I'm very fortunate and thankful everyday to the man up above.

Jeff Green once spoke with reverence and humility: “I’m very fortunate and thankful every day to the man up above. Because without Him, and my friends and family, I wouldn’t be here.” These words are not merely an athlete’s reflection—they are the cry of a soul that has looked into the depths of struggle and emerged with the wisdom that survival and triumph are never solitary. They echo the eternal truth that our journeys are upheld by divine providence, by the love of others, and by gratitude that sanctifies every breath we take.

The ancients often lifted their eyes to the heavens, acknowledging the unseen hand of the divine. Kings built temples to honor their gods after victory, generals sacrificed at altars before battle, and prophets declared that without the blessing of heaven, all human striving was vanity. Green’s reference to the man up above is a modern echo of this same spirit, a confession that behind every moment of survival, behind every triumph, lies a higher power. His thankfulness is not only for success, but for life itself—a gift renewed each dawn by grace.

Yet Green does not stop at the divine. He honors his friends and family, recognizing that even divine blessings often arrive clothed in human hands. This acknowledgment recalls the wisdom of Marcus Aurelius, who in his Meditations listed every mentor, relative, and companion who had shaped him, confessing that his character and achievements were not his alone but the fruit of countless influences. Likewise, Green knows that without the love, encouragement, and sacrifice of those around him, his journey would have faltered. Gratitude here becomes not abstract, but embodied.

Consider, too, the trials Green himself endured. His career was nearly ended by a life-threatening heart condition, requiring open-heart surgery. To return to the game after such a trial was not a matter of willpower alone, but of faith, medical care, and the unwavering support of his loved ones. His words, then, are not poetic exaggeration but lived truth: he truly would not be here without the sustaining power of God and community. This confession mirrors the stories of ancient heroes who, though mighty, always relied on others—Achilles had Patroclus, Alexander had his generals, and David had Jonathan. No life of greatness is lived in isolation.

The deeper meaning of this quote is that gratitude is both shield and compass. To know oneself as fortunate keeps arrogance at bay; to be thankful each day keeps bitterness from taking root. When one sees life itself as a gift, every moment becomes holy, every challenge survivable, and every victory a shared triumph. Gratitude thus transforms the heart, teaching it that strength is not self-made but divinely woven and communally sustained.

The lesson, then, is clear: never forget the sources of your strength. Remember the man up above, for faith gives life its foundation. Remember your friends and family, for they are the arms that hold you when you stumble. To live without gratitude is to live in blindness; to live with it is to walk in light.

Practical counsel may be drawn. Begin each day by naming what you are thankful for: the breath in your lungs, the people in your life, the opportunities set before you. When success comes, do not boast as though you earned it alone—lift your eyes in humility and honor those who carried you. And when hardship comes, lean upon your faith and your community, for together they will sustain you through storms.

Thus Jeff Green’s words endure as a teaching: “I am thankful to the man up above, and to my friends and family.” Let this be remembered across generations—that the path to greatness is never walked alone, and the heart that gives thanks daily walks already in victory.