Take Advantage Of Opportunity

"It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something." - Franklin Roosevelt

There were several people that took advantage of the open door (see Life At A Crossroads from Tuesday, March 21, 2006). A door to the unknown but a door to all the possibility that life has to offer. Some were young with no fears of failure and the unbridled passion to jump at opportunity when it presents itself. Others were older with years of holding back but with a renewed passion to make a change from the life that had held them back.

One such person was an older, middle aged man who had for years left his dreams upon the walls of the gathering room. That dreary place that he so often came, only to shy away from the brightness that shined through that open door. Turning to walk back down that beaten and worn path that so many of the people used.

Every day he would come to the building, pick up his dreams and wait patiently for the appointed time. That time when the door swings wide with expectation and wonderment. Yet he always allowed stubborn reason to deny him. He had been living life the same way for so many years. Why change now, what would be the point in disrupting the steady pace of life. Sure, there were good things in his life and moments of greatness. Yet his and the life of others around him seemed to never get to a new level.

He tried many things in life, some of which he was successful at. His career seemed to be moving forward with a promotion here, a change there. He tried different schemes to make more money to feed what seemed to be an insatiable appetite that life had around he and his family. Though he never seemed to understand his attitude towards life was more important in determining the quality of that life.

The building near the crossroads was brought to his attention a number of years earlier by a friend. The friend had talked of life changing possibility by simply walking through an open door. Much like others around him, the idea excited him and how easy it was. All he had to do was walk through an open door. He did not even have to unlock it, turn a handle or push it open. Someone was there to simply open it for him to walk on through.

So he had decided to go and see what it was all about. When he entered the room originally, it looked like any other room he had seen in life. Many people were excited and moved about the room in hushed voices. Many were talking to others and to themselves for that matter. The conversations spoke of what was on the other side, to what will happen with those left behind.

Eventually he heard people turn their talk to questioning if this was a good idea at all. Placing doubt on the goodness that lay beyond 'the door'. He had to wonder himself and when he saw the door open, the light that shown in was so clear, so vibrant. It took him aback and startled him. He began to wonder if that was such a good thing. His life wasn't so bad, why change now.

And then the door closed, the dull gray light took over the room once again. He was startled again to finally notice how dreary this room truly was. The open door had revealed the difference and he knew he would have to return the next day.

But every day he returned to see the light of possibility shine through that open door. And every day he hesitated to walk through the open door. He always had his reasons for not moving forward in his life. What would his friends say, what if he failed, what was really out there? He began to listen to others in the room. The ones that were never going to walk through that door. Their only purpose he supposed was to keep others from leaving through the door of opportunity.

Yet he believed they had good reasons. He allowed himself to accept what it was they said. From time to time his arguments defending the life he wanted almost got him through the door. But he always allowed the others to hold him back. So with them he would go back down the weary old path once the door had closed for the day.

And then one day something changed.....

The Crossroads Building

"The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. The fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do. You can act to change and control your life; and the procedure, the process is its own reward." - Amelia Earhart

A group of people are assembled in a building near a crossroads. A non-descript path leads up to the door. Obviously used by those assembled inside and from the looks of things they have been using the path for quite some time.

If you were to pass directly through this structure, you would be standing directly in the middle of the crossroads. Gleaming ribbons of road going off into several directions.

The shelter seems pretty nice from the outside. Some would say it looks quite elegant albeit in need of a new coat of paint. Its appearance gives one the feeling of comfort and safety.

As you enter, you find a vast assortment of chairs that have the look of constant use. Artificial plants dot the room and the windows have a particular film of dirt covering them. So much that the outside landscape is blurred to a point of being unrecognizable.

Old and outdated magazines lay scattered around the tables which themselves are old and outdated. The room is lit by fluorescent fixtures which gives the room a cold feeling. This glow lights the walls which seem to have a floral or other odd pattern design.

You move closer and discover the walls are adorned with various pictures. Pictures of dreams once dreamed, visions once envisioned and of hopes left scattered. All of these placed here by those gathered in the room. Placed on these walls once given up. Left on the walls in order to fade and be lost among others.

As more people enter through the door of the old path, the far side of the room has a single large oak door. Not particularly ornate but enough to catch your eye. Above the door a sign which reads;

"Choose To Live Life - Choose Now"

Once a day the people enter this room, they sit around reading the old magazines, talking in quiet tones of what could have been. Others move about the walls looking for their lost dreams. Some have entered the building for the first time with dreams and visions in hand. All are waiting for the appointed time.

