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.

The Fire Inside

"Success isn't a result of spontaneous combustion. You must set yourself on fire." -Arnold H. Glasow

I have heard it said that when there's nothing left to burn, you have to set yourself on fire. You can't wait for others to come along each time to light it for you. There needs to be a mechanism from within that you can use to re-ignite your passion.

Too many times we run out of steam in our pursuit of our best life. The road can become long and weary. There are those moments when it can feel like the struggle isn't worth the effort. This becomes your signal to re-fuel, to re-stoke the fire within.

The keys are to look at your goals again and tell yourself how great its going to be once you achieve them. Then pick up something inspirational to read such as the Bible, or self-help books written by motivational authors or maybe even mine. But find the words that inspire and motivate you. Find the words that lift you up and remind you that all is truly possible.

This is also the moment that people with negative personalities will seem to suddenly appear. They are usually the first on scene, like firemen that have come to put out your fire completely. In this particular case, you need to avoid those people. Move as far away from them as you can.

Get yourself around people that will help you keep those embers burning. The positive kind of people that will help you collect and add fuel to that fire. They will be the kind of people that help you protect that fire.

Keep the fire burning for your dreams, visions, and goals. Never give up on yourself.

Breath of Air

"The time to relax is when you don't have time for it." -Sydney J. Harris

This has been one of those stressful weeks at work. It has been filled with the angst of understanding a problem and how to fix it. It also involves how to relay that information to another person to help them understand.

I get reminded by people that I need to read my own blog articles from time to time. That is because I am human just like everyone else. I get frustrated, stressed, down, and generally bent out of shape at times. What matters is how I or you recover from those episodes.

In actuality, it is very much like swimming, or learning how to swim. You can get very flustered and begin thrashing about in the water. That is the moment in time that most experts will tell you to just relax.

In fact you could take the following three tips on learning to swim for most any stressful situation.

1. Understand how breathing works and how it's related to every move you make in the water (life). How could you think about anything else first?

2. Next is to relax a bit because you now understand how breathing works. Your relaxed body will learn basic swim strokes (refocus).

3. Throughout all this, to repeat; you won't worry so much about breathing because you already understand how to get your air (balance and focus).

Simply put, step back and relax and most importantly - breathe.

No Fear

"You block your dream when you allow your fear to grow bigger than your faith." -Mary Manin Morrissey

Sit back and think about how many times you would have done something in life if fear had not entered your mind. Think of standing up in front of an audience to deliver a presentation, asking that girl across the room out to a movie, or trying out for the baseball team. Maybe you thought of trying to act in a play and sing in a musical. Or what about trying to write a book?

Now sit back and think about all of those experiences and how they could have changed your life. Think of where you would be today if you had pushed fear out of the way. The darkness of living in fear would have been lifted by the light of new experience.

I know because I pushed aside fear and did everyone of those things. Was I a success at all of them? No, but each of them have allowed me to experience a great life.

By turning off that knob of fear, by chasing it from your life, there is so much more to be gained. Try something different and when fear gets in the way, knock it aside. This is your life and it is full of great things for you.

French Dialogue

"That is the happiest conversation where there is no competition, no vanity, but a calm quiet interchange of sentiments." -Samuel Johnson

It was all we wanted, a cup of coffee from which a relaxing afternoon would melt away. It was of course in a restaurant in the French village of Senlis. Two Americans, enjoying the day and trying to traverse the French language in a way those around thought amusing.

It is said by some that the French can be rude, but I would say that can happen anywhere. The French are very nice and accomodating any time I travel to France. What I do observe is if you try to speak the language of the local area you are in, it is a respectful sign and acknowledgement to them. And so we tried, we viewed the menu and tried to say the right words in the right dialect and without sounding too foolish.

We used our intellect and could make out the words of various items on the menu. The cafe, creme brulee were easy enough and the tarte aux pomme was likely a dessert as well. Go figure, it would be the desserts that we understood most easily. Yet it was not a meal we were after, it was conversation.

In a country where you don't speak the language, all of the conversations around you are like static to the senses. You know the talk is of family, sports, business or possibly gossip. But you can not make out the words and the laughter is enticing. So you look at each other and start your own conversation, in English, in focus on each other.

