Beyond Cedar Bluffs

"I dwell in possibility.." -Emily Dickinson

Each of us have some thing that we grew up with, some thing that we allow to hold us back from achieving greatness. Some say it is the hard streets of the inner city. A place where people believe that possibility can not exist beyond two or three blocks away.

The same can be said for a young boy living the gravel roads of farm country. A place where you can see as far as the eye can see. But it can be a place where you think possibility only exists just beyond the next corn field.

We tend to limit ourselves this way, believing that we can never escape our circumstances. Many times there are people trying to hold us back. People telling us we are not good enough.

I am here to tell you that you can get beyond the streets of your city neighborhood. You can get beyond the gravel roads of Cedar Bluffs. Those roads lead to new places filled with opportunity. They lead to a place where you can have a greater life.

In my own story, I love going home to where I grew up. It helped make me the person I am today. It is also the place where I learned there was much more beyond its country roads and grain elevators.

Find your way beyond whatever is holding you back. Don't forget those streets and country roads. But know that those same roads lead you to great success for your life.

Fire Drill Practice

"A fire drill does not demand a fire" -Nancy Cartwright

Do you remember your days in school when you practiced evacuting a building in case of a fire. Those fire drills were always fun to have as it got us out of school work. We lined up and walked quickly without running to our designated safety area.

We performed these drills 'just in case' a fire eventually broke out and our lives truly depended upon getting out safely. Even back in the 1950s, the threat of nuclear war was pervasive. People practiced 'duck and cover' in order to save themselves from the nuclear fallout.



We practice constantly in the event that something bad will happen in our lives. Those things may never happen, but we are prepared because we take the time to prepare.

What if we took time to prepare for the good things that could happen in our life. Maybe we should practice how to handle the large amount of money we will earn. Maybe we should practice what it will be like having great relationships, great children and a great job.

What I am saying is that maybe we should practice being positive about life.

Build a Road, Not a Wall

"You build on failure. You use it as a stepping stone. Close the door on the past. You don't try to forget the mistakes, but you don't dwell on it. You don't let it have any of your energy, or any of your time, or any of your space." -Johnny Cash

I was driving home from work the other day and came upon some construction workers. They were bricklayers piecing together an intricate stone wall. It was interesting to watch them and I had the time to do so. With road construction ahead and stopped traffic, I sat there watching.

As the bricklayers did their work, complaint was bubbling up inside of me with the annoyance of delay. It could have been quite easy to fall into the trap of getting upset about the situation. So I turned my focus to watching these men as they built their wall.

These bricklayers picked up each unique piece of stone and carefully laid it within the wall. Each piece was selected in order to fit and complete another section of the wall. It made me wonder if we sometimes build walls in our lives by using our complaints and disappointments.

In relationships, we take small little dissatisfaction with another and place it on our wall. Those small stones of objection, petty differences or disagreements add to the construction. Soon we find that we have built a wall between ourselves and the other person. It may seem like we are trying to build a majestic wall when in reality it will be a wall that confines us.

We may not even realize the wall has been built until such time that we can no longer see beyond it. At this point we may come to our senses and begin the process of tearing it down. But some of us will choose to cap the wall and finish the seperation, walling themselves off forever. It is a choice that will eventually have to be made.

Know that these walls do not build themselves. We are the ones that create and choose which stones to use. Maybe its time we choose to use those stones differently. Maybe instead of using them to build a wall, we choose to build a road on which we walk, leaving those stones behind us. Maybe we let the complaint go and lay a path to better relationships instead of walls.

I never had the opportunity to see how the completed wall looked. I am sure it was going to be a majestic wall. It would be a wall that would enclose all within.

For me, I had a road being built out ahead of me. A road that will lead me past those walls which would seek to confine my life. A road that enables me to leave all of those complaints and disappointments behind. A road built to carry my relationships, my dreams and my life to greater places.

Do not use your complaints, disagreements and disappointments as material for a wall. All that creates is confinement in your life. Take those stones and build a road to your future. Use them as stone pavers for the road you are constructing for your life.

Put up a sign in your life that says "Road Construction" and see where you can take your life; a far greater place for sure.

Chase Away the Darkness

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that." -Martin Luther King, Jr.

I am the type of person that arrives at work very early in the morning. I arrive long before others begin to stir from their beds. Long before the rush of the day starts to invade the quiet morning hush.

