These are my people

 I'm about 24 hours late on this post, but bare with me, I have a million things going on. Such is life on the grind.

 I can't even begin to describe how important my friends and brothers are to me. This past weekend I was in Northern Virginia for a bit, and I got to see so many people that I haven't seen in months and even years, and every time I get the privilege to do something like this, it puts a lot into perspective for me. This post is inspired by those people, because they continue to inspire me.

 Life is about making memories. Life is about setting goals and working hard. Life is about the relationships we build. Life is about wins and losses.

 One thing I'll always be proud to say is that I am a brother of The Delta Chi fraternity. Becoming a member of such an elite group of scholars, athletes, and gentlemen is second to none for me. I credit so many wonderful memories and successes to my decision to accept the challenge to join that brotherhood, so getting to catch up with brothers I haven't seen in months or even years is a good thing. Sure, it reminds you of the good times, but also of the standards you pledged to uphold when you joined. We all set high standards for ourselves, and the higher you set them, the harder it is to uphold them. It takes these important people in our lives to get us up for the challenge.

 When I say life is about losses, that's another truth. I've always owned my losses, and have suffered my own share of losses, something I've always been open about. Like most people, I've lose family, but it's the losses of friends, former teammates, and brothers that really motivate me to be better than my best everyday.

 With this tragic shooting in Connecticut, something we talked about as a team in practice is that 20 young children were lost before they had the chance to reach their academic and athletic potential. 20 elementary schoolers will never have the chance to play basketball ever again, or any sport ever again. They'll never have a chance to accomplish their full potential. So how can we fall short with the opportunities we are blessed with today? I know it's been said a million times, but for some of us, we have to learn how to put a positive spin on all of life's dark days and share that light with others.

 Realizing that you, or the ones you love, will some day leave this Earth should make you value your own time and the time you share with others. On my trip this weekend, I got to see over a dozen brothers and friends that I don't get to see enough, and may not ever see again, at least not soon. It's true. And so I'm thankful for the opportunity. I'm thankful for all of those amazing people in my life, and I'm thankful that if I wake up tomorrow with the chance to be great, I will work hard for it .

 Enjoy the time you spend with your friends and family today, not just because it's the holiday season, and not just because of the tragedy in Connecticut. Enjoy it because you should always enjoy it. Change is on the way, that is a certainty. Never miss the chance to let someone know you appreciate them, that they are important to you, and that hearing from them means a lot to you. It's a simple rule we should all follow.

 Thanks for the good times, and the bad times. Thanks for the memories. Thanks for the opportunity. Thanks for being my people, and letting me be one of yours.

 Live in your own reality, today is your time to shine.

@travisponton