I would like to think that those around us enjoyed the English language as well since it is not something they hear all that often. Two Americans, a man and woman, husband and wife talking of things close to them, of things that fill their life together.

It was a conversation that was long but was too short. That is what makes relationship with others so wonderful. It is what makes my marriage so great; the conversation between two people. A cup of coffee, a dessert and a long conversation that always seems to end too soon.

Make your conversations with others the ones each of you want to remember for a long time. Make those conversations such that you never want them to end. Make your connection with others be the type that they never want it to end.

First Steps

"The distance is nothing; it is only the first step that is difficult." -Madame Marie du Deffand

My wife and I received a very exciting email from our daughter in Los Angeles over the weekend. It was more exciting than our week long trip in France. It was seeing our grand-daughter crawl for the first time, captured on video.

This is the first of many that all of us will and have taken in life. Once we begin to crawl, we move that much closer to our first of many steps. That is how it begins, learning to crawl and wanting to get to another place in our life.

As we grow older we tend to forget those first steps. The first time we tasted ice cream, the first time we fell in love with our spouse, the feeling of seeing a child born. These moments seem to get lost in our growing older, in taking so many steps getting to where we thought we wanted to be.

We get so wrapped up in our own selfishness that we look down and find our path has diverged from those around us. And in that moment we have to make a decision to find our way back to the first time we tasted ice cream, the first time we fell in love with our spouse, and the feeling of seeing a child born.

It starts by deciding to crawl until we can find our feet again. The first step occurs and another and another. You will find things lining back up again in your life. If there was anger and hurt in your life, it will dissolve with each passing foot step. The selfishness will evaporate and greater things will begin to happen in your life.

Start crawling if that is what it takes. Soon enough those first steps will take place and when able, start running. Run to the important things in life, not from them.

Educated Confidence

"I'm not afraid of storms, for I'm learning to sail my ship." -Aeschylus

It starts early in life, from the moment we are born. I am talking about the learning process. We learn new sounds while still in the womb, figuring out that voice is our mother or father. With the first light of birth, we connect the voices to the faces, processing every bit of information.

On it goes through pre-school, elementary, high-school and college. It doesn't even matter that you go through all of the formal education. Knowledge is a constant thing in our life. The more you learn, the more you understand the world around you. The more you learn, the more you will understand your place in it.

We can choose not to learn, we can choose ignorance and become mired in the mud of life. We can choose to learn more and lift ourselves to greater possibility. It is a choice we can make each and every day.

Choose to learn more each day. Choose to make your life greater.

Childish Examples

"We are apt to forget that children watch examples better than they listen to preaching." -Roy L. Smith

Recently I was talking to my wife about the parenting program she runs. It is a small endeavor at this point, but it is impacting families one at a time. Her program is to help families struggling to use the right skills for communication and dealing with all those things that happen as parents.

I was listening to her passion for what it does for these families. To see things get turned around when someone learns new skills is wonderful. These parenting classes make a difference and probably would have served me well when I was a very young father.

One of the things she teaches upon is how children learn by example. Sitting here writing about it seems like a 'no-brainer' bit of knowledge. But we have seen so many times how a child will mimic a parent.

If a parent walks around with a cell phone chatting away, you will find a young daughter or son play-acting the same way. Now take that parent gossiping, complaining, or talking badly on the phone; the child learns the same by watching.

If a parent is driving down the rode with children in the back, a driver cuts them off in traffic. Without thinking, a parent will raise a finger and shout a curse or few chosen words. A child in the back sees and processes this information.

If a parent, if a parent, if a parent; the examples can go on and on. We all learn many times by example. But none as much as a child. You, the parent, are their hero, their guidance, their link to knowing all that exists. Sounds like a pretty heavy responsibility doesn't it? It is and you must treat it as such.

The childish examples we portray from time to time are in fact, pretty childish. You may think your children sit quietly (or not) in the back ground ignoring you. What you must realize is that they are actually being pretty attentive to your every action and word.