It is normally a darkened sky depending upon the Moon's position. Some mornings it is black as ink while other times it is bathed in bluish tones of reflected moonlight. The Moon does what it can to chase away the thickness of night as it reflects the light of the Sun.

But as the Sun begins to rise, it stands as the light which chases all darkness out of the sky. The light moves into the recesses in which darkness attempts to hide. It fills our world with the ability to see what exists around us. It allows us to look beyond what darkness attempts to hide.

I sit and think about the lives of people I know. There are people struggling financially with jobs and bills piling up. Others with relationships either in want of one or suffering through one. We know of people that are dealing with medical issues which claw at their hopes and beliefs. So many people out there being pulled into darkness.

While it is not possible to fix and correct all that happens to people, we can provide a light. We can not necessarily be the brilliant sunlight that chases away the darkness. We can be the candle at the end of the hall, guiding them. We can be a source of light shining through and into the window of their hearts offering hope.

We can be the moonlight reflecting a greater source of light. Moonlight that provides temporary ability for them to find their way until the light of day returns. We can chase some of the darkness away. We can make a difference in the life of another person.

Life Happens

"You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself. That is something you have charge of." -Jim Rohn

I am like everyone else out there, working each day towards achieving my dreams. I work to plan and execute the steps that will take me closer to the realization of them. I sit back and evaluate what is working and what isn't working. And I try to stay focused and upbeat about every step along the way.

Then life happens to me. Circumstance and happenstance stroll by and get in the way of what I thought was a perfect plan. It could be any number of things and in all cases we want to find blame for our misfortune. All along, it is just life happening around us.

It isn't that anyone or any one thing is trying to get in our way. Life is not a well planned soap opera, with a script dictating your next downfall. Life is simply going on and crossed paths with you.

Think of how you cross paths with opportunity. Opportunity is not searching you out. You are out there in life, doing the things you do which places you in position to cross paths with opportunity. The same will happen with circumstance, it just happens.

What determines your outcome from circumstance is how you respond to it. If you choose to blame others and take on the burdensome rocks of complaint in your wagon, it will only slow you down. If you choose to become a "woe is me" kind of person, than all you are doing is carrying more stuff in your life that you really don't need.

Circumstance is going to happen and how you choose to respond will dictate the level of burden it causes in your life. Choose to rise above it and beyond it. Choose to carry on with the things that matter.

Adult Lesson

"If you do good things, good things will happen to you." -Ian McMillan

I'm not sure how much better I can say it. All you need to do is watch the video and learn an adult lesson from a young boy.

ABC News "Person of the Week" - Young Baseball Fan's Act of Generosity

Enjoy More

"Today was good. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one." -Dr. Seuss

The office area in which I work has a pretty open floor plan. Low cubicle walls grace our desks enabling interaction among people. It allows for easy communication and collaboration while building great connection between these same people.

At times, the conversations can get lively with a lot of jocularity. The laughing and general good nature relieves the stress of the work. I normally take the opportunity during these times to jump into the fun. I will pronounce that everyone should quit laughing...work is supposed to be serious. They will stop, realize its me and then gleefully continue.

The point to be taken is that everything we do should have some level of fun attached to it. The same holds true for school-work, our work-work, along with our non-work, and just about any type of work. Life is work and it should be interrupted with moments of fun.

There is enough stress and seriousness in life, so take some time to relax a bit with laughter. Enjoy everything you do just a little more. Enjoy your life a little more.

Feet First

"If we listened to our intellect, we'd never have a love affair. We'd never have a friendship. We'd never go into business, because we'd be cynical. Well, that's nonsense. You've got to jump off cliffs all the time and build your wings on the way down." -Ray Bradbury

A man was spotlighted recently in the Atlanta area for simply doing what was on his heart. Twenty years ago, he and his wife had it in them to see a need. So they began adopting special-needs kids.

Today he raises six of these children ranging in age from 12 to 19. The illnesses of the children include nonverbal mental retardation, cerebral palsy and Down Syndrome.

In addition, there are three biological children whom are all adults at this point in time. But the sadness is that his wife Cheryl passed away on July 21, 2011 from a stroke. So battling a job loss of 18 months and the passing of his wife, Will Stark just keeps plugging along doing what is in his heart, feet first, no regrets.

