Paralympians and have wonderful careers that provide for their families. There is no big secret to their success. They spend the most amount of time in the gym and the office and they realize all the wonderful opportunities that have been presented to them.

I am one of the least talented people to ever put on a blue and orange jersey and I was on the verge of quitting at times, but one thing I never confused was what a wonderful opportunity I was being given by the universe. If I, a person with very little natural talent , can turn four years of being a student athlete into a masters degree from a world-renowned university and an opportunity to play for a legendary rugby program. What can you accomplish when you realize any time spent in a classroom or a gym is an opportunity and not an obligation?

Thanks for reading
Chris

A Quick Thought on Failure

If you have modest expectations you might be lucky enough to avoid failure, but if you have big plans you are sure to encounter failure town at some point. Just because you have an unexpected detour does not mean your final destination has been changed at all.

I am writing this for myself because I hate that I forget that even though negative thoughts lurk in the shadows this is stuff I need to work through to get to the pinnacle that awaits me.

If anyone else can learn from my failures then that is a wonderful benefit.

Thanks for reading
Chris

Everyday Family

I was watching the DVD of Definitely Maybe recently and the song in the opening credits that Ryan Reynolds is listening to on those cool wireless ear buds called to me. It sounded familiar, but it took a while to get my finger on it.

The song was Everyday People by Sly and the Family Stone.

This is a wonderful song that is an anthem for acceptance. I know that we are in an unmatched time of acceptance, but that doesn’t mean we can not strive to do better.

The words are so simple and make me think about the silly reasons why people choose to not get along or dislike someone. I am not a political scientist, but with all the sad things going on in the Middle East and other regions of the world we should start with ourselves and our relations at home.

We must tear down barriers in our own minds and get rid of garbage thinking that says any two people can not get along. We must always remember that we are all children of God. It has become much more commonplace to look past skin color and I am extremely blessed to live my adult life in the post Americans with Disabilities Act era, but there are issues we need to still work on in our society.

The first one that comes to mind is Prop 8 in California. When it comes to who we love, people must know that is planted deep in our hearts and we must go with our guts. When I was four years old I started to notice the pretty blonde ladies on TV. Nobody told me to like them, but man did I! I would even go up to the TV and give it a kiss because I liked what I saw so much.

No matter who you love, that is a gift from God and God does not make mistakes. If you live in a peaceful and love filled home, enjoy it and let your neighbors pursue their own dreams. I know when I was younger I would always try to figure out why two people who seem to have little in common got along, but I waste little time with it now.

In order to get to the level of abundance that we all have a right to we must believe in the highest possibilities for ourselves and everyone else.

You might not be able to figure out what bag I’m in, so let’s just accept everyone’s different strokes and say we are a family of everyday people.

May you chase your dreams everyday and find a way to accept more and more people every waking moment. We are all in this together!

God Bless
Chris

PS It is still a work in progress, but please check out my new website chrisrathje.com

Only In My Mind

After many days of searching I finally found the quote from the Curious Case of Benjamin Button that allows this piece to be written. I am very excited to write this piece!

In the interesting world that is my brain sometimes things just make sense to me and they might not make any sense to anyone else. I hope I am able to convey why a nearly decade-old quote from a Dr. Dre song and a beautiful speech from The Curious Case of Benjamin Button sing in such beautiful harmony to me.

What cause I been in the lab wit a pen and a pad Tryna get this damn label off
Dr. Dre Forget About Dre

What the Dr. Dre line means to me is you don’t have to accept the label that others give you. Through hard work you can overcome any label. I always say that line to myself when I’m practicing by myself. Whether it is a Saturday night in Champaign or random weekday afternoon in the Lakeshore Fieldhouse I refuse to accept the label of inferiority. I know a greater player lies underneath and I must prove it to myself one pass against the wall at a time. No matter what your craft is you can get that label off one step at a time.

“For what it’s worth, it’s never too late, or in my case too early, to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit... start whenever you want... you can change or stay the same. There are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. I hope you see things that stop you. I hope you feel things that you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life that you’re proud of and if you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again.”-Benjamin Button

When it comes to the quote from Benjamin Button I feel there is less to explain. The strength of the words does enough speaking I do not need to add anything to it. As a little view into my head here was my thought as soon as I heard the speech in the movie. Yes! Yes! Yes! This is exactly what I’m talking about!

Always push forward, always go after your dreams, refuse the self-limiting thoughts, find some way to get the spark and be brave enough to take action.

Those are a few things floating around in my head. I hope a new spark goes off in someone else’s head too therefore making the title obsolete.

Thanks for reading
Chris

A New Inspiration?

