Perception Or Reality

Perception isn't always reality in certain things. I had reason to wonder why a professional football team called the Detroit Lions were taking heat for playing on the American holiday of Thanksgiving. Many have said this team always loses and shouldn't play on this day for they are not a very good team.

So I thought to see if perception is the reality. In 68 games that Detroit has played on Thanskgiving Day, they have a won/loss record of 35 - 33. This includes losses in 1925 and 1926 when there was a Detroit team called the Detroit Panthers. Better then even in winning games isn't all that bad.

But it does show that our first impressions or what we perceive on the surface is not always correct. We need to look a bit deeper to find the truth and reality of what we see. This goes for things we hear, things we see and people we meet. Learn to find out more and see what the reality is beneath the perceived, you will grow richer inside for it.

Now the scores for you football purists - for others, Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy time with family and friends.

Nov. 26, 1925 Rock Island Independents 6, DETROIT PANTHERS 3
Nov. 25, 1926 Los Angeles Buccaneers 9, DETROIT PANTHERS 6
Nov. 29, 1934 Chicago Bears 19, DETROIT LIONS 16
Nov. 28, 1935 DETROIT LIONS 14, Chicago Bears 2
Nov. 26, 1936 DETROIT LIONS 13, Chicago Bears 7
Nov. 25, 1937 Chicago Bears 13, DETROIT LIONS 0
Nov. 24, 1938 DETROIT LIONS 14, Chicago Bears 7
Nov. 22, 1945 Cleveland Rams 28, DETROIT LIONS 21
Nov. 28, 1946 Boston Yanks 34, DETROIT LIONS 10
Nov. 27, 1947 Chicago Bears 34, DETROIT LIONS 14
Nov. 25, 1948 Chicago Cardinals 28, DETROIT LIONS 14
Nov. 24, 1949 Chicago Bears 28, DETROIT LIONS 7
Nov. 23, 1950 DETROIT LIONS 49, New York Yanks 14
Nov. 22, 1951 DETROIT LIONS 52, Green Bay Packers 35
Nov. 27, 1952 DETROIT LIONS 48, Green Bay Packers 24
Nov. 26, 1953 DETROIT LIONS 34, Green Bay Packers 15
Nov. 25, 1954 DETROIT LIONS 28, Green Bay Packers 24
Nov. 24, 1955 DETROIT LIONS 24, Green Bay Packers 10
Nov. 22, 1956 Green Bay Packers 24, DETROIT LIONS 20
Nov. 28, 1957 DETROIT LIONS 18, Green Bay Packers 6
Nov. 27, 1958 DETROIT LIONS 24, Green Bay Packers 14
Nov. 26, 1959 Green Bay Packers 24, DETROIT LIONS 17
Nov. 24, 1960 DETROIT LIONS 23, Green Bay Packers 10
Nov. 23, 1961 Green Bay Packers 17, DETROIT LIONS 9
Nov. 22, 1962 DETROIT LIONS 26, Green Bay Packers 14
Nov. 28, 1963 DETROIT LIONS 13, Green Bay Packers 13
Nov. 26, 1964 Chicago Bears 27, DETROIT LIONS 24
Nov. 25, 1965 DETROIT LIONS 24, Baltimore Colts 24
Nov. 24, 1966 San Francisco 49ers 41, DETROIT LIONS 14
Nov. 23, 1967 Los Angeles Rams 31, DETROIT LIONS 7
Nov. 28, 1968 Philadelphia Eagles 12, DETROIT LIONS 0
Nov. 27, 1969 Minnesota Vikings 27, DETROIT LIONS 0
Nov. 26, 1970 DETROIT LIONS 28, Oakland Raiders 14
Nov. 25, 1971 DETROIT LIONS 32, Kansas City Chiefs 21
Nov. 23, 1972 DETROIT LIONS 37, New York Jets 20
Nov. 22, 1973 Washington Redskins 20, DETROIT LIONS 0
Nov. 28, 1974 Denver Broncos 31, DETROIT LIONS 27
Nov. 27, 1975 Los Angeles Rams 20, DETROIT LIONS 0
Nov. 25, 1976 DETROIT LIONS 27, Buffalo Bills 14
Nov. 24, 1977 Chicago Bears 31, DETROIT LIONS 14
Nov. 23, 1978 DETROIT LIONS 17, Denver Broncos 14
Nov. 22, 1979 DETROIT LIONS 20, Chicago Bears 0
Nov. 27, 1980 Chicago Bears 23, DETROIT LIONS 17 (OT)
Nov. 26, 1981 DETROIT LIONS 27, Kansas City Chiefs 10
Nov. 25, 1982 New York Giants 13, DETROIT LIONS 6
Nov. 24, 1983 DETROIT LIONS 45, Pittsburgh Steelers 3
Nov. 22, 1984 DETROIT LIONS 31, Green Bay Packers 28
Nov. 28, 1985 DETROIT LIONS 31, New York Jets 20
Nov. 27, 1986 Green Bay Packers 44, DETROIT LIONS 40
Nov. 26, 1987 Kansas City Chiefs 27, DETROIT LIONS 20
Nov. 24, 1988 Minnesota Vikings 23, DETROIT LIONS 0
Nov. 23, 1989 DETROIT LIONS 13, Cleveland Browns 10
Nov. 22, 1990 DETROIT LIONS 40, Denver Broncos 27
Nov. 28, 1991 DETROIT LIONS 16, Chicago Bears 6
Nov. 26, 1992 Houston Oilers 24, DETROIT LIONS 21
Nov. 25, 1993 Chicago Bears 10, DETROIT LIONS 6
Nov. 24, 1994 DETROIT LIONS 35, Buffalo Bills 21
Nov. 23, 1995 DETROIT LIONS 44, Minnesota Vikings 38
Nov. 28, 1996 Kansas City Chiefs 28, DETROIT LIONS 24
Nov. 27, 1997 DETROIT LIONS 55, Chicago Bears 20
Nov. 26, 1998 DETROIT LIONS 19, Pittsburgh Steelers 16 (OT)
Nov. 25, 1999 DETROIT LIONS 21, Chicago Bears 17
Nov. 23, 2000 DETROIT LIONS 34, New England Patriots 9
Nov. 22, 2001 Green Bay Packers 29, DETROIT LIONS 27
Nov. 28, 2002 New England Patriots 20, DETROIT LIONS 12
Nov. 27, 2003 DETROIT LIONS 22, Green Bay Packers 14
Nov. 25, 2004 Indianapolis Colts 41, DETROIT LIONS 9
Nov. 24, 2005 Atlanta Falcons 27, DETROIT LIONS 7