Others heard of the story, the needs and a local radio talk-show host, Bert Weiss on Q100 (Atlanta). Listeners heard the story and nearly $200,000 in donations along with a donated handicapped-accessible van cam rolling in. The generosity was heart-filled as people jumped in, feet first.

There are so many examples from this one story that can teach us lessons. The story of two people simply taking on the responsibility where they saw a need. Perseverance despite the odds and difficulties of doing what is right. And other people, hearing of the story and not hesitating to take action. Those fine people not waiting for the government, the church or anyone else to act...they acted and made a difference.

There are many opportunities each day, week, month and year to become involved. We can each make a difference, we can each impact the lives of others and make lives greater. All it takes is jumping in, feet first.

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.

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.

Frustration Matters

"I was an accomplice in my own frustration." -Peter Shaffer

Oh boy, I was ready to bring the wrath of letters and phone calls down upon the computer company. A delay by their order processing department created a situation that I had never encountered before. It created a situation that would cost me extra money and time.

Would the company try to make amends in some fashion? Would they truly try to make it right? Alas that was not going to happen. The person I had on the line was in a different department and I would have to contact another department to discuss it.

The veins on my neck were likely bulging slightly and I would admit I most likely raised my voice a bit. The frustration was growing quickly. It seemed very much as if I were trying to get out of a building but every hallway was a deadend. You know what I am talking about, that feeling of lost control over the situation.

Even a motivational writer such as myself can get pulled into these moments. It is easy for anyone to fall into the trap of frustration. The outcome is pretty much determined by how you respond though.

I could feel myself growing angry and other might get emotional or desperate. It could have gotten down right ugly but I stepped back and started to breath. I took those minutes of being "on-hold" to calm myself down, to take back control of my own emotions. It was not the person on the other end of the phone but the situation we were both in. It was a stalemate and nothing good was going to come from an extended debate.

So I resolved my situation and found the peace inside that I was going to need to move on. Was the resolution of the issue satisfactory? No it wasn't but I evaluated just how much it was worth to my own sanity to let it become a huge deal in my life. In the end it wasn't worth the aggravation and energy. In the end I decided to just move on from it.

You have to make those decisions as well. Is it worth the fight, the anger, or the pain? I would say that it is not worth it. You have so much more to do in life and getting held up by the frustration that is bound to come along is not worth the time spent. That time is better spent getting to where you want to be in life.

Frustration is out there, somewhere, waiting for you to come along. How you deal with it is up to you. How you come out of it on the other side is up to you. It is better to just get past it and onto something greater. And that something greater is your life.

Pile of Excuses

"An excuse becomes an obstacle in your journey to success when it is made in place of your best effort or when it is used as the object of the blame." -Bo Bennett

There it is, the big rock in the middle of the road. It looks large and imposing on the road we are taking to our future. What more could go wrong? How will I get to the other side? Maybe I should just stop here and give up.

There it is, the big excuse keeping us from succeeding. It seems large and imposing in our mind keeping us from moving forward. What more could go wrong? How will I get beyond the problem? Maybe I should just stop here and give up.

Each of us develops excuses that prevent us from achieving success. We allow the small pebbles in our path to become large boulders. When confronted with a challenge, we view it as insurmountable. We do so by coming up with excuses, more excuses and even more excuses.

Instead of allowing the excuses to build a wall in our life, use your energy to find a way past the challenge. Turn those excuses into solutions and keep moving forward.

What is that Noise?

All was silent as before -
All silent save the dripping rain.
-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

I have a regular hotel that I stay in while visiting our corporate offices in Boston. A well-known hotel brand that is convenient and comfortable. Most times I get a room in the back facing a quiet parking lot.

It helps having the quiet for reading, writing and just reflecting. It allows me to unwind from the day and also prepare for the coming day. Oddly though it seems this time around the noise has been constant.

There was the continual rumble of what seemed to be a deep-throated motorcycle rumbling back and forth. And then there was the pounding as if a construction crew was pile driving foundation supports. Both were noises that I could handle.

But those noises didn't seem to compare to those heard from so many people in Washington, D.C. Some would call them politicians. I would call them simply a noisy gong. It was nearly bearable but with the talking news heads, it became a cacophony of indecipherable noise.

If only they had allowed silence to fall upon the conversation. To let reflection take over the moment, maybe listen to the noise that was drifting away. Just maybe better choices and decisions would have rained down upon their thoughts.

