Look Alive Folks

"You guard against decay, in general, and stagnation, by moving, by continuing to move." - Mary Daly

A few years back we encountered a couple of nesting Turkey Buzzards outside my office building. Interestingly, they wandered around our first floor window, taking a moment every now and then to peck at their reflection in the window.

These birds are also known in some areas as Turkey Vultures. They are part grand, part (pardon the expression) ugly looking to put it simply. Being a scavenger bird, they feed primarily on carrion, which is just a nice word to describe dead things.

Part of natures cycle of life.

Buzzards feed upon those things you see along our roadways and elsewhere. Which means they have their place in the grander scheme of life. Yet watching them sit and stare, waiting for the living to stop is fascinating. Sitting with patience and determination looking for an opportunity to pounce upon and feed.

In a certain sense, life can have the same effect.

When we stop moving forward and become motionless in living life itself, does nature view us in the same manner? Weeds and vines will begin to circle our feet and legs, starting a process of encircling our very existence. Soon we will struggle to even move from the place we sit, motionless; almost lifeless.

The buzzards in life, the mean and black-hearted people who do exist will remain patient. Waiting and waiting for the moment to pounce upon anything you hold onto. They will steal those last bits of hope or dreams you keep inside.

The circle of life waiting for the next moment.

Yet there is always an opportunity to break free from the binding of vines. Unbinding ourselves from those things we allow to hold us back. In doing so we can move forward and ward off the buzzards circling overhead.

One small movement towards a small piece of hope can cut us free.

With one step forward the strength will begin to build. Another vine broken and the other leg breaks free. Two steps towards something greater. Your movement will disinterest the buzzards for they only look for the motionless. The birds will move on to look for other potential carrion.

Your sky will become clear as will the destination. So look alive when you see the turkey buzzards staring at you. There is a lot of living to do and not living it is for the birds.

Stay inspired my friends!

Live As Though Alive

"Thoughts are like an open ocean, they can either move you forward within its waves, or sink you under deep into its abyss." ― Anthony Liccione

I found and read this story written by Francie Baltazar-Schwartz titled "ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING" some time ago. The story provides a perspective regarding the idea of taking only a positive view of life. There is a possibility you will learn a lesson from it and change your view on life as well.

Jerry was the kind of guy you love to hate. He was always in a good mood and always had something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, "If I were any better, I would be twins!"

He was a unique manager because he had several waiters who had followed him around from restaurant to restaurant. The reason the waiters followed Jerry was because of his attitude. He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Jerry was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.

Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up to Jerry and asked him, "I don't get it! You can't be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?"

Jerry replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, Jerry, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or you can choose to be in a bad mood.' I choose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life."

"Yeah, right, it's not that easy," I protested.

"Yes it is," Jerry said. "Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people will affect your mood. You choose to be in a good or bad mood. The bottom line: It's your choice how you live life."

I reflected on what Jerry said. Soon thereafter, I left the restaurant industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but I often thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it.

Several years later, I heard that Jerry did something you are never supposed to do in a restaurant business: he left the back door open one morning and was held up at gunpoint by three armed robbers.

While trying to open the safe, his hand, shaking from nervousness, slipped off the combination. The robbers panicked and shot him. Luckily, Jerry was found relatively quickly and rushed to the local trauma center.

After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Jerry was released from the hospital with fragments of the bullets still in his body.

I saw Jerry about six months after the accident. When I asked him how he was, he replied, "If I were any better, I'd be twins. Wanna see my scars?"

I declined to see his wounds, but did ask him what had gone through his mind as the robbery took place.

"The first thing that went through my mind was that I should have locked the back door," Jerry replied. "Then, as I lay on the floor, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live, or I could choose to die. I chose to live."

"Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?" I asked.

Jerry continued, "The paramedics were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the emergency room and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read, 'He's a dead man.' I knew I needed to take action."

"What did you do?" I asked.

"Well, there was a big, burly nurse shouting questions at me," said Jerry. "She asked if I was allergic to anything. 'Yes,' I replied. The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, 'Bullets!' Over their laughter, I told them, "I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead."

Jerry lived thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully.

Attitude, after all, is everything.

Begin thinking of your life as if you are alive, not dead.

Choose the laughter and live your life to its greatest potential. After all, attitude is everything.

Stay inspired my friends.

Words Into Action

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” -Howard Thurman

My fourth book has been accepted for publication. My hope is to have it available in time for Christmas. A lot of love is going into this book which should serve as a hint. My wife and I are also looking at starting an organization that you will hear more about in the coming months.

There are also plans to start putting my words to action. There might be some speaking engagements coming along soon. If you have the right venue, the right need and I have the right words, let me know by writing to josephprimm@bellsouth.net today.

Putting words into action can result in great things happening. When you put your words into action, movement begins all around you. Opportunity begins to intersect with your life. You start to impact the lives of other people and the ripple effect begins.