If a parent wants to give their child or children a great gift, then give them great examples to see. Leave behind childish examples and give them wonderful examples to live by. Give them examples of love. Give them examples of healthy living. Give them your best.

Music Changes

SMELLY DOG MUSIC

"Music can change the world because it can change people." -Bono

How big is music in your life? Do you tap your toes to the beat of some favorite band? Is there a tune playing in your mind at the present time? Are the songs you hear saying something to you?

I am sure we have all experienced at one time or another the power music had on us. A song that moved you to tears or lifted you in joyful praise of life. The variations that exist are as diverse as there are humans. In fact music can come from nature itself.

The rustling of tree leaves, a babbling brook or playful chirping of a bird. There is a cadence to most everything that goes on around us. Music exists in most every part of life; that is if we listen for it.

Music can also move us to do something great, it can move us to love, it can move us to do far greater things in our life. The sweet sound that tells us we can do more. The melodic rhythm that carrys us to a far better life.

Let the music change you. Let the music carry you to greatness. Listen to the music and see how it can change your life. Then take your song and go change the world. Make it a better place with the sounds you make, with the toe tapping greatness of your own life.

Daily Men

"Nothing just happens for you as a husband and a dad; You have to work at it. Live on purpose." -Paul Louis Cole

There was a time in my life when I had it all figured out. I was young, in college, and making great strides personally and educationally. The farm where I grew up was beginning to recede from my life. It was a wide open plain where my dreams and plans were going to unfold in succession.

I met someone, we had a child and those plans began to divert in another direction. But there was no one, parents, friends or family that I would let interfere. For I had it all planned out, a new child, a marriage and need for work would not stand in the way of my plans.

I knew that all I had to do was keep moving forward with my plans. The marriage, the child, the work would all fall in lock step behind me. For my plans were mine and nothing could change that indisputable fact. Being a husband and father would simply happen.

I struggled to keep my plans out in front of the real purpose. Again, I fought to keep my plans out in front what the real purpose was. I denied that my plans were not the real purpose.

Much like the plate spinner one might see on the Ed Sullivan Show from so many years ago, it was a wondrous sight to see all of those plates spinning. If you watched closely, the artist would be running wildly from one end to other.

Some plates would begin to wobble if he paid too much attention to only one or two plates. I paid too much attention to one or two plates, my plans and my job. As you can imagine the other plates began to lack attention and fell, crashing into broken pieces upon the floor. As you try to catch the plates before they fall, your plans will also tip and nothing survives at that point.

We are left then with broken pieces of plates upon the floor. Some may believe it is useless to try. As men, we may try to walk away and leave others to clean up the mess. But as a man, you have purpose in your life and that is to pick up the pieces that matter. You take those pieces and put them back together again.

What you will find in picking up the pieces, the ones that matter, the real purpose is what you have put back together. You will be a better husband and a better father. What you will be is a better man.

TGIF

"We can always choose to perceive things differently. You can focus on what's wrong in your life, or you can focus on what's right." -Marianne Williamson

Today is Friday, the last day of what is normally the work week. I know there are many that have other schedules and rotating days, but traditionally Friday is the end of the work week. The thoughts are beginning to boil up towards a cheer of T.G.I.F.

Everyone is laser focused on the weekend. Not surprisingly Friday was found to be the least productive. Tuesday came in as the most productive work day according to an old survey by Menlo Park-based Accountemps. Then again, someone got paid to conduct a survey to verify what all of us pretty much knew already.

What interests me is the focus we can attain if it is something we really want. Think about it, unlikely is your focus on hoping Monday comes quickly so that you can get back to work. Your focus is on enjoying your family, friends and relaxing through the weekend.

Also think back to when you first fell in love. You had a huge focus on the person of your desires. That lovely person that has such a wonderful smile who lights up the room when they enter. You had such a clear focus on what you wanted in life.

Then life steps in and clouds your vision, makes changes that distract you from all that is important. So we fall into the "9 to 5" mentality and shorten or focus to only Friday and the weekend.

What if we were able to refocus on longer term goals? What if we used that focus to pursue our dreams, our goals and visions? You know it exists out there just beyond the coming weekend.