The noise in our lives can have a crippling effect upon us. It can hold us back and keep us from advancing forward. A noisy clanging gong that merely clouds our thoughts.

When the din of life rises around you, take some time to step back into the silence. Let silence clear the noise of confusion so that you can more clearly see the answers.

Your Vision

VISION by Despair.com

I really like the sardonic humor of the good folks at Despair.com. They have a fun way of looking at motivation from a totally unexpected view. Whenever I think I'm getting a bit too full of myself, I turn to these folks.

The idea of having a vision for your future is just that, a vision. If you want to have success but combine that vision with all of the things you believe will go wrong...they probably will. I sometimes think of it as getting what you ask for.

If I want to be a speaker in front of hundreds of people, but keep telling myself I can't do it. It is likely that it will never happen for me.

If I want to have a great wife and family, but keep telling myself that no woman would ever want me. It is likely I will never meet a woman that does.

The way we speak into our own lives has a huge impact on what we can accomplish. Does it mean that if I ask for ten million dollars in my life, will I get it? Maybe yes, maybe no; but it will put you on a path to towards it.

I think of the story the actor/comedian Jim Carrey tells says quite a bit about the power of believing in oneself. Jim appeared on the Actors Studio with James Lipton and was asked about writing a 10 million dollar check to himself:

JL- When you were struggling personally and professionally, did you write yourself a check?

JC- Yeah, I made myself my check which was just basically you know, 10 million dollars to Jim Carrey for acting services rendered, dated Thanksgiving 1995, and that was uh, 1990. I gave myself five years to be one of the most successful working actors, to be given the best material, and the best scripts- things that people would never expect in a million years that I could do.

JL- What did you do with the check finally?

JC- I put the check in my fathers pocket in his casket because it was his dream too and he followed me the whole time and it was kind of a completion of all that. He saw The Mask, he saw what was happening to me, and I felt like it was ya know, it was his as well- so I’d give it to him.

Jim was able to write that check and would have been able to cash it. But if he hadn't believed in himself, he never would have come close. The check would have been worthless.

The only way you will ever get to that place is believing in yourself. Know that you can be that person, achieve that thing or reach that place in life by believing in your vision.

Fan of Everyone

"It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see." -Henry David Thoreau

Here I am on the road once again, traveling for business. I always enjoying the people watching at the airport and in the locations I travel to. The diversity of people seen and meet really tends to enrichen my own life. As with wide variety, there will be those that annoy those around them. But there will also be those that liven up their surroundings just by being there.

I tend to be the type of person that sits back and observes. I view it as listening to my surroundings. To feel out how life is interacting with people can be quite entertaining. There is the young woman in the dress walking through the Sky Club lounge. What caught my eye was not her, but watching the men and women watching her. The turn of a head, a scowl from the wife, and all of the varied looks people gave. Did the woman notice, did she feel the eyes upon her? For all that, did she care or want the attention?

What it comes down for me is trying to figure out the stories of these people. Granted it isn't for me to know their personnel stories, but to develop a story from their actions. I'd love to know the personal stories because most would have an interesting one to tell. But since I can not do that, I develop stories in my mind.

I sit then at the airport waiting for my flight and watch the Diamond level travellers wondering how they do it. I'm a Gold level flyer nearing in on Platinum but not sure how one can possibly reach that 125,000 mile level.

So I imagine their stories, the kind of work they perform, the time spent away from home and wonder could I handle it. There is the pastor traveling every Sunday from Atlanta to Los Angeles, pastoring two churches. He is impacting the lives of hundreds of people while traveling on a modern day donkey. Think about that for a moment and then read on.

What of the consultant as she travels cross country providing her expertise to international companies. Do her kids grow more quickly with each passing week?

Are their stories any different than our own? I dare to say that our stories are different only in varied shades and colors. But they are the same in how each of us are working towards a life of success that contains great relationships, love of family and friends and an expectation that our dreams will be fulfilled.

So what I try to see in the stories of these people are the good things they try to accomplish. I see the same struggles that each of us are going through. I see great possibility and hope for everyone to achieve greatness.

And I see it in you even though I don't know you. I see all things are possible in your life regardless of your own story. Maybe I'll even see you walking by one day and imagine your own story. Do not be alarmed by the thought. Be gladdened in knowing all of my stories of people have great endings.

That means there is at least one person out there who believes in you. One person that is cheering for you and for great things in your life. Now that makes two people that believe in you; me and you. The most important one being you.