As I have mentioned in previous posts I have struggled with the word inspiration in the past. I took it to have a negative connotation, which I no longer agree with. I think inspiration can be a powerful word. It can be the catalyst for excellence and a dangerous word all in one. To me inspiration represents a spark, a thought, an idea, but nothing more.

I’ve been lucky to be successful in a few ways in life, but I have failed way more than I have ever succeeded. I believe a large part of this had to do with my inability to take action. I would come up with ideas, but I was so scared to make things happen. Throughout my life I figured out a way to encourage others, but I was my worse naysayer. I was also worried about offending people with my actions. It took me a long time to figure this out, but if someone has a problem with my actions based in peace and progression that’s their problem. I am certain taking action results in more success in life.

Therefore I would like to submit a new word for everyone’s consideration. Inspiraction: Take the spark that is currently inspiring you and make something happen, today. There is no need to wait. Even if you are just taking a step in the right direction, you are blazing a new trail! That is how dreams come true, one step at a time. If it’s planted in your heart don’t think about the step just take the step.

Inspiraction is just a humble idea but if it helps facilitate one dream than it has done its job.

Thanks for your consideration
Chris

Please check out my new home chrisrathje.com

The Thin Line

It seems that in the last few days I have had many people come up to me or write me and tell me how inspirational I was. I know I push the optimism button like nobody’s business, but I just want to make sure that everybody knows I’m human too. I get frustrated and sometimes my thoughts are less than happy.

I was just commenting a few days ago how I don’t think I’ve really accomplished one thing I set out to do in the last three years except for moving to Alabama. Everything else I have failed at. I never gave up on any of my dreams and I’m pushing forward on the path, but sometimes the path can be treacherous, confusing and tiring.

I think there can be a very thin line between optimism, realism and pessimism. I would love to be able to tell you I never cross over in P Land, but that would be a lie and I don’t do that. Believe it or not I try to be realistic as little as possible. I want to do what’s in my heart, end of story and I know I can create positive outcomes with my mind and soul when the logical world tells me that is not the case.However there are times when I look at the feedback the universe is giving me and I realize steps towards my dreams aren’t happening. Sometimes I’ve been after things for so long I don’t even remember what Plan A, Plan B or Plan C even look like and with Plan X being up in the air and feeling even more unsure about plan Y I try to analyze what’s going wrong and before you know it I find myself lost in the creepy neighborhood of pessimism.

I’m not really sure what I’m saying here. Maybe I don’t have a full fleshed out point. However I’m starting to believe analysis is only useful to a point, then its time to go do something. And even if you are in pain, confused or sick of naysayers the white puffy clouds of optimism are still the best side of the line.

Thanks for reading
Chris

Big News! A New Home chrisrathje.com

I am happy to inform everyone that chrisrathje.com is now up.

This is all thanks to my friend Brad. Thank you Brad for your encouragement and hard work for making this happen.

Please bear with me as I get used to my own site and word press, but I am trying to continue to push the envelope.

Thank you everyone for your encouragement. I do not feel worthy but I am trying to live up to it. The new site is all thanks to the generosity of Brad. It is proof that we are all a team.

I will be keeping both sites up for some time.

Thanks for reading
Chris

You Can't Make the Club in the Tub

I was sitting in front of my computer yesterday afternoon and had ESPN on as background noise. There was a piece on there talking about injuries in the NFL. 99% of us do not need to deal with such physical difficulties as the massive injuries that NFL players deal with, but we all have our physical, mental and emotional wounds.

I have developed a certain kind of radar for phrases and other sources of inspiration that will allow me to communicate my thoughts to others. My senses were on high alert when I heard Chad Johnson say “You can't make the club in the tub.”

He was referring to players who focus too much on their injuries and therefore sit out practice or other activities to sit in the therapeutic ice tubs or hot tubs, but I think this can be applied to almost anyone in life no matter what kind of injury they are dealing with. We all must get out whatever our safe tubs are and strive for excellence by working hard in order for our dreams to become reality.

When it comes to injuries I think people make mistakes in both directions. Some people focus on injuries way too much and resign from a complete life while others do not take the proper time to heal and just keep chugging along never really figuring out what the problem is.

In my life I have been the later. Coach Frogley always warned me that life was a marathon and not a sprint, but like a dumb train if I see track I keep chugging. I've never had a better example than my recent injuries in 2008. I had a relatively minor injury that left ignored turned major.

Injuries of all kinds are a common occurrence because of the imperfect nature of human existence, but I feel certain any wound can heal if the person that is wounded wants it to heal. We must all find the beautiful medium where we nurse what bothers us, but we do not surrender to it.