Then it happens, the large oak door opens and a person enters. A very handsome and well dressed person, almost seeming to float in an easy stride, unencumbered draws the attention of all that are present. A brilliant glow shines through. All can see the wondrous landscape which lies beyond the open door.

In an easy and comforting tone, the person asks all assembled, "The door is open for you to step through. Once outside, choose a path and let life unfold before you."

Nothing more, no other enticements, just the promise that their lives will be different. A couple of people run forward with glee and expectation, through the open door. Carrying with them all that they want. Others hesitate and mumble to others around them. Unsure of what to do, they talk of what might happen or not happen by going through the door.

All know that to pass through that door means they can never return back through it. This old building, the old path back to their old lives isn't so bad. So they stand around telling themselves that the 'time' is not right.

For five minutes the door remains open. Not a long time to make a decision one might say. But all of these people have been spending their whole life trying to decide. They came this far, they've entered this building by the crossroads and the door is open.

Alas, the door closes and the cold light of the room returns. Everyone is required to then place their dreams and visions on the wall before leaving. Left there to be reclaimed tomorrow or forgotten by indecision. As they leave down the old trodden path they can hear faint shouts of happiness.

The noise comes from those that have passed through the oak door. Those people are happy to be on an adventure down a new path. Happy with whatever comes their way. Through the door, looked at all the choices life has to offer and picked one.

Life is full of choices for us to pick from. But you have to take that opportunity with your dreams and visions in your pocket. Which choice are you going to take? To leave your hopes upon the wall, walking back down the same old path you've been over so many times.

Or will you decide upon change, to step through that door. Its a simple question, choose to change or choose not to change. Choose change, choose now, you won't regret it. To chase your dreams, you will catch them.

You can read more of the above Changed Lives.

Stay inspired my friends.

What Is Your Story

"Human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives." - William James

We allow ourselves to go through life with a belief that the path we are on was pre-chosen for us. Looking forward, the only thing we allow ourselves to see is a narrow road which leads off in one direction. We might not be happy with this path, so we try to adapt to the road, to the scenery and make the best of our travel.

One day we come upon an intersection and stop to wonder.

We stop at this crossroads and see something different on the horizon, another path. Our interest is heightened but our mind tells us to "stay on our own path."

So we follow our mind and continue down the same path but with a growing sense this is not the path we should be traveling. And then one day you are standing at another crossroads. Here is the point at which you finally make a decision.

A decision of change in your life is made.

I would like to hear and share with others this decision you made in life. It is this change I want others to hear about. A story of your change in attitude and in personal revelation and change in direction.

What made you choose another path?

Your story can impact the lives of other people and together we can change lives for the better. With our stories of what we did to change the course of our lives will give others the courage to do the same.

I have heard some say "no one would want to hear my story" or "it was such a small and insignificant thing." These are precisely the stories I want to hear about. They are precisely the stories other people need to hear.

Leave a lasting impact for others.

Send me your story of change; the thing that happened which changed it all for you. It will be combined with a gathering of other stories to share with those who might be standing at their own crossroads right now.

Send your story to me at josephprimm@bellsouth.net.

These stories will become part of a larger story to inspire others. Stories which you helped to craft in changing the lives of others with something as simple as your own story.

If you are unsure, then guess what...you may very well be standing at that crossroads looking down the path at a new horizon. A new path which can make a difference for many others. Make a difference, make a change, tell your story.

Stay inspired my friends!

Walking Through That Door

"The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can change his life by changing his attitude of mind." - William James

For many days he didn't return to building near the crossroads. There seemed to be no point in going for he felt his lot had been cast. He sat in darkened rooms thinking about where his life was. What it was he had done and also what he hadn't done up to this point. All the while there was a small voice inside of him that was trying to speak.

After days of self pity he began to place himself among others. Those that he called real friends and trusted with their honesty. His faith in many things was lost but he knew he had to find a way back from this deep valley. Slowly he sought help as he had reached a point where he knew it could not be done on his own. Faith and belief in a better life became a possibility, a dim light of expectation. This caused the voice inside to grow louder.

He learned all he could about what had happened in his life. A truthful look inside himself and the events that placed him at this moment in time. Even though others had a share in the situation, he knew that he had to take responsibility for his own attitude, his own life. Without grabbing hold of a new way of thinking, a new way of approaching life, he could not move to a better life.