I'll keep watching and please don't think of me as a stalker. Think of me as your greatest fan. Then cheer yourself on to greater things, to greater success and a greater life.

Stress Management

"Stress is the trash of modern life - we all generate it but if you don't dispose of it properly, it will pile up and overtake your life." -Danzae Pace

According to an article by the Mayo Clinic, "stress is a normal psychological and physical reaction to the ever increasing demands of life." Hmmm, a 'normal' reaction to things going on around you! I guess that is one way of viewing stress as being normal. Which I guess means to say that you are not abnormal if you develop stress while going through challenges. That makes me feel a whole lot better.

Don't get me wrong, I agree with what the staff at the Mayo Clinic is saying. Stress is a response to life's challenges thrown into the mix of your everyday life. There is stress related to what seems to be increasing pressure at work. There are fewer people doing more of the work as companies work to save money by laying off people.

There is stress related to money, kids, relationships or even the drive home on a busy freeway. The stress can build up inside of us and begin to cause physical problems. When stressed, our body responds as though we are in danger. It causes hormones to speed up your heart, which is turn allows you to breathe faster, and provide a burst of energy (called the fight-or-flight stress response).

But stress has also been linked to headaches, upset stomach, back pain, and trouble sleeping. Stress can weaken your immune system and that makes it harder to fight off disease. If you already have health problems, stress can make it worse. Stress can make you moody, tense, or depressed. Relationships can suffer, and your performance at work or school can suffer as well.

There are methods to help you manage your stress. WebMD offers some techniques shown below. These stress-relief techniques focus on relaxing your mind and your body.

Ways to relax your mind

Write:
It may help to write about things that are bothering you. Write for 10 to 15 minutes a day about stressful events and how they made you feel. Or think about starting a stress journal. This helps you find out what is causing your stress and how much stress you feel. After you know, you can find better ways to cope.

Let your feelings out:
Talk, laugh, cry, and express anger when you need to. Talking with friends, family, a counselor, or a member of the clergy about your feelings is a healthy way to relieve stress.

Do something you enjoy:
This can be a hobby, such as gardening. A creative activity, such as writing, crafts, or art. Playing with and caring for pets. Volunteer work. You may feel that you're too busy to do these things. But making time to do something you enjoy can help you relax. It might also help you get more done in other areas of your life.

Focus on the present:
Meditation and guided imagery are two ways to focus and relax your mind.

Meditate:
When you meditate, you focus your attention on things that are happening right now. Paying attention to your breathing is one way to focus.

Doing meditation:
Use guided imagery.With guided imagery, you imagine yourself in any setting that helps you feel calm and relaxed. You can use audiotapes, books, or a teacher to guide you.

Ways to relax your body

Exercise:
Regular exercise is one of the best ways to manage stress. Walking is a great way to get started. Even everyday activities such as housecleaning or yard work can reduce stress. Stretching can also relieve muscle tension.

Try techniques to relax such as breathing exercises, muscle relaxation, and yoga can help relieve stress.

Breathing exercises:
These include roll breathing, a type of deep breathing.

Progressive muscle relaxation:
This technique reduces muscle tension. You do it by relaxing separate groups of muscles one by one.

Yoga, tai chi, and qi gong:
These techniques combine exercise and meditation. You may need some training at first to learn them. Books and videos are also helpful. You can do all of these techniques at home.

In the sum of it all, managing stress can only be handled by you. For the sake of your mental and physical well being, find a way to deal with stress in a healthy way. For the sake of your loved ones, deal with your stress today.

The Fedora Hat

"And all your future lies beneath your hat." -John Oldham

He stood there, a man standing on the gravel drive way. He was near the house about half-way down towards the country road. I remember him as being tall and statuesque in his pressed pants and starched white shirt. The top button of his shirt was undone with no tie, the sleeves partly rolled up. His round wire-rim glasses reflected the afternoon sun as he smiled his wide smile towards me.

What I remember most is the fedora hat that covered his mostly bald head. It was probaby an attempt to keep his Irish skin from turning red. But he lifted his hat and waved to me. A gesture that seemed so comforting to me. A gesture that I believed was meant only for me, his grandson.

I was only five years-old at the time. As I stood in the open door-way of the corn crib, it seemed I had known Grandpa Gale for a lifetime. I guess I had known him for all of my five years, but it seemed much longer. And now the wave of his hat seemed to say it would soon be over.

