Taking A Cab Ride

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle.” ― Plato

The following story is reprinted from a book by Kent Nerburn, titled Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace: Living in the Spirit of the Prayer of St. Francis.

I found it to be a good story of the human spirit. It does not matter if the story is true or not. What is important to me is the meaning behind it. Each of us can make a difference in the life of another, large or small, it matters.

And now the story ...

Twenty years ago, I drove a cab for a living. When I arrived at 2:30 a.m., the building was dark except for a single light in a ground floor window. Under these circumstances, many drivers would just honk once or twice, wait a minute, then drive away. But, I had seen too many impoverished people who depended on taxis as their only means of transportation. Unless a situation smelled of danger, I always went to the door. The passenger might be someone who needs my assistance, I reasoned to myself.

So I walked to the door and knocked. "Just a minute," answered a frail, elderly voice. I could hear something being dragged across the floor. After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her eighties stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940s movie.

By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets. There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware.

"Would you carry my bag out to the car?" she said. I took the suitcase to the cab, then turned to assist the woman. She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb. She kept thanking me for my kindness.

"It's nothing," I told her. "I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother treated."

"Oh, you're such a good boy," she said. When we got in the cab, she gave me an address, then asked, "Could you drive through downtown?"

"It's not the shortest way," I answered quickly.

"Oh, I don't mind," she said. "I'm in no hurry. I'm on my way to a hospice." I looked in the rear view mirror. Her eyes were glistening. "I don't have any family left," she continued. "The doctor says I don't have very long."

I quietly reached over and shut off the meter. "What route would you like me to take?" I asked.

For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator. We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds. She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl.

Sometimes she'd ask me to slow down in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.

As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, "I'm tired. Let's go now."

We drove in silence to the address she had given me. It was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway that passed under a portico.

Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move. They must have been expecting her.

I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door. The woman was already seated in a wheelchair. "How much do I owe you?" she asked, reaching into her purse.

"Nothing," I said.

"You have to make a living," she answered.

"There are other passengers," I responded. Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She held onto me tightly.

"You gave an old woman a little moment of joy," she said. "Thank you."

I squeezed her hand, then walked into the dim morning light. Behind me, a door shut. It was the sound of the closing of a life.

I didn't pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly, lost in thought. For the rest of the day, I could hardly talk. What if that woman had gotten an angry driver, or one who was impatient to end his shift? What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away?

On a quick review, I don't think that I have done anything more important in my life.

We're conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments. But great moments often catch us unaware, beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one.

People may not remember exactly what you did or what you said, but they will always remember how you made them feel.

[Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace: Living in the Spirit of the Prayer of St. Francis, published by Harper San Francisco. by Kent Nerburn]

Stay inspired my friends!

Life Lived Simply

"Let us so live that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry."
- Mark Twain

Kindness and gratitude in life are simple acts of goodness.

A smile to the grocery clerk, allowing another driver into the line of traffic or a simple thank you are not so difficult for us to accomplish.

Live life with meaning, with simple kindness and with fervent gratitude.

Others will be inspired by your example, others will be moved to do the same.

Stay inspired my friends!

Kindness Wins

"I don't accept the idea that there are two sides to any issue. I think that the middle ground is to be found within most of us." - Krista Tippett

The following story comes from a very special woman who is raising her grandson named Michael, referred to as M in the story below.

Michael has what is referred to as minimal social (and emotional) responses to others as well as difficulty understanding and reacting to social cues which often appears to others as a lack of empathy or adequate social skills.

Yet he has an amazing heart where all of those skills reside, hiding, waiting to come out at the most opportunistic times. As this story will tell you, he offers an example that many of us can learn.

~~~~~~~~~~

Tonight after a Parent-Teacher meeting at M's school, I went to a couple of stores to purchase small gifts for our Family Giving Program at work. After helping me make selections for three kids we will never meet; M asked if he could make a purchase of his own.

He used his birthday money to purchase a small stuffed animal toy for a girl in his class at school. She was thrilled to have the gift. Please note that this is a girl he absolutely could not tolerate when she began attending his same school room.

A girl he could not stand because she is SO much like him.

He now takes a similar small animal toy each day to school and the two of them pretend the animals get married. The note above is my absolute most favorite thing.

Please note his stick people are smiling. Smiling people because he found common ground over silly bug eyed beanie boos!

I will be buying the heck outta them for the foreseeable future because common ground is an amazing place to begin a friendship.