If you find yourself with a major wound where a logical cure does not seem possible pray hard and believe in a cure. There is a whole way of thinking that is above logic. It is the dreams planted in our hearts.

Thanks for reading
Chris

It's Your Time By Joel and Victoria Osteen

Even though I have never met the man, Joel Osteen has been a great teacher to me through his words and broadcasts.

I am blessed to recieve daily emails from him. For the second time since I have started the blog his message speaks so loudly and perfectly to me I have to share it with everyone who reads the blog.

It's Your Time

Today's Scripture

“The vision is yet for an appointed time..." (Habakkuk 2:3).

Today's Word from Joel and Victoria

God has planted seeds of greatness on the inside of you, and He has predestined that those things in your heart come to pass. You may have had more than your share of unfair things happen in your life. You probably have plenty of reasons to just settle where you are. But understand, the depth of your past is an indication of the height of your future.
If you’ve been through a lot of negative things in the past, it just means that your future is bigger and brighter and greater than you can even imagine. It’s your time to step out and embrace all that God has for you! Are there dreams and promises that you’ve let go of? Are there things that God has placed in your heart, but because of time, because of disappointments, you’ve given up on them?
Today is the day to give your dreams a new beginning. Today is the day to allow faith to rise in your heart. Remember, what’s happened to you is not nearly as important as what’s happened in you, and you are stronger and wiser than ever before. It’s your time; it’s your season to move forward into the destiny that God has prepared for you!

A special thank you to the Osteens.

Thanks for reading
Chris

The Fun Crew

I kept my mind open to meeting some great people and man did my theory of making new friends ring true today.

It started before I even got on the plane and met a wonderful couple named Nancy and Charlie. It turns out that Nancy swims in the pool at Lakeshore. We had never met before because she keeps mostly to the downstairs pool while I am usually upstairs in the field house.

I started my flight wonderfully just like any other Southwest Airlines flight because I didn't have to use an aisle chair. I could just transfer from my wheelchair to the front row. It makes life so much easier!

Most airlines do a great job of helping disabled passengers, but Southwest is king because they know how to deal with people of any ilk. If we can figure out a way to get along with anyone, we will all be very successful in life. This is the reason why I will take a connecting Southwest flight before a direct flight by somebody else if I have a choice.

Southwest crews are always the friendliest, but I knew this was a special crew with Emily’s warm greeting, Nancy’s willingness to talk sports and the bond I shared with Steve as a fellow Illinois alum.

This set the stage for one of my more fun airplane stories. After Steve questioned my Illinois loyalty because I said I root for Alabama because an Alabama victory makes some of my rugby brothers so happy I had to prove myself. After a dare to sing the Illinois alma mater I obliged complete with Chris Rathje rugby playing volume.

If it bothered anyone on flight 1756 I apologize, but I don’t mess around when it comes to my Illini.

It was a wonderfully typical flight filled with random bits of conversation, peanuts, Coca Cola, and me jotting down some random notes. The soda had soon done its job and it was time for me and the Coke to part ways. When I returned from the bathroom Emily offered me some hand sanitizer. I have made well over a hundred bathroom crawls in my day and this was the first time anyone offered me hand sanitizer. One other time someone offered me a Kleenex.

I relish the times when I eat soup with a fork and I do what needs to be done to live my life, but little acts of kindness like that makes it easier to remember I am not the only one who believes life is a team sport.

I have no connection to Southwest Airlines, but man would I like too! If there is one airline, heck one company, that understands what I believe in it is Southwest Airlines. Southwest crews know how to eat soup with a fork and they realize the party is everywhere.

It was a special flight filled with special people. Thanks Nancy, Charlie, Emily, Nancy and Steve!

Thanks for reading
Chris

Airport People

I'm very excited to be writing my first post from an airport! After a short journey in Midway I located the accessible laptop station and I'm having a blast with my buddy Mac.

I love airports because they represent endless possibilities. They are the portals to anywhere in the world.

They are also exciting because within the halls of airports lies beautiful mosaics of people going about their lives with infinite purposes and possibilities. I'm always hopeful that I will run into an old friend or make a new one.

The only time I ran into an old friend that comes to mind is when we figured out that I would be leaving Birmingham within 45 minutes of when my former roommate and brother in life Rob was coming into town. When only one gate separated us everyone in the airport knew Robbie John had arrived!

I always hold out hope that I will run into another long-lost friend but it has not panned out yet. I convinced myself for a minute I saw a former classmate today in Midway, but after further investigation I realized the woman I came across was a couple inches too tall and had sadder eyes.