Soon Grandma and Grandpa would be moving to California. It would be quite a bit of time before I would see them again. So this final wave seemed to be telling me everything I needed to know. All that would guide me in life was in the wave of the hat, telling me everything would be fine.

It is an image that I can recall clearly in my mind to this very day. At the time so many years ago, I am sure the full impact was furthest from my mind. But as I recall the day, the moment, the image, I fully know that Grandpa was giving me his final bit of advice. A year later he would die in that far away place called California. A heart attack would take him from so many. Death would replace him with memories.

As I look back and recall that day, I am sure that regardless of what happens to me, everything will be okay. The wave of his hat telling me everything would be okay. It is an image he left for me, that I can go back and remind myself that yes, everything will be okay.

When even the cruelest of life's circumstance enters your day, think of Grandpa Gale and the wave of his hat. A smile given to tell you that things will get better; that life for you will be okay. Grandpa would want it that way not only for me, but for you as well.

Making Lemonade

"If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for most of your trouble, you wouldn't sit for a month." -Theodore Roosevelt

From Reuters News Service, a story about what NOT to do when life gives you lemons.

~~~~~~
Friday, 22 July 2011 10:18

CONWAY, Mass (Reuters) – A man angry that a car dealership refused to take back a "lemon" van he had purchased, intentionally crashed it into seven parked vehicles, police said on Thursday.

The dispute began when David Cross, 42, of Salisbury, Massachusetts, and his wife on Monday bought a van at the Portsmouth Used Car Superstore, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, said Portsmouth Police Lieutenant Russell Russo.

Cross told police that his mechanic quickly found a variety of problems with the van and advised him to return it to the dealer. But the business declined to take back what Cross said was a "lemon", Russo told Reuters.

After the dealership closed on Tuesday, Cross returned at midnight and used his van to smash into seven vehicles on the dealer's lot, including a Mercedes C300 and a Ford Mustang, causing damage initially estimated at $20,000, police said.

"He damaged each one, and then he left his van that he bought behind," Russo said.

He then crossed the street to where a police cruiser happened to be parked and reported the incident, leading an officer back to the wrecks.

After his arrest, Cross was charged with seven counts of criminal mischief, a felony due to the damage amount, Russo said.

Cross was released on personal recognizance and was scheduled to be arraigned September 19 in Portsmouth District Court, police said.

The Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation on Thursday suggested that individuals who believe they have bought a lemon call its hotline for help.
~~~~~~

I found this story amusing and enlightening at the same time. Here was a fellow that was likely frustrated to his wit's end. It is is very possible he had tried to reason with the car dealership. Maybe the car dealership had tried to reason with him. But somewhere along the way, things went horribly askew in their communication.

Life is pretty sneaky in matters such as this. You are travelling along happy and content. You walk in to purchase a vehicle and life throws you a lemon. You probably think the next thing one might say is, "then make lemonade." Pretty hard to do when the juice is in your eye and you have no water, ice, sugar or jug to put it in.

What you can do is slow down and think about what you have. You can take the seed of the lemon and plant a lemon tree. You can change the circumstance by rational thinking. You can change the atmosphere by changing your attitude. You can change things.

Sometimes we don't always slow down and think before acting. Maybe we do slow down and still choose the irrational act. If we do, then we need to own up to the choices we make. The fellow in the above article did just that. An irrational act and then turned himself in immediately to law enforcement officials. He owned up to what he had done, he probably felt good and I give him points for that action.

The hangover effect of his actions will be painful going forward. The only person he really hurt was himself and those close to him. The car dealership 'might' be startled enough to change their business practices. But in the end, only 'self' will be hurt.

So take the opportunity before doing something irrational to think it through. You could make lemonade but that is only a short term solution. Take the seeds and plant a tree that will provide lemonade for a long time to come.

Its a long journey we are on and its going to take a lot of lemonade to keep you refreshed. Its your choice, its up to you, its your journey, so keep moving onward.

Why Oslo

"I hate mankind, for I think myself one of the best of them, and I know how bad I am." -Joseph Baretti, quoted by James Boswell, 1766

Giuseppe Marc'Antonio Baretti, an Italian-born writer born at Turin whom was to be a lawyer if his father had his way. But Joseph, as he became known during his years in England, would become a literary critic and author of two influential language-translation dictionaries.

