Give Up? Never

"Never, never, never give up." ~Winston Churchill

David P. Baker is an independent film maker who has seen quite a bit of the scene behind the making of a film. His raw and honest view is refreshing to read and follow.

An article he wrote on his blog is an example of why I like him so much. The article is titled Don't Give Up. In that blog article he provides a glimpse into why he refuses to give up. He has a dream, a vision and passion to achieve what he wants in life.

His story and those like his have always intrigued me. They have also pushed me in my own pursuits. Their stories can inspire and teach each of us a valuable lesson about living our lives. And that lesson is....never give up.

But will an inspirational quote or a word of encouragement push you to greatness? No, it will only give you a moment to reflect and maybe a small amount of encouragement. What truly drives you to greatness is inside of you. Once you find it (and it is there), then you will be amazed at what you can accomplish. So never, ever, ever quit.

Memorial Day

"It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived." ~General George S. Patton

In 1865, Henry C. Welles, a druggist in the village of Waterloo, NY, mentioned at a social gathering that honor should be shown to the patriotic dead of the Civil War by decorating their graves.

In the Spring of 1866, he again mentioned this subject to General John B. Murray, Seneca County Clerk. General Murray embraced the idea and a committee was formulated to plan a day devoted to honoring the dead.

Townspeople adopted the idea wholeheartedly. Wreaths, crosses and bouquets were made for each veteran's grave. The village was decorated with flags at half mast and draped with evergreen boughs and mourning black streamers.

On May 5, 1866, civic societies joined the procession to the three existing cemeteries and were led by veterans marching to martial music. At each cemetery there were impressive and lengthy services including speeches by General Murray and a local clergyman. The ceremonies were repeated on May 5, 1867.

The first official recognition of Memorial Day as such was issued by General John A. Logan, first commander of the Grand Army of the Republic. This was General Order No. 11 establishing "Decoration Day" as it was then known. The date of the order was May 5, 1868, exactly two years after Waterloo's first observance. That year Waterloo joined other communities in the nation by having their ceremony on May 30. (Story reprinted from Ancestry.com)

So what will you do today? You will relax, maybe go for a swim and grill out with family friends. But also take a few moments to remember those that have gone before you. Take a few moments to reflect.

Small Gifts

David Cramer Photography
Full moon shot taken the morning of January 1, 2010

"May no gift be too small to give, nor too simple to receive, which is wrapped in thoughtfulness, and tied with love." ~L. O. Baird

Its one of those mornings, driving into work a bit late going and stressing over all that needs to be done. On my particular drive as I curve around the cloverleaf to the freeway on-ramp it came into view. A view of the near perfect, dusty colored and huge Moon.

The color and view was very similar to the one shown above. It was a picture I would have loved to have gotten with my own camera. To pull over right there and stand in awe of this small early morning gift. But that may have started a chain reaction of others pulling over, a traffic jam may have begun, the police, etc.

So I kept moving, wondering if others were taking in this view. Wondering if they saw it as an early morning gift as well. And then the song "Mr E's Beautiful Blues" by The Eels came on and as the song goes (slightly altered), "gosh darn right, its a beautiful day."

This song talks about the pain and suffering that exists beneath the surface for many people. But it is a 'beautiful day' out there. If you can see and grab onto these small gifts, they can help you change your world just a little bit. To know that the stress of whatever is going on in your life can be brightened by seeimingly small things.

A beautiful morning full moon or a smile from someone can make all the difference. Whether you are receiving or giving of the small gift, the impact can be huge. So take advantage of it, grab hold of it and change your life.

Sweeping Streets

If a man is called to be a street sweeper
He should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted
Or Beethoven composed music
Or Shakespeare wrote poetry

He should sweep streets so well
That all the hosts of heaven and earth
Will pause to say
Here lived a great street sweeper
Who did his job well

~Martin Luther King, Jr~

This is one of my favorite quotes that I share with you today. You can make a difference every day simply by doing what you do, to the best ability that you can.