Another Brass Ring

Picture comes from The Brass Ring Poem, by Janet Boyd.

It is well worth a read when you finish here.

"We dance around the ring and suppose, but the secret sits in the middle and knows." -Robert Frost

This article was an early one in my blog writing days. It shows that I was still learning how to structure the pictures, the quotes, the links and my thoughts. But I found it to be a good one that even today gathers a fair amount of views.

I was recently reminded of the article while watching a show about amusement parks. One in particular was the Looff Carousel at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk amusement park in Santa Cruz, California. It features a brass ring dispenser that was interesting to hear about.

So without anymore ado, the original post titled "Grab A New Attitude - Grab The Brass Ring".

Ever sit around thinking about how your life could be different. Going round and round in your mind, like sitting on a merry-go-round.

Maybe daydreaming at work regarding how much you may not like what it is you do.

Maybe sitting in traffic between your place of work and home wondering if your well used vehicle couldn't be replaced by a new one.

Maybe at home watching television on that 25" envisioning what it would be like to have a large screen version with surround sound.

Maybe just wishing you had more meaning or purpose in your life.

Daydreaming, wondering and envisioning is good. Everyone should have dreams and goals for a better life. But you wonder how can I ever achieve them? How am I going to grasp that 'brass ring'?

Stop and think about the merry-go-round. Around and around and around and around in circles with the same music. As an amusement ride, I love them for the memories it brings back growing up. For the simplicity of the ride, for the safety of the ride. What can go wrong in a round the circle ride. I had always wondered why the 'brass ring' was there. It hit me years ago that it is there to add a bit of excitement to the ride.

For those that dared to, they could reach out in an attempt to grab it. Maybe earn a free ride or a prize. Many wouldn't try, simply content to hold on tight to go around and around and around. The ones that did keep trying to grab the brass ring eventually succeeded. They had the courage to overcome fear and reach out. What then was left? To move on to another more exciting ride. To take a chance at something different. To move on from the same thing over and over, around and around, again and again.

Get out there and make a move. Sitting still, not changing the way you do things results in just that - nothing changes. Another year goes by, around in a circle on the merry-go-round watching the brass ring pass you by.

Don't wait - reach out and make a change in your life. Reach for the brass ring, do something to help someone else, move your attitude to a higher plateau. Start moving and change will occur.

Grab A New Attitude - Grab The Brass Ring

Courtesy of the "Tom Burhyte Page" at
www.gco.com/eldridge/ eldridge_merry_go_round.html

Ever sit around thinking about how your life could be different. Going round and round in your mind, like sitting on a merry-go-round.

Maybe daydreaming at work regarding how much you may not like what it is you do.

Maybe sitting in traffic between your place of work and home wondering if your well used vehicle couldn't be replaced by a new one.

Maybe at home watching television on that 25" envisioning what it would be like to have a large screen version with surround sound.

Maybe just wishing you had more meaning or purpose in your life.

Daydreaming, wondering and envisioning is good. Everyone should have dreams and goals for a better life. But you wonder how can I ever achieve them? How am I going to grasp that 'brass ring'?

Stop and think about the merry-go-round. Around and around and around and around in circles with the same music. As an amusement ride, I love them for the memories it brings back growing up. For the simplicity of the ride, for the safety of the ride. What can go wrong in a round the circle ride. I had always wondered why the 'brass ring' was there. It hit me years ago that it is there to add a bit of excitement to the ride.

For those that dared to, they could reach out in an attempt to grab it. Maybe earn a free ride or a prize. Many wouldn't try, simply content to hold on tight to go around and around and around. The ones that did keep trying to grab the brass ring eventually succeeded. They had the courage to overcome fear and reach out. What then was left? To move on to another more exciting ride. To take a chance at something different. To move on from the same thing over and over, around and around, again and again.

Get out there and make a move. Sitting still, not changing the way you do things results in just that - nothing changes. Another year goes by, around in a circle on the merry-go-round watching the brass ring pass you by.

Don't wait - reach out and make a change in your life. Reach for the brass ring, do something to help someone else, move your attitude to a higher plateau. Start moving and change will occur.

No Regrets

“Today, just take time to smell the roses, enjoy those little things about your life, your family, spouse, friends, job. Forget about the thorns -the pains and problems they cause you - and enjoy life” ―Bernard Kelvin Clive

In a Paul McGee's book, SUMO (Shut Up, Move On): The Straight-Talking Guide to Creating and Enjoying a Brilliant Life, there is a section asking what type of future do you want. He speaks of a sociologist and church leader, Anthony Campolo, who had asked a group of older folks what they would do differently if they had their lives to do all over again.

The top three responses were;

- Have Less Regrets -

- Take Time Out To Reflect More -

- Leave A Legacy -

What a great set of answers and very insightful to what many people end up feeling. But why should we wait until we're old to change those things. Why not do them now?

Having fewer regrets would mean not procrastinating and getting up and doing something. Maybe its volunteering your time, becoming more involved in church, actually learning to speak Spanish (reminder to self, get up and do it) or maybe being less intent on having to be ahead of everyone else on the highway.