While in England, he was assaulted on the street and he stabbed the assailant with a fruit knife he carried. This would be common to the idea of carrying a pocket knife today. The assailant died and Baretti was tried for murder, but acquitted; several people of renown giving testimony in his defense.

During the time, many people jumped to a conclusion of Joseph's brutal attack upon the murdered man. The uproar of the public over this Italian born man forced the hand of local law enforcement. He was guilty of being different and without the facts. Those facts were of course brought up eventually and he was acquitted of the crime.

We now jump forward nearly 250 years to Oslo, Norway. An attack, brutal in nature takes place and people immediately begin to point fingers. Given the nature of the attack, people immediately view it as an attack by a radical Muslim group. It had to be the extremist Islamists picking soft targets. Whom else could it be but them?

I would dare to say that all the world is slightly jaded due to the terrorism and threats for nearly ten plus years. But this wasn't an Islamist "death to the infidels" group. No, in-deed this was very reminiscent of the Timothy McVeigh bombing in Oklahoma City. I really dislike even giving credit or mention to McVeigh, but there it is.

Now we have Anders Behring Breivik standing accused of a twisted idea of hatred for Islamist ideas and terrorism. An odd way to hate terrorism with a terroristic act upon people. It is purely an act of violence against humanity, against innocent people. But our first conclusion was to blame the Islamic terrorists and they win the mind game this time.

We have to understand that most people of all faiths, cultures and places are pretty decent folks. They are trying to live a great life. They want the same things you and I want; food, shelter, clothing, love, peace, and children to carry on their legacy. And terrorism plays to the worst of human characteristics. It plays to our worst fears.

We have to fight terrorism not only with strength, but also with kindness. Kindness for the hearts and minds of those that terrorism chooses to recruit. We won't succeed by waging it at their level. As the American cartoon Dilbert says, "Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level, then best you with experience." I contend if we lower ourselves to the level of terrorists, they will win that battle.

We need to keep the level higher and as I stated before, fight terrorism with strength where it occurs. But fight for the minds and hearts of everyone else. Let us not allow mob rule to take over our minds and actions. When chaos becomes the course of action, evil wins.

This is not the Pollyanna Principle but does take a positive route to confronting the negative. If we fight negativity with negativity, what are we left with? We are left only with negativity. A no-win result in my mind.

Life will continue to throw the extreme views of both ends of the spectrum at us. If we choose to live at either end we are doomed as humans. If we choose to find common ground and sanity in all of the noise, then life can be pretty great for all of us.

Looking Back To Today

"When we remember we are all mad, the mysteries disappear and life stands explained." -Mark Twain

Recently a friend posted a few pictures of our college days on Facebook. He, myself and several other folks spent a couple of years together at Peru State College in Nebraska. A diverse lot of fellows that somehow seemed to put most differences aside and had a really great time.

Seeing the pictures started pulling on my strings of reminiscence. So off to the attic to pull out the worn pages and pictures of days gone by. Let me tell you it was a wonderful journey back in time. It was a view back that made me wonder how I had made it this far. It was also a view that explained exactly how I reached this wonderful point in life.

As I looked through the pages of old newspapers and pictures, I felt the ground beneath my feet. The path I was creating came from mistakes, success, boredom, shear terror and blind boldness. The cobblestones were laid out in front of me with friends and family. The journey was given to me by my faith.

It is easy to look at our life today and wonder if we made the right choices. It becomes easy to doubt what we did. But if you look back at the proving grounds of your past, you may find that life was simply teaching you how to live.

I remember the time shown in the picture above. We were young and ambitious College Student Activity Council kids. One of the hot regional bands was a group called Cricket. They had the greatest sound and energy one could expect and we had them for an early school year performance. An outdoor concert that requires all of the crazy logistics one could imagine. I'm not sure I even got to enjoy it and how a bunch of 19-year old kids pulled it off is beyond me.

So yes, you look back and wonder at how mad we were. But the mystery of whom we are now begins to disappear. We were simply trying to figure out our lives and learning about life along the way. Those experiences have brought us to where we are today. And I am happy for having gone through all of it.

It also excites me for what the next fifty years will bring. What will I look back to and see how the road was built. Will you look back and marvel at your own journey? Of course you will. Once you do, then look forward and envision the road you will take. That road is yours to take.

There is greatness to your life that makes all you have gone through well worth it. There is greatness to come in your life for you to pursue.