Dear Friends,

My older brother Terry taught me a valuable lesson one afternoon that I have carried with me until the present day.

It was an August afternoon and football practice was soon to start for our small Catholic High School. Half of the 100 boys played on the football team and this was going to be my first year. My older brother Terry
was already a two year veteran and I dutifully followed him in a run around the block in order to get into shape.

Our block was rather long, about a half mile or so and I started to get pretty tired pretty quickly. I started to realize that playing football was serious business. As we neared the end of our run, I was breathing very
rapidly and my legs felt like jelly. No pain, no gain so I was very glad to round the last corner and gently ease up the hill towards the finish line in front of our home.

Then my brother taught me THE lesson. Instead of slowing down, my brother quickly accelerated up the hill towards our house. Completely caught by surprise, I tried to salvage some sense of pride and with a
mighty and bewildered effort managed to not fall too far behind. My brother, a man of few words, did not say anything but just turned and walked into the house. The run and the lesson with little brother was done.
Nuff said.

I have carried that lesson my entire life. When you don't think you can go any further, any faster, fix your eyes on the goal, lower your head and sprint hard towards the finish line. Don't worry . . . you won't die.
At the top of the hill you can stop and you will be home. God bless you all until next week.