All you need to do is direct your focus on what is important for your life. Share your focus with others and together we can turn T.G.I.F from "Thank God its Friday" into "Thank God I'm Focusing."

The Worry List

"If you can solve your problem, then what is the need of worrying? If you cannot solve it, then what is the use of worrying?" -Shantideva

Each of us have a list of worries that kept neatly packed away in our mind. The list can tend to be so long that it overshadows our dream list.

We take a cursory look at the dream list but spend countless hours going over and over the worry list. We spend more time concerned with that list then we do actually trying to solve them. If we were to take an honest look, many are not worries at all.

What we would find is that the list is full of excuses. They are stones building up in our mind's wagon. We pull this around allowing it to cause pain and struggle. The weight of it all simply burdens us as we pursue our dreams.

Think of how much faster, how much easier, how much more successful we would be in reaching our dreams without the worry. If we let it go, tore up the list, emptied the wagon of stones; the journey would be so much easier.

At the very least, we would have more focus directed on dreams then on worries. And that is the lesson to be learned. Do not spend all of your time in worry. Spend that time focused on your dreams.

Are You Not Entertained

"Are you not entertained? Are you not entertained? Is this not why you are here?" -The Gladiator

As I write this, the television news and newspaper headlines are filled with the not-guilty verdict in the trial of a girl named Casey Anthony. It sent out a cry of injustice by people of all walks of life. Even celebrities pronounced shock and disbelief; I report this as the media did, which of course sells more newspapers.

All through the trial people hung on every word and confession. They debated and judged every lie, every truth and every heartbreaking moment. We analyzed each piece of 'public' evidence we were allowed to see or hear. The Jurors themselves lived much closer to the evidence, saw more of it, and had the responsibility to act upon it.

And then the Jury spoke, unconvinced that all reasonable doubt had been erased. I won't go into the definition of "reasonable doubt" as its origins are also founded differently according to some as it is applied today. In fact I'm not even here to debate the outcome of Ms. Anthony's guilt or innocence.

I have long believed the justice system our society has chosen is a good one and for the most part pretty fair. Any justice system is one of judgement based upon the local social mores and rules in place. Based upon some of the reactions of people, it is likely in another place and time, this young lady would have been hung without trial by the mob in place.

Yet beyond all of that, were you not entertained? Is that not why you came to watch and listen to the trial? As the crowd rises in a wave around the stadium, did you not participate each time the excitement came around?

We may blame the media, the lawyers or the jurors as we sit in our living rooms judging the outcome. But are we not entertained? We each allow ourselves to become wrapped up in the judgement of others while we fail to judge ourselves. It is much more entertaining to judge others then us. It is much more entertaining to point outward instead of looking inward.

Even this article is judgement of others. I stand accused of doing it as well. The story of Caylee Anthony, yes the name of the young girl who died touched the hearts of many people. And yes, she is why so many people took a huge interest in this trial. But don't be entertained by all of this. Learn from what we know is true and work to educate ourselves and others.

When we see a child in need, when we see a parent, a mother, a father or ourself not caring, work to change people. Do something to make a difference in the lives of others. Help empower others with knowledge and skills to be better parents, to be better people. Be a better person yourself.

Peachtree Roadrace Finish

"Finishing races is important, but racing is more important." -Dale Earnhardt

It was a particularly warm and muggy day to be running in the 42nd running of the Peachtree 10K Roadrace. This race is held each July 4th and is an Atlanta tradition. With over 60,000 runners, the heat pushed the tempo down for the regular runners but the elite runners always finish in fast style.

What I like about the roadrace each year is the excitement leading up to the start. You work your way into your starting section and wait patiently for the staggered start. You meet new people, you see people from previous runs and you see the mass of people out there in front of you. You also know that a mass of people are behind you as well.

This running race reminds me alot about life and the paths we choose to take. One could argue that the 6.2 miles of asphalt in front of us is the journey we are travelling. The START line is where we choose to begin, filled with excitement and expectation. Everyone around you are encouraging, all knowing that the FINISH line is at the end of the course.

