Unexpected Inspiration

"We are all civilized people, which means that we are all savages at heart but observing a few amenities of civilized behavior." - Tennessee Williams

I knew who Dhani Jones was; pretty darn good Linebacker for the Cincinnati Bengals….well spoken…star of that travel show…..cool cat in the bow tie. He’s been around for a while, so yes, I was familiar. But in the last few weeks he’s been everywhere, being interviewed about his new book, The Sportsman. I’ve heard him on radio and TV; I’ve seen some written articles. The man’s like a Visa advertisement, he’s “Everywhere you want to be.”

These interviews have helped me understand that this guy is “different”.  He is not your stereotypical self absorbed jock like so many we see on the late night news. Dhani is an entrepreneur and a philanthropist, a true modern day renaissance man with more interests than time will allow. He travels the world and firmly believes that you can only learn about a culture by being immersed in it.

The man is also a damned good football player who balances his life by embracing his “softer” side. A bone crushing Linebacker who tackles Quarterbacks with reckless abandon he also designs bow ties for charity, opens cafes, and authors books. His balancing act is an amazing feat worth noticing and emulating. As I struggle to find my direction, I will look to him and people like him who show us every day that you can embrace things that seem diametrically opposed and that those things can coexist in amazing ways.

I too have many passions.
I must learn to find ways to embrace them all.

Thanks Dhani for showing me the road.

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing” – Helen Keller


To learn more about Dhani Jones
http://dhanijones.tv/