~~~~~~~~~~

In each of our daily lives, we are simply going to have a first impression of people. Their beliefs, there mannerism, the way they look may simply not be to our liking. But there is always an opportunity for the common ground between us.

Kindness could be where the middle ground is found.

Find the place where agreement can be found and maybe it all starts with having a bit more kindness in our lives. Just maybe it starts with us.

Stay inspired my friends.

A Habit Of Kindness

“A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.” ― Jackie Robinson

In our daily life, spreading a bit of cheer and support to to other people can make a big difference in their lives. Whether it be a simple act of encouragement or a smile to brighten the day is an event which can set off a wave of great things.

Not long ago a lady where I work was tasked with giving a presentation in front of senior managers. Being nervous is an understatement for many people who do not normally do this for a living.

I remember my first public presentation many years ago. I had a dry mouth while wondering how it would all turn out. I was mostly hoping to just make it through.

As I spoke to the woman mentioned above prior to the presentation, all I could offer was encouragement and support. I am certain there were others who did the same thing. Her presentation occurred and of course, dry mouth and nerves still existed but she did a great job.

All were happy.

Could she have done this without all of the support and encouragement? Probably, but the act of others believing in her provided another level of confidence. The result was a better presentation as others made an impact and change happened for her.

Change (large or small) occurs in every kind gesture you provide to someone. A door opened for another improves their day and unconsciously the gesture gets passed along through to others. As Scott Adams wrote, "...there is no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.”

Make it a habit each day.

Try to perform seven acts of kindness or good will and encouragement each day. Eventually you will do these things by habit every day in your daily walk through life. As the water ripples, let your own kindness carry forth for eternity.

Stay inspired my friends!

It Is So Simple

“Do your little bit of good where you are; it's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” ― Desmond Tutu

There is goodness in speaking kindly of others. There is goodness in simply being kind to others. The older I get, the more important this simple fact becomes. Yet be kind and good to others can be difficult for many.

To do so, one must let go of negative thoughts about a person.
To do so, one must consider the good things about a person.

If we measure the goodness of a person's life - large or small - significant or not - it means that person matters. It means there are things about a person which contribute in a positive way to life around them. It means we are willing to accept whatever little or large amount of goodness they possess.

Each of us have both good and bad aspects to the life we live.
Each of us have many positives to the life we live.

As you go through life, focus on the good things and the negatives will slowly fade away. I have seen many people leave this life. I have known many of them well and many others not so well. But it is the good things I choose to remember.

Yes, there are truly horrible people in this world.
Yes, there are also many good and kind people in this world.

We have to come to terms with the negative in our daily lives. Just do not use up your energy on the negative. Use your energy to build upon the positive ones in your life. Be the one that others will proclaim and a good, kind and decent person who makes life better.

You will one day eventually be measured by your own goodness.
You will one day leave a trail of good memories to be remembered by all.

Stay inspired my friends.

Pumping Your Own Gas

“And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.” - Nelson Mandela

Some years ago, a high tech company from Boston named Data General existed creating computers and other devices to help businesses advance in the emerging computer era. It was a reasonably large company with a large field service organization supporting the needs of its customers.

Their support organization eventually became centered in the Atlanta, Georgia area. As a reward for doing exceptional work, Data General service personnel from around the world were rewarded at an annual awards conference. One particular conference was held in the "Big Easy" (New Orleans) and everyone had a great time.

Data General conference organizers needed someone to emcee video highlights and contacted a person by the name of Jim. This fellow named Jim was an executive in the Atlanta support center and said he had the perfect person at hand for this task. His son was an aspiring comedian in the Atlanta area who could really use the money. There are still VCR tape copies of his work from the conference floating around somewhere.