The voice grew louder as he accepted a new attitude. As the days passed, he even returned to the building by the crossroads. Possibility was once again in his heart and mind. Then it happened as it does to everyone that chooses to change. For some it is a chance encounter, to others it is a friend making a suggestion. It comes in many different forms and not always as a bolt of lightening. Many times it is a subtle change of wind that causes us to take that next step.

As the voice inside was now his own, today he stepped through the open door. Out into a bright and vibrant sky with roads leading many different ways. Which one should he take but he knew the answer already. Any one of them would be fine for if that one didn't work out, there were always others. Always other answers, other possibilities and a life full of opportunity. For he had a new attitude, he was giving of himself and was part of a better life.

Change will occur sometimes with you and sometimes without you. It is how you deal with that change or how you make change that will determine the level of of life. Wallow in despair and that is where you will stay. Accept change and make movement in your life.

Take down your dreams and visions from the wall and place them into your pocket. Now step out in to the crossroads and choose a path. Know that whatever you do, failure or success is that change is always possible. This means that possibility is endless. Live your life exploring it and sharing it with others. Enjoy a better life.

Telling Stories

"Human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives." -William James

Many times we go through life believing that the path we are on was pre-chosen for us. All we can see is one narrow vision of a road that leads off in a direction that we simply are not happy with. So we try to adapt to the road, to the scenery and make the best of our travel.

We may pass an intersection along our way and wonder. We stop at this crossroads and see something different on the horizon of the other path. Our interest is heightened but the Garmin in our mind tells us to 'stay on our own path'. So we continue down the same path, but with a growing sense that this isn't the correct one.

The feeling grows until one day you are standing at another 'crossroads of life' and make that decision to make a change in life. It is this change that I want to hear about. I want to hear your story of change in attitude, in personal revelation or change in direction.

These stories of change can impact other people and that's what we can do together. We will impact others with our stories of what we did to change the course of our lives. I have heard some say things such as, "no one would want to hear my story", or "it was such a small and insignificant thing." Those are precisely the stories I want to hear about. They are precisely the stories that other people need to hear.

Leave a lasting impact for all of time for others to hear. Send me your story of change, the thing that happened which changed it all for you. We are gathering these stories to share with those that might be standing at their own crossroads and are unsure.

Send your story to me at josephprimm@bellsouth.net.

These stories will become part of a book that will impact others. You can find yourself helping others with something as simple as your own story. If you are unsure, then guess what...you may very well be standing at that crossroads looking down the path at a new horizon.

Make a difference, make a change, tell your story....

Tell a Story

"Human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives." -William James

Many times we go through life believing that the path we are on was pre-chosen for us. All we can see is one narrow vision of a road that leads off in a direction that we simply are not happy with. So we try to adapt to the road, to the scenery and make the best of our travel.

We may pass an intersection along our way and wonder. We stop at this crossroads and see something different on the horizon of the other path. Our interest is heightened but the Garmin in our mind tells us to 'stay on our own path'. So we continue down the same path, but with a growing sense that this isn't the correct one.

The feeling grows until one day you are standing at another 'crossroads of life' and make that decision to make a change in life. It is this change that I want to hear about. I want to hear your story of change in attitude, in personal revelation or change in direction.

These stories of change can impact other people and that's what we can do together. We will impact others with our stories of what we did to change the course of our lives. I have heard some say things such as, "no one would want to hear my story", or "it was such a small and insignificant thing." Those are precisely the stories I want to hear about. They are precisely the stories that other people need to hear.

Leave a lasting impact for all of time for others to hear. Send me your story of change, the thing that happened which changed it all for you. Share with those that might be standing at their own crossroads and are unsure.

Send your story to me at josephprimm@bellsouth.net. You will find yourself helping others with something as simple as your own story. If you are unsure, then guess what...you may very well be standing at your own crossroads looking down the path at a new horizon.

Make a difference, make a change, tell your story.

Possibility in Change

“Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy.” ― Anne Frank

Here we were, three people sitting side by side facing a long flight from Atlanta to Seattle. It was an evening flight so very little could be seen out the window. Much of what one sees from 35,000 feet is pretty plain anyway except for the occasional river or other large landmark. Forget about seeing anything when flying above the fluffy clouds.

I had my work and reading to do during the flight. I settled in with music in my ears and paperwork strewn about the little table in front of me. There are not very many things that can be strewn in such a small space, but I have a knack for doing it.