Change That Helps Others

Have you seen that commercial from Liberty Mutual? The one in which a person does a small act of kindness for another and a third person sees it. This third person then does a small act of kindness for another, so on and so forth. I'm not here to endorse Liberty Mutual, but to commend the message about personal responsibility and kindness.

If each of us takes a moment in our day to help another, as Jim Rohn said, “You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself. That is something you have charge of.” Change yourself to be a better person. Turn that changed person into someone that is willing to help others.

Thanksgiving Grace

Grace by John Holyfield

A day goes by and another one arrives, time moves forward as we pass through it. In your own way, you find ways to be thankful for what you have, for who is in your life and for what will be. Here in America, we celebrate the harvest time with a thanksgiving holiday.

Thanksgiving in Canada is much the same as it is in the United States; however, it is observed on a different day - the second Monday in October. Other parts of the world and different cultures celebrate thanksgiving. Although they are different from our own American tradition each of them revolve around giving thanks for life's blessings and the celebration of the autumn harvest.

In Great Britain, the Harvest festival is held late September or October. Jewish people celebrate Sukkot, a festival of thanksgiving that lasts nine days. The Festival of the Autumn Moon (Zhong Qui), is the Chinese celebration of thanksgiving. In southern India, people in Kerala hold the harvest festival of Onam. And a Lithuanian thanksgiving celebration involves the creation of a boba (meaning old woman) from the last sheaf of grain at harvest time.

For each of us, we have much to be thankful for in our lives. A holiday will remind us of this very thing, but we need to remind ourselves often as we go about our daily lives. A quote that I am unsure of its author says, "it isn't what you have in your pocket that makes you thankful, but what you have in your heart." Be thankful in your life and see it become more fulfilled.

Life Happening

Busy week, busy life - I do hope all is well with everyone. My thoughts come back to my regular readers when time becomes filled and writing this blog is interrupted. My belief has always been that words serve to inspire and support your daily lives. If giving my readers a bit of hope or encouragement to achieve dreams of a better life helps even one person, then it makes my day better.

Many times in life we encounter tragedy and pain. Yet the small acts of kindness, the small acts of encouragement allow us to see hope and belief in the good our life has. Your life is important to you and those around you. Each of us can help each other to achieve that better life. Each of us will achieve that better life with consistent and progressive movement.

“Progress, of the best kind, is comparatively slow. Great results cannot be achieved at once; and we must be satisfied to advance in life as we walk, step by step.” - Samuel Smiles