Four leaf clovers...

My grandpa Hutson used to sing a song, half to me, half to himself, that epitomized his outlook on life.

"I'm looking over a four-leaf clover
That I overlooked before.
One leaf is sunshine, the second is rain,
Third is the roses that grow in the lane.
No need explaining, the one remaining
Is somebody I adore.
I'm looking over a four-leaf clover
That I overlooked before."

I had one of those days again on Friday where everything looked a little bleak. But toward the end of the day the sun began to shine again and, well, had Irish eyes a smilin'! What made the change? Friends. People who know me just came appeared back into my life and gave me a much needed boost. And these friends, relatively new ones I might add, gave me a gift that is priceless in the scheme of life ... another new friend! My friend Mike, introduced me to a man clearly familiar with four leaf clovers, Tex Whitson. You'll read more about Tex in magazines to come, but let's just say that Tex has been blessed. Some would call it lucky, even he would say that sometimes, but he also recognizes it as blessing. What does Tex do?

Well, he's more or less, hmmmm, welll, not sure. Let's say he places his hand on certain things and they get done. Like what? Well, he and a fellow named Benny Binion created a small little event called the "World Series of Poker," in the early 1970's, an event that now draws nearly 6,000 contestants each year. But I digress, because Tex is really about a lot more than poker, or Las Vegas. He's kind of an aggregator, someone who puts divergent people and ideas together to make something new, different. He's also one of the most connected people on the planet. He writes music, country music and knows the giants in that field. Wille Nelson, Larry Bastian, Garth and many, many, more. But he's done a lot for his current home town of Las Vegas, too.

He was at least partially responsible for bringing the NFR, National Finals Rodeo, to Las Vegas from Oklahoma City. Now if that seems strange, well, think abouth how many more hotel rooms there are in Vegas than there are in OKC! But I would have never figured that one out. But he and Benny Binion did.

Anyway, the two hours I spent with Tex Whitson was a gift. Was it luck, no, not really. I was blessed.

"I'm lookin' over a four leaf clover..."