Against The Wind

Two Trees Diptych by Christina Goodman

“Rise up, warriors! Take your stand at one another’s sides with your feet set wide and rooted like oaks in the ground.”” - King Leonidas I of Sparta

Each of us go through seasons in our life. The good ones which spring forth promise of joy and great things. All that happens is good and we seem to float along without a care.

There are cold and wintery times when we want to crawl under a blanket and shiver from the seemingly bad which encompasses us. We long for greater things but the darkness of winter never seems to abate.

It is during both the good and bad that we should never stand alone.

As different as we are from one another, we can stand firm for someone in need. And while we might wilt against the bad, someone will be there for us.

Women have a very intense understanding of this. But men have a built in belief it makes them less of a man not to stand alone. We fail to see other men are going through the same types of issues. We fail to see it is okay to lean on a brother.

One who stands alone is easy prey while ones which stand together are an imposing force.

The ancient Spartans knew this lesson and used it very effectively. When being attacked, they stood together in close formation and their shields became one impenetrable shield. Then as one they moved against the enemy, one unbroken force that no enemy could stand against. They accomplished more than one single man could do alone, shoulder to shoulder, brother to brother.

Each of us are different as the trees in a forest. But together we can become a wall which breaks the force of the wind. A wind that would try to bend and break us individually. A wind that can be beaten back if we stand together.

Stand with your brother through both the good and bad.

Stand in support of others when the winds try to break us apart.

And stay inspired my friends!

Break the Isolation

"Sometimes being a brother is even better than being a superhero." -Marc Brown

Not only do I count my biological brothers, but also other men that stand with me when times are tough and when times are good. As men we tend to isolate ourselves and handle things alone. We need to break the isolation and learn to lean on our brothers. In numbers we have strength and the ability to overcome our struggles.

My own brothers have stood by me, lifted me and corrected me when needed. When we stand shoulder to shoulder, we can overcome any obstacle we might face. So break your isolation and stand with your brothers as we walk this journey together.

And stay inspired my friends.

Lessons of Christmas

"A Charlie Brown Christmas"

How many of you remember and look forward to watching "A Charlie Brown Christmas" cartoon every year? This cartoon animation is the work of the Peanuts creator, Charles Schulz. It first aired in 1965 and is a must-watch show for those that celebrate the Christmas season. It is a message of anti-commercialism along with good will towards man. While millions love its message, I do find it ironic that the materialism it speaks out against is one in which each of us actively take part in.

There is a famous scene in which one of the characters named Linus gives his “True Meaning of Christmas” speech. It is the speech that is meant to steer all of us back towards what Christmas is truly about. But interestingly enough, this particular scene was nearly cut from the final release. You see, Charles Schulz was a religious man and according to his biography, “the life of Jesus remained for him a consuming subject.”

So in the early stages of production, he wanted the script to feature some religious overtones.  In particular, he wanted a passage from the St. Luke gospel about the birth of Jesus Christ. Schulz wanted to bring that meaning to the Christmas holiday. It was a meaning that many times get lost in the mayhem and excitement of the day.

The producers agreed to include a Nativity scene, but when the script was finished, the animation director realized he had included an entire minute-long speech directly from the New Testament. this led to a huge argument between Schulz and the producers. They argued that the cartoon was an “entertainment show” and the speech would scare off advertisers by narrowing its audience. Schulz argued that it should remain as it was central to the story line.

Charles Schulz fought for what he believed in and this iconic speech survived being cut from the show. The "speech" remained part of the original CBS special and it became the second-most watched show of the week when it debuted on December 9, 1965. This story has aired every year since.

You know, there are many things that are worth standing up for in our lives. Charles Schulz believed in something that has resulted in millions of children and adults hearing this message each and every year since 1965. It reminds us that even one person can impact many others with their actions of belief.

You are a pebble dropped in the water which creates the waves that wash a seashell upon the shore for someone else to find. You make a difference simply by standing up for what you believe in.

And without more said, here are the words from Linus, spoken not only to Charlie Brown, but to millions of us.

Luke 2:8-14

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

A very merry Christmas to you, your family and friends!

Stand Up To

Stand Up To Cancer

"Stand upright, speak thy thoughts, declare The truth thou hast, that all may share; Be bold, proclaim it everywhere: They only live who dare." -Voltaire

It was late in the afternoon of October 14, 2008 when my mother passed away from Pancreatic Cancer. The time was marked eerily by a previously stopped clock. It is a time that I will remember for its sadness but more for the memories she created for us.

About one month prior to her passing, Patrick Swayze appeared on the cancer research funding show called Stand Up To Cancer. He proudly stood and announced his own battle with Pancreatic Cancer. One year later he also passed away.

I could have waited until the anniversary of my mother's passing to bring this up, but when it is on my heart, that is the time to act. There are other people out there facing their own battle with cancer. Those people are your friends, your family, your children, your spouse and possibly you.

All of this means that now is the time to do something. Now is the time to act by contributing a few dollars to any number of organizations. Do your research of the organization you are giving dollars to. Find the right organization that fits for you. Your donation turns into research dollars that will help fight cancer of all types.

It also means standing up and doing something today. The same that is said about pursuing your dreams, you get up, you stand up today and begin moving towards it. Stand up today and make a difference.

A Day Off

I will be back next week. Just taking the day off and paying attention to other more important things.

Have a great weekend!

Stand By Me

Your day can drag on in what seems like a 'you against the world' type of atmosphere. All that you try to do is a lonely uphill battle with no end in sight. You tell yourself that if you try hard enough, you can accomplish it on your own. This can be true at times but is not always the case.

The great thing about our human existence is our connection to other people. There are others that will stand by us and help steady our climb. They offer encouragement, a helping hand or the means to keep moving. As coincidence may have it, a friend of mine sent me the following video.

I was in the middle of writing this article at the time and his email came to me titled, "Something to smile about ..." It is a video put together from street performers around the world performing the classic Ben E. King song, "Stand By Me."



It can put a smile on your face and one of the things to take away from it; we can all stand together, help each other and empower each other to make it in life.
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