We begin and things go very smoothly as this course starts on a short slope downward. The elevation then deceives you. After the first block you begin a slow uphill run for the first mile. It can quickly take the 'fun' out of the journey. The first water stop refreshes you and you catch a breath.

For the next two miles its a long descending stretch and things are going pretty well. Life is pretty good and you're feeling that the FINISH is going to come quicker then first anticipated. Yet life has a way of jumping in the way. The next one-half mile is called Cardiac Hill, a rise of one-hundred ten feet that takes its toll. Appropriately Piedmont Hospital lay at the top of this hill.

The remaining miles are what you would expect. Upward, downward, upward and again downward. The course toys with your mind and body; that is if you let it. I will definitely say that when you come down that gradual slope of 10th Street to the FINISH line, there is no greater view.

There are people lining the streets, cheering you on, encouraging you and helping you with shouts to pass under that sign. From START to FINISH, those people are there along the course of our lives. We may not always hear them. We may become so focused on the run and ignore the chants and cheers.

Yeah, I would pretty much say it isn't strictly the FINISH that matters in life. A goal achieved, a vision caught or a journey completed is a great and enduring thing to hold in one's hand. But the journey getting there is just as important.

Meeting a few of the 60,000 people along the way, seeing the costumes and hear the music matters. Waving to those ringing the cowbells or clapping in return for the encouragement matters. Stopping to shake the hands of those in wheelchairs come out to cheer you on, it matters.

To live the race, your journey is as important as the finishing. Don't miss any part of it even though the course may try to take it away from you. Know that the journey will be tough at times, but also know that there will be so much missed if you ignore what is along the side of the road.

From START to FINISH, there will be things not quite so enjoyable. But those moments will be great if you allow yourself to experience the great things along the way. Run the race of your life. Reach out towards the FINISH line. But enjoy the race as well.

July 4, 1776

"...Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

This Monday a holiday of importance in the United States will be filled with families, picnics, parades and fireworks. People will gather together, talk, drink, and eat hotdogs, hamburgers, chips and potato salad. They will go to the pool or lake, swimming in their local pool or sail their boats on the open water.

My wife and I along with 55,000 of our closest friends will run in the Atlanta Peachtree 10K Roadrace. An annual event that is filled with great athletes down to the casual walker. I try to enjoy the people watching, the people running and avoid the misery of the heat and humidity. I even take moments half way through to stop and shake hands with the Sheppard Center patients. Each year they line the sidewalks of Peachtree Street. I feel honored to shake their hands, to offer some encouragement and provide a smile.

Its a part of a great life we live, the ability to share a smile, to share a moment, or to give something of yourself. There were people back in 1776, people well before that and to this day that have given something for others. Each of us will have given large and small, life and limb, or words and hugs. In the end, we will have made life better for those around us.

As you celebrate this day, as you approach any day, know that you have the ability to impact the lives of other people. All it takes is a smile, a kind word or a thoughtful hug.

Sunrise Sunset

So stop waiting until you finish school,
until you go back to school,
until you lose ten pounds,
until you gain ten pounds,
until you have kids,
until your kids leave the house,
until you start work,
until you retire,
until you get married,
until you get divorced,
until Friday night,
until Sunday morning,
until you get a new car or home,
until your car or home is paid off,
until spring, until summer, until fall, until winter,
until you are off welfare,
until the first or fifteenth,
until your song comes on,
until you've had a drink,
until you've sobered up,
until you die,
until you are born again
to decide that there is no better time than right now to be happy...
-Author Unknown

As you stand watching the setting sun, you wonder what was accomplished. Did I take another step towards my goal? Did I choose to make life better for having been a better me? Did I waste an opportunity to accomplish so much more?

If you are standing there watching the setting sun, know that the sun is rising in the morning for someone else. The dawn of a new day filled with opportunity is presenting itself to that person. That person is contemplating all that he or she can accomplish.

As you stand in the dimming light of day, as the darkness begins to envelope your thoughts, know that the sun will rise for you again. Know that a new day will rise to meet your dreams. In the moment your dreams come into the new light, new opportunity will present itself to you.