Data General would not last too many more years before getting bought out by the EMC Corporation. But this aspiring comedian by the name of Jeff Foxworthy would become very successful at this comedy thing. Today he is sought after for his brand of humor which keeps people laughing.

So why would he pump his own gas?

Well the story goes like this.

Jeff still lives in the Atlanta area and had to put gasoline into his vehicle before going to pick up one of his kids. It is something each of us do everyday and is a normal thing to be doing. Jeff truly is just a normal, average kind of guy. So he is at the gas station pumping gas into his vehicle when a lady notices him and questions him on who he is. She even asks for identification to prove it.

Now Jeff could have shunned this woman and asked her to leave him alone. There are many celebrities who would have done just that. But Jeff listened and politely accommodated the woman. It turns out they had a very nice conversation and it became apparent to Jeff this woman needed assistance with a project.

The project is House of Joy which serves homeless women and homeless mothers with dependent children in Gwinnett County, Georgia who need emergency shelter and crisis intervention services. Jeff saw a place where he could help and he did so by hosting a benefit show.

What does all of this have to do with anything?

You see it is the little moments in time that if we rush by them, we will never find opportunity to do something good.

Jeff Foxworthy could have been too rushed and missed out.

The lady who approached him could have been too busy to even ask.

But from time to time, each of us get presented with little moments which can open up an opportunity for us to do great things. You don't have to be famous or funny like Jeff. All you have to be is willing to slow down and recognize the moment.

My guess is that people will now be stalking gas stations, looking for Jeff being in need of gas again. But his calm and kind demeanor will probably handle the situation just right.

Yet we do not have to wait for a chance encounter with someone famous.

All we have to be is open to experience the moment. When you least expect it, the opportunity will appear. You will see it, you will grasp it and you will shine. so whether pumping your own gas or any of a number other tasks, be ready to seize the moment.

And stay inspired my friends.

Forward We Go Together

"I guess it's hard for people who are so used to things the way they are - even if they are bad - to change. Cause they kind of give up. And when they do, everybody kind of loses." ― Catherine Ryan Hyde

Paying it forward is not a new idea and has been written about before. There was a very nice movie some years back with the same name that did marginally well in the box office. The concept itself of "paying it forward" also does marginally well and that is what I'm here to talk about.

It is simple enough to say that our lives are truly impacted by the acts of others. The impact of others and our response or attitude towards them are of our own doing. But the impact remains, small, large or even doing nothing. 

The principle of paying it forward is not a self serving mentality. You perform these acts without expectation of anything in return. The idea is to do one good thing for three other people. All you ask of these people is that they each do the same for three people. 

Think of it as "network marketing" for the good of others.

What you are building up are the lives of more and more other people. You are that pebble dropped in the water, rippling outward to impact other people. Your simple act of kindness being paid forward is spreading for others to enjoy.

So try to do something good for at least one other person today. Don't ask for anything in return but do ask that person to do something good for another. So on and so forth life goes, making it a little better for each one of us.

Stay inspired my friends!

A Single Penny

"Change your thoughts and you change your world." ~ Norman Vincent Peale

Have you considered lately the value of a coin, more specifically a penny? This small little coin just seems to be of very little value. I am talking about those copper colored one cent coins we rarely give attention to.

While on a trip once, I had stopped for a quick bite to eat. Fast food is not normally in my diet but time was of the essence. My food bill came out to nine dollars and two cents. In most chain restaurants, rarely would you not pay those small and insignificant two cents. You might find in other locally run establishments a penny jar to add or share from.

At this particular chain restaurant, the young woman behind the counter returned my change and did not make me pay those two cents. She merely said thank you for my business and to have a great day. The gesture of two pennies not paid caught me by surprise yet it was a pleasant surprise.

Now two pennies for most people is a very small amount. Two cents will no longer buy you anything. The value of each is so tiny that some have called for our monetary system to eliminate them completely. Many people would rather we simply round up or round down to the nearest nickel coin.

A single penny, a single kind gesture has enormous value.

Those two pennies at the restaurant and the kind gesture made a huge impact on how my day was going. The smallest of things we do in life are much like those single shiny pennies. Each has the ability to put a smile on the face, a warmth in the heart and shine brightly upon another.