Regardless if I ever get another blast from the past or not, I love the friends I make like the man who worked for train supply company headed to China, the softball player headed back to Tuscaloosa or the friendly couple headed to Colorado.

Airports are also wonderful experiments in frequency. You can be remembered by the friendly ticket agent in Detroit or the friendly janitor in Houston and you can also be practically forgotten by a myriad of other people because of what people choose to tune in on when you meet.

It is an excellent reminder to send out your best to the world at all times.

My trip home, filled with family is over. It is now time to train back in Birmingham. I will see my friend the airport soon enough when it is time for West Palm and rugby to converge for Knock 'n Roll!

Headed to Bama like a freight train on an airplane.

Thanks for reading
Chris

Pieces of People

As I continue down  the path of my life I've come to the sad realization that no matter how hard you try sometimes people just fall out of your life. Sure there can be a dramatic falling out like the movies, but most of the time it is a subtle thing that happens over time.   I know it is part of the natural aspects to growth and life in general, but I don't like it. I don't see why we can't continue to grow our families of friends under almost any circumstance.

I fully understand it is reality,  but there are many times I have visions of a better reality where things continue to grow and get better and we adapt rather than disconnect. Like I've said before, when I was a kid I never understood many social aspects of life. I never understood the statement there is a thin line between  love and hate.  Under the vast majority of circumstances how can you ever hate something you once loved? 

As I gain more life experiences I understand the statement, but I beg everyone who reads this to have the patience, wisdom and strength to be above this negative emotional statement.  As we connect with people on a higher level, they have a deeper place in our heart and soul and when they leave our lives even under the best of circumstances a little jagged edge can create a very deep wound.   I try extremely hard to always focus on the positive,  but one area  I have failed in recent months is when I  think about once close allies who are nowhere to be found in my life.   If I look  at one of these people as a whole I start by remembering the good times, but I find myself going to a cloudy place that I'm not used to visiting.

A new technique I have adopted to gain the positive that is there is to break these special people into pieces. I remember their best attributes or the funniest stories and disregard the rest. I remember the time they got me out of that pickle,  their ability to make me laugh so hard or the most caring, kind spirit I have ever known.

Even Chris the dreamer realizes he might never see a person again, but that doesn't mean the wonderful  things you learned or experienced have to die. Have  the courage to take those pieces and make yourself a better you.

I will  be the first to admit I don't have this down to a science, but I'm certain it is better to try to be positive than to wallow in self pity  or block somebody or something completely out of your mind. 

Sometimes we want to hold on to the past because we think it was the peak of the mountain, but if we keep our dreams alive with a great attitude to work hard and help our fellow man there is a new peak  waiting for us. There could be days of snowy weather or haziness ahead, but the peak is still there.

Lets go straight to the top!

Chris

Repaint, Retune, Recalibrate

January 1st is a date where many people take stock of their lives.  I know it is convenient and it has its own poetry based on the simple idea of new year, new you, but growing up I never understood new year's resolutions.  I will readily admit I was a dimwit growing up when it came to social norms,  but for all my lack of understanding I think kid Chris  might have been onto something here. How we act on January 1 is no more important then February 17 or July 25.

All days are units of time and we as individuals and a society assign importance to certain dates. For instance, I assign importance to the date January 14 because it is the anniversary of my birth. Always remember we choose what we see, hear, and think in our minds.   We can change it at any point.  It doesn't have to be a clean even time like midnight; you can decide to mentally change your life at 8:53 AM any day of the year.

I haven't  had the clearest or most positive thoughts the last couple days. I've been sitting thinking about how to solve some problems and instead of focusing on new solutions I find myself  analyzing past failures.  I lie to myself and convince myself for a moment that I am going through past failures to figure out a new solution, but if it was that simple I would have already figured out a solution.  

Especially when it comes to big important complex dreams you have to step in faith.  You have to think up new images you've never seen before, new melodies you have never heard before and new  measurements for success you've never thought of before.

Being a bona fide dreamer is an honor and a privilege,  but we must remember in times of evaluation or hardship  we can't use mundane metrics or tools to help explain something only we see.  Always keep the faith!  If you fall down and have a bad minute accept it, but move on and refuse to have a bad hour or night.

You own your mind nobody else does. You control the paintings they get drawn there, the songs that get played there, and the metrics that get used there.  If you fall back in the norms of averageness  understand that we are all human, but you can decide to snap out of it with the beat of a song that nobody else hears or a new mental image. 

We can change whatever we want, whenever we want.  There are times when being brave and creative are not easy,  but have the courage to be different because when your dreams come to fruition the challenging times will be looked back at as a fond memory.

We can achieve anything! 

Chris