Stories by Greg Gaines on Medium

The GoCart and the Good Ol’ Days

Greg Gaines — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 05:37:15 GMT

I guess everyone remembers the good ole days. It’s been a while for me, but it’s funny that there’s things that I can’t even remember from last week, but things that happen to us 30+ years ago we can still remember.

One thing I still remember vividly is the old Go-Cart that we used to have. I don’t remember who bought it, but it stay down at my grandma and grandaddy’s house. It wasn’t new or supped up, but it went. We used to ride it all the time and even ripped the bottom out of it one time. We didn’t go far, just around the driveway and down the dirt road, but it was always a great time.

It was a simpler time for us kids, but I know for my mom and daddy, they had to work their tales off to make it. We’d ride that go-cart for hours and we never wore a helmet. Safety was of no concern. There was no internet to tell us that some kids was riding on his go-cart in Utah and got his head knocked off or some crazy crap and then some politician helped pass a bill in the name of safety. We were free and free to dream of being Richard Petty or Darryl Waltrip. Where have those times gone to where we can have fun, forget about the risks and dream? We have to return to those times, or we risk hurting our future even now. I never want to look back and know that because I didn’t take risks, have fun and dream a little.

My Journey to a Run Disney Race

Greg Gaines — Sat, 04 Oct 2014 04:58:24 GMT

Over the past few years, I’ve seen many of my Disney friends run a Run Disney Race at WDW or at DLR. I had always said that one day I’d do that. But at 358 lbs and grossly out of shape there was no way that I could even run a mile more less 10 or 13.1. It took a lot of thought to convince myself that I could do anything, but in December of 2013 I decided to try and start running. I had run a little over the previous year, but nothing major. I started walking/running and felt kinda stupid, but it’s never how you start, but how you finish.

Now to think I’m fast or can actually “run” an entire race is crazy, but I set out to take control of my body. It had controlled me for all of these years and I wanted to take it back. Plus, I wanted prove to myself that “I can do all things through Christ”.

While I’m not “there” yet. My road has been long and hard and the 1st of my major goals is upon us. Tonight, I will run the Tower of Terror 10 miler. I know I can run it and I know I can finish it, but a race like this scares me to death. Yes 5K’s are hard, but a 10 mile race? Well, I have to go back to God for that and believe once again that I can do all things through Christ.

BTW: I’m down to 314 lbs and can actually wear XXL shirts now.

John Lassester on Leadership

Greg Gaines — Wed, 24 Sep 2014 16:51:10 GMT

Personally, I love to hear great leaders speak on leadership. Now, for me there are some that speak to me more than others, but being a Disney fan the speech by John Lassester at the 2009 Pepperdine University’s Graduation is a awesome. It is truly one of those speeches that I could listen to over and over.

http://youtu.be/3Mo4P_BVlzg