Brave New World

"O wonder! How many goodly creatures are there here! How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world! That has such people in it!" ~ Miranda's speech in Shakespeare's The Tempest, Act V, Scene I:[2]

So it goes, another birthday has passed for me and this one was pretty darn good to say the least. It was a momentous birthday; the kind that marks a milestone and places you into another category or stage of life. I am not one for marking the passing of my birthday, but this one was different.

While growing old means physical changes and marks the passage of time, my attitude remains young at heart. My goal is not to run with the young but to stay in tune with them as much as possible. To be around long enough to experience all of the great changes in this world that take place.

I look back to the late 1980s when my grandmother turned ninety. Grandma Josephine (no, I was not named after her), had seen so much in her lifetime. Think of the developments in cars, phones, computers and television that she experienced in those years. Grandma was always amazed and interested in those things.

During her birthday party celebrating those wonderful ninety years, we had a video camera to record the event. I will now date myself a bit, but this was the larger VCR tape cameras. It was not the 8mm camcorder or tiny iPhone cameras we have today. Grandma was amazed at the ability to record and see yourself right then and there.

Oh what a brave new world it was back then.

Even in my lifetime,

the Atari Pong game to the new DSi handheld game systems,
Polaroid cameras to smartphone cameras,
or the IBM 5100 to the iPad.

Each of these are but a tiny fraction of the huge advances made in my lifetime so far.

For my own birthdays along with other great gifts and cards, I have received an iPad. So am I really that cool and hip to get something like that? I found myself looking at that iPad like my grandmother looked at that VCR tape camera.

Oh what a brave new world it is now.

There will be huge changes in our world as time progresses. I will continue to see changes occur and I will work to keep youthful excitement inside of me. Your own attitude about life and age exists within your heart while the body grows old. Excitement of life can keep you moving forward towards new and greater things if you let it.

Oh what a brave new world it will continue to be.

Stay inspired my friends.

The ME in TEAM

"There is no 'I' in TEAM but there is ME." -Joseph Primm

It is an old team building phrase that says there is no 'I' in 'TEAM'. It is used to ensure everyone has a common goal or purpose. If a team executes as individuals, it is bound to failure. But if everyone works together then success has a much higher probability.

My version of the saying is meant to indicate that you are important to the team. Whether it be an organization of one hundred people at work or one of two people in a marriage, 'ME' matters. Your contribution to the goals being pursued by the larger group is critical.

The 'teams' you are important to can be formal ones; church, marriage, family, work, or bowling league. The 'team' might be an informal one such as your community, social network, or even the traffic on the highway.

Each part of these requires your participation. Everything you do or contribute has a direct impact on the success or failure of that team.

So the 'ME' in 'TEAM' does matter. You matter.