Don W. Hood known by most as “Coach Hood”. 

Born: April 6^th 1933

Died: Feb 9^th 2024

For those who don't know Coach Hood has coached dozens of olympians and national champions in pole vaulting over decades of coaching.  

The first time I met Coach Hood was when he came up north for his world class pole vaulting camps.  I remember him talking about the catered meals = Subway, burgers, and Pizza.  I remember sleeping in a college dorm or motel.  I remember carrying kids to and from locations in the back of pickup trucks.  I remember him telling everyone to buy a T-shirt but only wear it at home if they weren’t going to do things right on the runway.  I remember him calling flip flops thongs and that getting a giggle out of the kids.   I remember working hard to make sure I wasn’t a “rock head”.  He could coach hard and direct and still not crush people.  He made me think higher of myself...

The less dramatic title would be:

Become happier by spreading gratitude – The Gratitude Visit

I am going to share with you a story that I almost don’t believe really happened even though it happened to me.  But first I’m going to recommend you try this… 

 (listen to podcast instead of read)

Martin Seligman the father of positive psychology (www.positivepsychology.org) has developed a list of things you can do to be happier.  One of the most powerful is the gratitude visit. 

The way a Gratitude Visit works is:

1. Write a letter of gratitude thanking someone for the impact they have had on your life and how important they are to you.
2. DON’T MAIL IT!
3. Go visit them (or video call) the more intimate the setting the better.
4. Read the letter to them
5. (bring tissues and a REAL hug)
6. Make someone else feel awesome, while you feel awesome for being the kind of person who would do that!
7. The feelings and memory persist long after...

This has been popping in my mind over the last 2-weeks so I’m going to get it out of my head and see what you think of it.  Everytime it has the Bob Dylan songs seems to come with it!

“You’re gonna have to serve somebody.  It may be the devil or it may be the Lord but you’re gonna have to serve somebody.”  - Bob Dylan

I try to read my Bible every morning.  Just a few minutes.  Sometimes it’s helpful, sometimes I’m glad I wasn’t alive then, sometimes it’s tricky, sometimes I wish I could have been there.  I need to add, I’m no biblical scholar and my faith is strong but complicated.  I am rarely if ever on a religious or spiritual high.  I get jealous of those who are. 

But, I learn when I read it and I’m trying to use more if what’s in there to effect what I do “out here!”

In Romans 6:16-19 it says this…

^“16 ...