As luck would have it, I returned to the restaurant later in the day with a co-worker. It was convenient, we were hungry. This time our food bill came out such that the change being returned to me was three cents. An odd turn of the coin I suppose.

The same woman was behind the counter and I looked at her and told her to keep the three cents. I owed her with interest from her kindness in the morning. I told her to have a great day and she smiled.

The acts of kindness had only amounted to five cents, an amount you can now start to purchase things. But it all started with those single one cent pennies; those seemingly worthless pennies.

The small gestures or small things we do in life all have value.

Never throw out a penny, never look down on the smallest or what seems to be meaningless. Everything you do in life, every gesture, every act of kindness has value. And when someone asks "a penny for your thoughts" one day, know that the transaction has great value.

Stay inspired my friends!

Christmas Days Before

“My idea of Christmas, whether old-fashioned or modern, is very simple: loving others. Come to think of it, why do we have to wait for Christmas to do that?”
― Bob Hope

Twas three days before Christmas, when all through the office not a computer was whirring, not even a mouse on a surface. The files were stacked on the desks with care, in hopes that quitting time would be there. Yes, a very quiet day at my office and many business offices around the world.

Many have taken the week off leading up to the Christmas holiday and those still working, the quiet is very nice both in terms of traffic and the general mayhem of a work day. The majority of mayhem is contained to the shopping malls and grocery stores as people make final preparations for the holiday.

In all of this madness, in all of this three days remaining before the Christmas holiday, let us not forget to have grace, kindness and love for those around and among us. Let us have a heart of goodness during the holiday season and throughout the year.

Stay inspired my friends!

Written in Kindness

"Write your name in kindness, love and mercy on the hearts of the thousands you come in contact with year by year, and you will never be forgotten." - Thomas Chalmers

In our search for a great life, we sometimes simply reach for the fame of being well known or admired. It becomes the sole purpose of our journey, a journey of self importance.

If you follow different social media outlets such as entertainment shows, Twitter, Facebook or many others, there are celebrities looking for admiration and attention. In a way all of us yearn for attention but when it becomes the sole purpose in life, it becomes pretty shallow.

What happens when the fame evaporates and nobody is paying attention?

This is when your life's work becomes important. Doing great things when no one is watching is what lifts you to greatness.

Take the story of Rhubarb Jones, a famed radio disc jockey, winner of awards and acclaimed celebrity by millions. In a book I wrote called CHANGED LIVES, what happens when it all comes crashing down around you?

On February 29, 2008 a meeting was called in a conference room. No one knew of what would transpire. We were given envelopes with our severance package and told that due to economic cut backs most of the full time broadcaster’s jobs were eliminated.

I was fired? How could this happen to me? Wasn't I a winner of numerous awards and accolades including being a member of the elite Country Music Disc Jockey Hall of Fame without a job for the first time in my life?

When fame leaves you, what is left? Where do you go from here?

Write your name in kindness and it won't matter.

Stay inspired my friends!

Blink of an Eye

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a smile.” - Bernard Kelvin Clive

In the blink of an eye, a child is born, raised and gone from our home.

In the blink of an eye, a sun rises and sets on a day.

In the blink of an eye, each moment of our life passes.

In that blink of an eye was the life of a friend who passed away very recently. A life cut short, but not overshadowed by his greatness. The current pain of loss is hard but will ease with time as wonderful memories take hold within our hearts.

In the blink of an eye, Bill Rowlett.

In that blink of an eye, Bill would smile and give you one of his uncompromising hugs. It was always sincere and filled with love for the person on the receiving end. Life was better after each and every encounter with Bill. My life is better for having been around him.

In the blink of an eye, there will be no more smiles, no more hugs.

In the blink of an eye, Bill taught me kindness and happiness that will last forever inside each of us.

In the blink of an eye, my friend Bill, a friend to everyone as a matter of fact, remains with us in the memories we carry. He remains through the eyes of his wife Luanne, children and future generations. He remains in our hearts because of that blink of an eye we got to share with him.

In the blink of an eye he was here, but in each blink he will always be here.