Take yourself farther with each new day and reflect upon the setting sun as an accomplishment.

Runnin Down A Dream

"Sometimes you want to give up the guitar, you'll hate the guitar. But if you stick with it, you're gonna be rewarded." -Jimi Hendrix

Another birthday and another year gone by; my son is celebrating his today. Steve has taken on another year and taken on the challenges that all of us face. But his determination and talent will take him places that only his dreams understand at this time.

Steve has a musical talent with the guitar that he is a wonder to behold; a song in his heart and a voice to pleasure the ear. His talent is not noticed only by a father, but by many others. The tough part is following your talent when it can be frustrating and filled with the unknown.

So don't let things get in the way, keep your focus and reach out for those dreams. Whether it be in your 20s, 40s or 80s; time is never an obstacle. All you have to do is move towards the dream, the vision, the goal.

Happy Birthday son and reach for your guitar....reach for your dreams. Here is a little something different then the usual birthday song. Keep runnin' on your dreams and going wherever it leads.



It can happen, it all starts with believing in yourself, a bit of a crazy thought and keeping happy along the way. Love you. -Dad

Today

TODAY IS THE DAY

"Today, I'm leaving all my troubles behind." Today -By Joe Pringle

Today is the day you will do it. Yesterday it could have been done but it wasn't. So make today the day you let it all go. Let the pain and indecision leave you forever.

Today is the day you will unload the pain and worry you have carried all these years. You will become more then what you or others have let yourself be. There is nothing to hold you back and it starts today.

You are greater than the sum of all your worries and doubts. The only thing holding you back today is you. Let it go and get on with your life. And today is when it will happen.

Today is the day...

Today.

Street Sweeper

I am reminded from time to time of the words that Martin Luther King, Jr. said in 1956 during a speech in Montgomery, Alabama. It is these words that I use to remind you today of the greatness you can be regardless of where you are in life. No matter what you do in life. Or even in spite of your current condition in life.

"If it falls your lot to be a street sweeper, sweep streets like Michelangelo painted pictures, like Shakespeare wrote poetry, like Beethoven composed music; sweep streets so well that all the host of heaven and earth will have to pause and say, ‘Here lived a great street sweeper, who swept his job well."

Be the best at whatever it is you do.

Never Give In

"Never, never, never give in." -Winston Churchill

The above quotation is often mis-quoted as "...never, never give up." The quote came from a speech that Winston Churchill gave at his old school called Harrow School on October 29, 1941.

In the speech he said, "This is the lesson: never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy."

England had been suffering through the German Blitz from September 1940 to May of 1941. The German military had tried to break the will of the British people and a massive amount of destruction and terror had rained down upon England. By October of 1941, the British were certainly weary but not defeated.

Winston Churchill gave his speech in the dawning light of survival from Germany's attempt to defeat that will the British people struggled to maintain. It didn't work and his speech was an affirmation to all that regardless of how tough things are, "never give in" to the destructive forces you are up against.

There is an old adage about not looking at the ground but up and forward. One could say that if the British looked down they saw rubble and destruction. But if they looked up all they could see was the smoke and falling bombs of German war planes. Neither was very inviting.

Yet I believe they saw through the smoldering flames. They saw the blue sky piercing the blackened air. At night, they searched and found twinkling stars peering back at them. They found solace in the beauty of the universe giving them hope and strength.

If your life is being pulled down into the dirt by forces unknown. If life is blackening your sky, remember you can push through by looking for and holding onto even the smallest bits of hope. A bright star in the night sky that catches your eye, a brilliant sunrise, or the smile from a stranger.

Even when it seems all might be lost, "never give in - never give up."

Does Opportunity Knock

"I held a moment in my hand, brilliant as a star, fragile as a flower, a tiny sliver of one hour. I dripped it carelessly, Ah! I didn't know, I held opportunity." -Hazel Lee

Well it happened to me. An opportunity came along and I missed it. Strange as it seems since I write about this stuff all of the time. You may not consider it a big deal but I do. My missed opportunity was to wish my sister a happy birthday three days ago.

