We belong to each other. Mother Teresa
What I try to tell young people is that if you come together with a mission, and its grounded with love and a sense of community, you can make the impossible possible. John Lewis
So Greg Nilles and Tom Kutz get together for breakfast. That is enough for me to tune out the explosions of politics and gun violence in our world. I feel good that in a small way their breakfast does not happen without Gary Mindel, Brian Thiemann, and I. Just two good guys getting together for breakfast. That is where it starts, that is where community develops.
Their breakfast is where two good guys who are good fathers and husbands get together and just talk about sports or kids or old sports stories, but through it all they are reinforcing each other's kindness, each other's selflessness, and each other's compassion. Of course, they would come together for breakfast. Two commissioners getting together think Rob Manfred and Roger Goodell getting together for bacon and eggs only Greg and Tom are much better guys. Tom keeps me entertained the entire college basketball season as I have now been in his college basketball pool for more than 25 years. I do not know how many years that Greg has kept me entertained through his NFL pools or his Oscar pools or recently his World Cup pool.
The picture is also perfect with Greg sporting the Rams shirt and Tom wearing the MIZZOU shirt, I could not have a better picture if I would have picked out the wardrobe myself.
Tom and Greg also have this in common, they have always cared about me and are happy to see me. They greet me warmly every single time we meet. They want to know what is really going on and often ask good questions to see where I am. They are also much better at me and live their lives without tearing another person down. I don't think I have ever heard Tom saying anything bad about another person and the closest Greg has come is to just shake his head and smile if I bring up someone he does not like or think that much of.
Greg did not grow up in St. Louis, but is a St. Louisan now. Tom grew up here and there is something between men of my generation who have grown up with the common denominator of sports and watching sports. I am concerned a bit by the current generation with so much stimuli and a wide variety of excitement. Tom, Greg, and I grew up on 6 channels (maybe 5 for Tom) and one AM radio station blaring out the ball game on a Sunday afternoon. It is through that commonality and those experiences that we can reach out to those like us and also seek to bring others into our circles through sport. Think about how many times people of different backgrounds have been united through sport. Think of how the whole world is watching the World Cup now.
I do not know if Uganda has ever had a World Cup team, but that entire country shuts down and gathers at restaurants or sometimes just a small place in a village to watch the World Cup. I watched the World Cup at Pope Paul VI in Anaka. With 4 students behind me leaning on me the entire game to get closer to the TV. At one time I leaned forward quickly and felt about 8 boys fall forward with me.
So if you are depressed about the state of our country or concerned about the direction of our world. Find a friend or in Tom and Greg's case a friend of a friend and start your own breakfast tradition. This is what community looks like.
We live in a world where Tom Kutz and Greg Nilles make an effort to get together regularly for breakfast. That small act of brotherhood is enough for me. I sign off today like I do after most breakfasts realizing I am blessed and the world is blessed with good people.
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