To Choose Kindness

“Do your little bit of good where you are; it's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” ― Desmond Tutu

Ask yourself one question. A question that is simple enough to answer if you are honest about it. There are no points awarded, no right or wrong answers, just a way to reflect on what it is you do on a daily basis.

Ask yourself, "Do I impact all of the people I come in contact with in a positive way?"

If you stop and think about it, say for two or three minutes each day, your life will automatically begin to conduct itself in a positive manner.

You may find yourself at first realizing you don't act with others in an uplifting way. But when you constantly ask the question of yourself, it start a process inside causing you to reflect upon the reasons you did not. It isn't a bad thing being in a bad mood from time to time. All of us go through it and some days we treat other people very indifferently.

To ask the question of yourself is to acknowledge that you have good days and bad days. Doing this on a consistent basis will enable you to assess why your mood was either good or bad on a particular day. Over time, you will find ways to avoid those unkind, bad mood days just a little more often.

Today, I feel good about those I have and will come in contact with.
Tomorrow I will ask myself, did I accomplish that task.
Forever I will try to be kind.

The world will come to your door if you do. Stay inspired my friends.

Two Days Til Christmas

“Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” ― Mark Twain

Only two days before the Christian observance of Christmas falls upon us. It celebrates the birth not of God but of a man who was the "son of God" in my Christian faith. And while there is debate as to when the actual birth occurred, it has been with us for hundreds of years.

The celebration has also grown into many different variations of celebration, both religious and secular. We have of course the "Twelve Days of Christmas" shopping season that has grown into "Thirty Days of Christmas" as soon as the Thanksgiving Dinner dishes are washed shopping season.

We have the College Football Bowl season in which the very good and the very questionable games get played. There are the office parties in which some reveal themselves a bit more in the company of co-workers then they should. There are vacations to the beach for those that want a mid-winter's escape from the cold.

There are final visits to see Santa Claus and provide him with a few more gift ideas. A walk through the magical lights or a drive to see colorful Christmas displays. There are parades, there are parties and there are presents to be wrapped.

Yet the most important thing to me is that people just seem to get along much better. New connections are made between people that have never known each other. Old connections are renewed and strengthened. It is a much friendlier time of the year. And in many ways, my belief in what mankind should be like gets restored.

Enjoy the holidays, enjoy Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa and Saint Sylvester. More importantly enjoy being kind to others.

Stay inspired my friends.

Kindness Rocks

“Ask yourself: Have you been kind today? Make kindness your daily modus operandi and change your world.” -Annie Lennox

The above quote is very simple and actually quite easy to adopt. Everyday is a chance to show kindness. No matter what your mood, work to rise above any negativity and be the better person.

Eventually it becomes habit and you will see a change happen within your world. Things will become easier, success will be more evident and life will be more peaceful. Bad things may still happen, but they will have a much less downside impact upon your life.

Choose to make a change and see what happens. It simply starts with one question; have you been kind today?

Stay inspired my friends!

What Was I Thinking

“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.” ―Charles Dickens

Oscar Wilde is quoted as having said, “I am so clever that sometimes I don't understand a single word of what I am saying.” Yes, it happens to all of us and I am no exception. Every day I try to come up with something new to inspire and encourage at least one single person I encounter. There are days in which I actually make a good statement and their day or life is changed by what I've said.

There are also other days when I think what I've said was "cleverly" stated and then I think about it some more in a day or two and say to myself, "what was I thinking?"

The same is true for anything you do in life. There are days when it all seems so clear and things are progressing like clock-work. All that you touch, all that you say - each thing works perfectly. Then there are days which come along that you try and it just doesn't have the same touch, the same feel or impact as the day before. You think back and wonder, "what was I thinking."

Do not worry about it because the attempt, the kindness, the good words are all coming from the heart. The fact that you are trying to help another person, lifting someones spirits or just trying to make the world a little better is goodness in itself. We are each human, fallible and will never get it right 100% of the time.

Yet we try and over time, we make a difference.

So never give up on yourself, always see yourself as a life changing force. Life is a roller coaster for emotions, for success and for relationships. Enjoy the ride and life itself will be enjoyable.