Opportunity doesn't always come along as a Microsoft Outlook calendar reminder. That distinctive alert sound that is supposed to wake you from your slumber and get back to work.

Opportunity rarely comes knocking on your door like a Western Union Telegram. Even Western Union doesn't do that anymore.

Sometimes opportunity comes in the form of a passing white cloud above. You stop to take in the beauty of it against a blue sky. Another person stops to see what you are admiring, a conversation ensues and connection takes place.

Other times you step beyond doing what everyone else does at work. You take a chance taking on what others will not. A career blossoms where others thought barren ground existed.

Sometimes we miss the initial opportunity as it stood and waved a big sign. We turn the corner after seeing it down a side street we never take. That itch comes up in the back of our head; a little voice saying, "hey, wait a minute." At this point we can continue driving or turn around and go another direction.

You see it means you have to be aware and looking for opportunity. It means placing yourself in a position to cross paths with opportunity. It means being engaged in the world around you.

We may never get another television show called "Opportunity Knocks", but we can call our sister and send a belated birthday card. So Happy Birthday Pam! And don't forget to send in your vote for the Zaporozhian Cossacks, the dancers; not the people from the 'land beyond the rapids.’

Simple

"We shall never know all the good that a simple smile can do." -Mother Teresa

After a long and extensive research, Boeing has concluded its flight attendant call button on 737 airplanes was a bad design. They have now come out with a new location for the call button.

A simple yet very effective change to an age old design issue. Some may wonder why it took so long. A simple answer that can change so many things. But many will say that life is much too complicated for simple answers. The only way to solve our problems is through complex and intricate resolutions. It isn't easy to move a button to a new location, "it is hard." I hear it in my job, the words rolling out in many different forms. But the response is usually, "that is too hard."

I understand that there are complex issues in our life. But we tend to over-complicate, over-think, and over-worry. Sometimes the answer lay in the simple. You will probably call me naive but don't get me wrong. I fully understand there are things to worry about in life. We must be good stewards of our planet, our countries, and our neighborhoods with everything that entails.

What I'm referring to is the simplicity of a smile to break the cold. A simple handshake to break down barriers. The simple act of sitting down and talking with another person can move mountains.

There will be plenty of math problems, social issues, political disagreement and unsolved mysteries of the universe. Start with a simple smile, the simple connection of two or more, the simple belief in all that is possible.

SCREEN: ORIGINAL HORROR MOVIE!

"Give them pleasure - the same pleasure they have when they wake up from a nightmare.' -Alfred Hitchcock

There is a film maker I know by the name of David P. Baker. He is one of those passionate guys when it comes to making movies. Which is pretty much like you or me when it comes to doing what we love in life. For him its about making great movies which gives him his greatest pleasure.

Currently he is a long way from his home in Scotland. He has joined forces in Tulsa, Oklahoma with another passionate movie maker named Oklahoma Ward. Together with Nicole Alonso, the three are on an ambitious project to film two movies and a documentary about the whole process.

The first movie (currently being filmed) is called CRAWL. This is Oklahoma's movie and will certainly make a lot of heads turn.

The second movie will begin shooting after the completion of CRAWL is called SCREEN. This is David's and has been...well a lot of years in the making. All I can say is that after seeing this film, chances are you might be too scared to ever go to a drive-in movie theatre again....if you can find one.

Now to the point of my article. David is making this movie on what some would call a 'micro-budget'. There is no major studio backing him, nor is there a rich executive producer funding the whims of this director. No, David is pushing forward with this film in such a manner that will make it easier for others to follow in his foot steps.

So now you are asking, "what is the sales pitch?" I have been backing David for a couple of years now. Mainly I do this because he is a pretty decent guy, talented and most importantly passionate about what he does. I like that and with a few limited bucks, I try to help him out. If it helps give him that little added boost to keep him moving, then its worth it.

You can do the same thing, with just a few bucks. We all know times are tough and money is tight. But David could use your help with some additional expenses he has in the filming of SCREEN. My pitch is $10, $20, $50 or even more if you can. The goal is $5000 and he is part way there with roughly nine days to go. Take a chance, donate a few bucks and be part of something that is pretty cool.

