To Fly

The bird so high in a blue sky,

No wings flapping, moving smoothly in flight.

The trail it leaves marks a path,

From one destination to another.

To see from so high, so very high,

A world so small, its largeness so immense.

I long for a return to flight,

To see a world I thought I once knew.

From feet in the cool green grass,

Gazing to see a bird so free in flight.

Longing for the lift to let the dew release,

Seeing the curve of my earthly wonder.

My flight will return, to soar above the birds,

To feel the air beneath my feet.

Rising above the noise and chaos,

To return and nest in the comfort of a lover.

-- Stay inspired my friends.

Taking Flight

“If you were born without wings, do nothing to prevent them from growing.” ― Coco Chanel

This is the day that our daughter Pareesa takes steps on a stage to take hold of her college degree. The many late nights of studying, writing papers and dreaming of accomplishment are over. The reward of dedication to learning is acknowledgement before a multitude of family, friends and peers.

We are so proud of her in this and all the moments of her life.

With her degree in hand she will take flight to even greater heights. The world awaits all of us to accomplish great things. Pareesa, like all of our children, have and will do so much in their lifetime. The sky is huge and full of possibility to spread her wings wide. She will soar to success unimaginable even by a parents greatest expectations.

There will be great love and pride lifting those wings.

Where the winds of time carry her, we always know those same winds will carry her home to us from time to time. Pareesa will have a life of greatness, of achievement, and of happiness. Life is a wondrous thing to have and she will embark upon it with courage, wisdom and strength. As parents, we will get to watch from our perch, happy and confident in her ability to soar ever higher.

We love you Pareesa and are so proud of you on this grand graduation day!

Take Flight

"Growing up is never easy. You hold on to things that were. You wonder what's to come. But that night, I think we knew it was time to let go of what had been, and look ahead to what would be. Other days. New days. Days to come. The thing is, we didn't have to hate each other for getting older. We just had to forgive ourselves... for growing up.” ~The Wonder Years

I came upon a song called "Flightless Bird" by a group called Iron and Wine. A song of youthful life and growing up. The 'flightless bird' seems to mean he is unsure if he has found his own path. A bird that cannot fly may be seen by some as ironic. Birds are known to fly as they have wings to fly. But if a bird cannot fly, it has not fully realized it's own potential.

Okay, so that was all a little bit too deep for sure.

What is real about growing up is our struggle to prove ourselves on our own. We may experience hurt along the way as we learn to fly. We will make mistakes. We might may end up only reaching a point of just looking out over the edge, afraid to step out and take flight.

It is at this moment where we can make a decision to take that step and fall with no certainty of anyone to catch us. We can choose to forgive ourselves, take risk and connect with others; in other words take flight. Our flight will take place, when we forgive inside. We will then find ourselves among others in flight with a view so spectacular that you wonder why it took so long.

You may think that childhood is lost at this point. Like the young bird that has left the next, flying on its own, building its own life. But it is my belief when we take flight, this is truly when the child inside gets to experience life in all its wonder. The child inside is flightless until we learn to take our wings and use them. When we allow ourselves to forgive inside, when we take our life beyond ourselves and connect with others; only then will we truly take experience the possibility that life has to offer us.

Stay inspired my friends.

Wish Upon a Do-Over

"Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!" -Dr. Seuss

I have to think there are days we wish a do-over was possible. Especially after those moments when we do something in a selfish manner. Those moments that erupt into something bigger and our little selfish action impacts many others.

Take for instance the recent news story involving two flight attendants. From a passenger perspective, it was going to be a typical 1 hour and 20 minute flight from New York to Washington, DC. American Airlines Flight 3823, set to leave at 3:10 p.m. tells me that there were probably folks heading home. All they wanted to do was have a short flight and possibly get home in time for dinner.

But as the plane was moving along the tarmac, one flight attendant was still on her cell phone. I am not sure if she was speaking to her mother, brother or lover. Yet anyone that has flown knows that cell phones are to be in the "off" position once the boarding doors have closed. What can be assumed is that self-importance probably got in the way of her decision to keep using the cell phone.

The story gets better, "tongue firmly in cheek."

Her co-worker was preparing passengers and plane for the impending take-off. You have likely heard the announcement, "At this time, make sure your seat backs and tray tables are in their full upright position. Also make sure your seat belt is correctly fastened. Also, we advise you that as of this moment, any electronic equipment must be turned off. Thank you.”

To make her point and without fully thinking through the consequences, the second flight attendant added the comment “including the other flight attendant.” A momentary lapse of judgement, directing comments at her co-worker in front of everyone, without thinking first. Selfish in thought one could say.

Of course her comment didn’t go over well with the flight attendant on the cell phone. The cockpit crew realized there was an argument between the two and travelers were told they’d be returning to the gate “because the flight attendants couldn’t work with each other." Passengers then had to wait nearly four hours while American Airlines went about locating another flight attendant crew...so much for dinner at home.

We can wish for a do-over.

I have to believe that both flight attendants will be disciplined in some manner. I also have to believe each would have acted differently if they were given a do-over. The reality is that we never get the do-over. We only get to learn from our mistakes, missed opportunities and failures. The do-over is really the "thing we learn" from the experience.

Would you really need to be on that cell phone when you have other responsibilites to take care of? Would you really call out a co-worker in front of others just to embarass them? Would you think before you act?

The do-over we get in life is learning from the mistake, failure or bad decision and then proceeding forward. Proceeding forward smarter and as a better person because of the experience.

Put down your cell phone, think before you act and stay inspired my friends.