Stay inspired my friends!

Red Marbles

RED MARBLES

I was at the corner grocery store buying some early potatoes. I noticed a small boy, delicate of bone and feature, ragged but clean, hungrily apprising a basket of freshly picked green peas.

I paid for my potatoes but was also drawn to the display of fresh green peas. I am a pushover for creamed peas and new potatoes. Pondering the peas, I couldn't help overhearing the conversation between Mr. Miller (the store owner) and the ragged boy next to me.

'Hello Barry, how are you today?'

'Hello, Mr. Miller. Fine, thank ya. Just admiring them peas. They sure look good.'

'They are good, Barry. How's your Ma?'

'Fine. Gittin' stronger all the time.'

'Good. Anything I can help you with?'

'No, Sir. Just admiring them peas.'

'Would you like to take some home?' asked Mr. Miller.

'No, Sir. Got nuthin' to pay for 'em with.'

'Well, what have you to trade me for some of those peas?'

'All I got's my prize marble here.'

'Is that right? Let me see it' said Miller.

'Here it is. She's a dandy.'

'I can see that. Hmmmmm, only thing is this one is blue and I sort of go for red. Do you have a red one like this at home?' the store owner asked.

'Not zackley but almost..'

'Tell you what. Take this sack of peas home with you and next trip this way let me look at that red marble'. Mr. Miller told the boy.

'Sure will. Thanks Mr. Miller.'

Mrs. Miller, who had been standing nearby, came over to help me. With a smile she said, 'There are two other boys like him in our community, all three are in very poor circumstances. Jim just loves to bargain with them for peas, apples, tomatoes, or whatever. When they come back with their red marbles, and they always do, he decides he doesn't like red after all and he sends them home with a bag of produce for a green marble or an orange one, when they come on their next trip to the store.'

I left the store smiling to myself, impressed with this man. A short time later I moved to Colorado, but I never forgot the story of this man, the boys, and their bartering for marbles.

Several years went by, each more rapid than the previous one. Just recently I had occasion to visit some old friends in that Idaho community and while I was there learned that Mr. Miller had died.

They were having his visitation that evening and knowing my friends wanted to go, I agreed to accompany them. Upon arrival at the mortuary we fell into line to meet the relatives of the deceased and to offer whatever words of comfort we could.

Ahead of us in line were three young men. One was in an army uniform and the other two wore nice haircuts, dark suits and white shirts...all very professional looking. They approached Mrs. Miller, standing composed and smiling by her husband's casket. Each of the young men hugged her, kissed her on the cheek, spoke briefly with her and moved on to the casket.

Her misty light blue eyes followed them as, one by one, each young man stopped briefly and placed his own warm hand over the cold pale hand in the casket. Each left the mortuary awkwardly, wiping his eyes.

Our turn came to meet Mrs. Miller. I told her who I was and reminded her of the story from those many years ago and what she had told me about her husband's bartering for marbles. With her eyes glistening, she took my hand and led me to the casket.

'Those three young men who just left were the boys I told you about. They just told me how they appreciated the things Jim 'traded' them. Now, at last, when Jim could not change his mind about color or size....they came to pay their debt.'

'We've never had a great deal of the wealth of this world,' she confided, 'but right now, Jim would consider himself the richest man in Idaho.'

With loving gentleness she lifted the lifeless fingers of her deceased husband. Resting underneath were three exquisitely shined red marbles.

This story reminds us that we will not be remembered by our words, but by our kind deeds. Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath.

Stay inspired my friends.

Tornado of Kindness

“Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for kindness.” Seneca

You have probably heard the expression, '...that kid is going to grow up to be a hell raiser' when referring to a young child. It is reference to a child that always seems to be getting him or herself into a lot of trouble. It could even refer to someone older and again always seems to have 'trouble' surrounding them.

Most of us never get to see exactly how that person's life turns out. Families and friends close to that particular person get a front row seat to all of it though. Each of us probably know someone like that, either a young person or an older person that seems to fight life every step of the way.