And as Hitchcock said (paraphrased), "send a little pleasure ($$) David's way, the same pleasure he'd get when waking up from a nightmare."

Click on the picture below and it will take you to his campaign site. There you can see a video from David explaining things, some additional information and a place to donate.

Follow your passions folks, those dreams and goals you have are achievable. Surprisingly you will find others that share your vision and want to be a part in making it a success. And thanks for your donation to David's vision!

Make a Decision

Volition by Michael Micali

Volition is defined as the act of making a choice or decision. Other sources describe it as "the cognitive process by which an individual decides on and commits to a particular course of action."

So what that means is we have the power to choose our own attitude, our own happiness, or even our own path in life. All it takes is making a decision to do just that. All it takes is overcoming our own self-doubt.

It is the making of a decision that we often struggle with. We worry either about the outcomes of a decision or about having enough information. Sometimes it comes down to trusting our own ability to accept the choices we have made. Other times we are simply scared to decide.

Whatever is preventing you from making those decisions, know that the power to decide still lay in your own hands.

Knowing that you have that power is a big part of moving forward. But if you need some added ideas, Kathryn Britton wrote a good article in Positive Psychology News Daily titled "On Making Choices". In summary, she offers six tips on improving your ability to make a decision.

1. Learn how to make good enough choices, rather than aim for best choices.
2. Make a choice and then focus on its benefits instead of peering down the road not taken.
3. Remember that the identifiable attributes of a decision may be negligible compared to the accidentals that one cannot predict.
4. Create personal heuristics for choices that do not warrant great effort, such as selecting items on a menu.
5. Group large numbers of options into categories so that you can rule out several at a time, rather than having to study the pros and cons of each individually.
6. After collecting the pros and cons of the remaining alternatives, give your intuitive mind a chance to work on decisions that involve integrating a large number of complex options.

The choice is yours to make. Start with small ones if you must but the key is to make a choice and move forward. There might be setbacks but you make a choice and you go with it. Of your own volition, you keep moving your life forward.

Truth or Lies

"A lie may take care of the present, but it has no future." -Author Unknown

The news has recently been filled with the scintillating news of a New York Congressman. The public appetite for this type of news has always intrigued me.

There are U.S. Military personnel risking their lives in foreign nations to help the oppressed and fight terrorism. We spend our day reading of someone who took some pictures and then lied about it.

There are Japanese people still without a home due to a nuclear plant disaster after a tsunami. But yet we spend our day debating the social aspects of what this man did and his resignation.

I guess it has to do with our attention span as human beings. The ever increasing ADHD nature of our lives. We flip from channel to channel and the last hour's news is old news. But it wouldn't be quite so bad if we didn't just focus on what is termed lurid pictures. The real story is why do we lie in the first place.

My belief is that if you come out at first with the truth, no lies, no cover up, people are pretty forgiving. The truth sets you on a path to recovery or redemption much quicker. You save yourself having to fix two problems instead of just one.

But what a lot of people tend to depend upon is the short memory of others. If I lie and get away with it, they believe "no foul, no harm." But if I get caught in the lie, people will eventually forget about it. the only problem is that it doesn't make you a better person. Not telling the truth pulls you down and makes telling the next one easier and more costly. Lies will only hurt you and those close to you.

So try telling the truth upfront. It is going to hurt most certainly and maybe its that pain we are trying to avoid. But the pain is short-lived and redemption so much greater. Your life will be greater for having told the truth.

Broken Lens

"There are always flowers for those who want to see them." -Henri Matisse

There will be times in our life when the rose-colored glasses we wear might get broken. Disappointment can occur due to circumstance, change or other unforeseen instances. The pessimists in our life will certainly try to pull us down to their way of thinking. The pebbles they throw may break our view of life. The lens can be repaired, your optimism restored.

Love Is

"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.' -Lao Tzu

This is a special day for my wife and I as we celebrate an anniversary. It is the type of day that is only understood by two people. It can only have meaning for those two hearts.

The words between two people are not shared in a blog or video. Only two people can understand the words each speak. It is in the sound, the touch and the unspoken looks.

That is what love is.