Stop and smell the roses is an old cliché but I hear so many people state this. I started that process several years ago myself. It wasn't easy and isn't easy to maintain given our need to succeed and get ahead. Driving for success is a good thing, but you do need to take time to prioritize your life and not let it slip by. I have written in other articles about "riding the Merry Go Round." You can become so intent on trying to grab the brass ring that you don't even enjoy the ride.

Pretty soon the ride ends and you missed all of it.

And when your time is over and done, will others be able to say, "gee, that person really made my life a nicer." Or that you were a good person. Of course, some people say, "he who dies with the most toys wins." My take has always been, "sure, but he who dies with the most toys still dies." The material things will mean very little in comparison to the memories people have of you, so make them good memories.

Make something of your life while making something good for others and stay inspired my friends.

Membership Has Privileges

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

There is an ad campaign by a major credit card company that basically says, "Membership has its privileges." It is a way of enticing you into choosing their card over another. That by doing so, you will have advantages that non-cardholders will not have.

It is a powerful way to gain and keep people using your products. For me, membership in an airline mileage program offered by Delta Airlines has kept me returning to them for years. As a long time travel and medallion member, those privileges were something I had gotten used to. The ability to bypass the long lines, seat selection, upgrades and so much more were things that made travelling so much easier. In light of the 2009 economic downturn, my air miles plummeted.

Then on February of 2010, my status as a Gold medallion member was stripped away. Even though my travel has increased significantly this year, I had lost the 'brass ring' of travel. I had been relegated to what frequent travelers call 'Abyss' status. A level so low that the airlines consider you no better then the baggage, which you now have to pay to check if not carried on.

Oh the humanity of it all, poor pitiful me. My heart was crushed, my ego bruised and my frustration inflamed. How could I possibly go on? So now I state with 'tongue firmly planted in cheek' that I was unsure if I could go on.

Yet I found myself taking a deep breath, relaxing and focusing on the new reality of airplane travel for me. I could get upset with the airline or other travelling passengers, making myself a grumbling and mean spirited person. Or I could assess the situation, adjust to the new situation and enjoy the day.

I made efforts to change my status with the airline, but took to my new standing with ease. I could have turned my attitude into making myself miserable each time entering the airport. But I didn't want to ruin the grand possibilities that life has to offer by being dour.

Heck, I still have my Sky Club membership and can enjoy the comforts of a lounge before boarding a plane and taking my middle seat. Yes, I even tried to get out of my middle seat without the privileges of membership. I was then amused by a Platinum member (75,000 + miles flown per year) that requested a seat change on my same flight. He had a middle seat as well and could not get a seat change. He asked the agent, "my Platinum status means nothing?" I guess even membership does not always have its privileges.

So please keep calm and carry on with your day. Just relax and enjoy the day because membership in life has so many privileges. We just sometimes forget to experience them.

Prepared For Opportunity

"Chance favors the prepared mind."
-Louis Pasteur (French chemist and microbiologist, 1822-1895)

Each of us are looking for the perfect chance or opportunity to present itself to us. But many of us are never prepared to take advantage of that opportunity. You must constantly prepare your self for when the moment arrives, you will be ready to grab hold of the 'brass ring'.

Achieving Dreams

Two years of writing about life and offering just a small amount of advice to help each of us get through life a bit easier. I've had great responses from many folks and had people from all over the world read my ramblings.

When I started out in August 2005, I wasn't quite sure where this blog would take me. It has changed me in different ways. I believe it has helped others and some of those responses I've gotten encouraged me to continue writing. My intention is to compile many of the stories and writings into a book compiling the first two years.

To make any money isn't the primary goal and what I have made goes into a charity. Goodness should flow through you into others so that they can benefit as well. To help each other, to give encouragement makes all the difference in the world. I have had support and kindness from others through out my life. Returning the same to others is something all of us should strive to do.

Phil Pringle has said "never under estimate the power of a vision that is in your mind." Many of us have a dream to accomplish something. A vision that we think about in those quiet moments. You are not destined to simply wish for that to come true.

Each of us have the ability to get up and begin movement towards that vision. It isn't others or circumstance keeping you from it. You can get up and begin the steps to achieve. It is going to be difficult and there are no guarantees of success. Yet you will never "grab the brass ring" if you don't reach out and try.

I'm on my way to something with this blog. It is taking me on a journey that began at a crossroads of decision. Walk through that door and choose a path.

Riding Lifes Journey

Where does one come out in the end once change begins? Are you looking for a final answer, the prize or the brass ring? You've smiled at someone, allowed a yielding car into line and told someone what a great job they've done. Now you are thinking, here come the rewards. Just sit back and let it all flow to me.

I certainly wish it were so. It doesn't end until life ends...you will constantly be striving to live a great and positive life. And as you do, good things will happen to you. Of course it won't be like winning the lottery. Then again, there might be one or two of you that actually do win the lottery. But a windfall as such doesn't guarantee happiness.

So you keep moving forward, doing those things that I talk about. It can be a Roller Coaster ride but it is a lot more fun then a Merry-Go-Round. Instead of simply going round and round, think about the ups and downs and twists and turns. Heart thumping thrills and unexpected excitement every bit of the way.

Expect that it won't be easy all of the time, expect that with every low comes a new high. It isn't to say that you suffer emotional extremes, but understand that life will throw you curves. (see how I moved from an amusement park theme to a sports theme) Enjoy it and as I've stated before this way of life will become second nature. Have a great time with your life.