I have always held that in every person there is a seed of goodness. Something that exists in the heart which can stir their emotion. In the hardest of troubled minds, we can not always find that goodness. The person themself may have buried it so deep that they are unable to find it.

It could be that you bury goodness for one reason or another. But if we feed and cultivate that seed of goodness, it can grow into something bigger. By leaving it unattended, the goodness will wither and harden. Granted it is an over simplification of why there are just simply 'not very nice' people in this world.

To keep goodness in your heart and to help others, we have to extend kindness at times. The smile to another, holding of a door, letting the other driver into the lane or kind words to another will nurture goodness. Not only will it grow in you, but it will grow in others. Take time to be nice once in a while.

Stay inspired my friends!

“Each time you step off your path and give someone an act of kindness...then your road to happiness just got a little smoother.” -Donna A. Favors

Underground Attitude

"Goodness is the only investment that never fails." -Henry David Thoreau

Traveling in London by means of the Underground can be quite interesting. Watching how people react to each other when the train is full versus a somewhat empty train can be quite an experience.

Is there chivalry amongst the men riding the train?

Is there giving help to others still a natural occurrence.

What about common courtesy among the travelers?

I find that on a crowded train, men do tend to give up their seat for a woman when no other is available. When a crowded train pulls up, people do tend to allow the flow of others to take place.

All of this is happening with strangers among strangers. A natural giving of oneself to better the surroundings.

In doing small things that bring a bit of pleasantness into the lives of others can make a difference. The train ride is a bit more bearable during rush hour. Even during non-rush hour times, courtesy can be found if you look for it. Helping someone with their luggage onto the train. Providing directions to those that look lost. It happens more frequently than we might first admit.

All of us could use some kindness in life from others. And when you receive it, pass it on in some fashion. Attitude improves as one progressively does more for others. Open up your seat for another, lift a bag to help them...it will open your heart and lift your spirits.

Stay inspired my friends.

To Smile

"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around." -Leo F. Buscaglia



Can you smile without someone else? Of course you can but why waste the beauty of it. We can each smile and make the day better for someone else which in turn changes our day into something grand.

Stay inspired my friends and smile!

Shot Heard Round

"They certainly give very strange names to diseases." -Plato

Today I choose to whine just a little bit. I'm not looking for sympathy or even empathy for that matter. I just want to tell you about a little issue with my shoulder.

I have developed a bone spur in my left shoulder along with some amount of arthritis in it. The pain is not so bad these days with the treatments but it still aches. A couple of days ago, my doctor injected the shoulder joint with cortisone which seems to be having a pleasing effect.

What I found funny was that the pain exists on the front of the shoulder. The injection was given in the rear of the shoulder. The doctor explained that it gets to the same place, but that it bypasses where most of the nerves are. That means less pain when the shot is being given.

My theory is that the shot is done from the back so that I can't see the needle going in. I doubt that I would be squeamish about it, but then again maybe I would have screamed at the sight. Either way, the shot seems to have done what it is supposed to.

If you ask me how I am doing, I will likely say much better and thank you for asking me. What you also may hear me say is that my medical issues are nothing compared to others. I feel blessed with the health my wife and I have. There are so many people out there with greater pain and worries.

We have friends that are under going many different medical treatments. One just underwent back surgery, another suffers debilitating arthritis and a close friend is undergoing radiation and chemo treatments for brain cancer. Is my little shoulder problem a big thing? No, not in the grand scheme of things.

What I feel many of us need to do is look at our issues in the bigger context of life. Is the need to worry over Kim Kardashian divorcing Kris Humphries more important than going to visit a friend in real need. Maybe we should put our little issues aside and decide that other people are in need. The needs of those people outweigh the pettiness that we sometimes dwell in.

All of us want attention from time to time, but you'll receive more in return by reaching out a hand in kindness to others. Take a meal to a family that is struggling or go visit a friend that is pushing through a medical issue. You could even take a friend out for coffee that has been caring for another person.

There is so much you can do that it will be like a shot heard round the world. People will know of your kindness, people will start repeating your kindness, and pretty soon your own world will be filled with kindness.

My shoulder, it is no big deal. I have way bigger things in my life to attend to.