My seat was by the the window and my seat mates were Roberta in the middle seat and Joe held up the aisle area for us. They were a nice couple I deemed as they sat down. Travel weary to say the least as I would later confirm. Our age difference was noticeable but I could count them as either young parents to me or somewhere in-between.

As I grew tired of the reading and music, I removed my headphones, put away my papers and turned on the little television in front of me to the 'where are we' channel. This is the in-flight map although I call it differently as it fills that need inside of me to know where I am.

My need to know is an obsession of sorts.

When on a plane, you can not see out the front nor the back. The only frame of reference is the ground below you and unless you can make out obvious landmarks, knowing where you are is near impossible.

At that moment we happened to be flying over Scottsbluff, Nebraska. A small western town in the panhandle of the Cornhusker state. Not much out there except for sugar beet farms, open range land and some pretty cool natural monuments like Chimney Rock. The town of Scottsbluff was on the wagon trail for homesteaders moving west to great places such as California and Oregon.

There was nothing to see out the window except for darkness.

Roberta commented to me about the map and where I was heading. This opened up a conversation which reaffirmed my belief that change can happen at any point in life. I have written in "Changed Lives", you have the power to alter your condition. If things are not working out and you have tried everything within the circumstance, making a change can be the right thing to do.

As we spoke, I learned they were returning from a 20-some day vacation full of train, boat, car and plane rides. From the great Northwest to Central America and other equatorial locations, the wear on them was catching up. It is always good to "come home" and they had that look upon them.

Both lived in the northwest but each had come from the Minnesota area originally. Roberta had graduated a couple of years ahead of the famed songwriter Bob Dylan in Hibbing, MN. I'm not sure that she would have dated him because I imagine Bob being a bit 'odd' for the area given his talent. Joe was from the Minneapolis area and had a normal midwestern life and career.

Yet each found the other only six years ago.

Both came from divorce of marriages that had lasted many years. When you have been married for such a long time, the prospect of getting to experience that love ever again seems remote. But it happened for them and they are happy as can be. Roberta is retired now and Joe is in semi-retirement. As Joe stated, I'll work if and when I feel like it.

As we spoke, there was a thrill in Roberta's voice of her life and how it has all worked out. She was feeling the joy that many more years of love were going to give her. There was a spark of light in her eyes as she spoke of Joe and all that they would do together. This included moving back to Minnesota to be near her grandchildren.

As she put it, "grandchildren need their grandmother."

The details of their individual divorces have many of the same themes which run through all stories of divorce. Know from their example and the example of countless others, change is possible and will lighten your own heart.

There are things you might be going through today. It could be divorce, money issues, physical pain or any of a thousand other variations that life throws at us.

Just know that change or altering your circumstance is within your grasp.

You can make a change, you can choose a different path. Each day you are given the ability while in the plain, nondescript building near the crossroads of your life to choose change. When the door of opportunity opens and you see the light shining in, take your dreams and walk out into new possibility.

Be bold and willing to take the chance on something new.

It is most likely I will never see or hear of Roberta and Joe again. But the light of change each embraced will carry in my memory for a long time to come. Happy living and thank you to these two wonderful people.

Stay inspired my friends!

Path To Change

A couple of days off from writing has helped to renew my spirit and given me some time to reflect on changes. I have written many times that movement causes change. That change is inevitable and that you must flow and adapt to what life sets before you.

My change is that a son has joined the Army within the last week and is leaving for training in a few more days. Before I go any further, I am no wallowing or asking for empathy. Nor am I here to lift any of this up into greater valor for ones country. Many parents go through the anxiety of 'what could happen'. Many parents also experience the proud feelings of a son or daughter making this step in life.

I myself ran through many of these emotions and to this day, I stand behind my son's decision to make a change. What he has done at age 21 is make a decision to cause movement in his life. His story is like many kids, young adults I should be saying. After high school, attempts at college and finding it was not the answer and then wondering around at low end jobs. Looking for some answer that would let him know what to do.

But in all of that working and waiting, he must have found that he had to make a change in his life. He was not going to be one to sit idly in his home town, same people, same circumstances, 'same old, same old'. So this is the path he chose, the movement for his life that will cause tremendous change for him. One that can cause change for those around and in his life.

In my articles about the 'crossroads', once choose to take those steps through the door of opportunity, you find yourself staring at many different roads. Your job is to choose one of them and move in that direction. No one can tell you what will happen, how the story ends or what it will do to your life. But with an open mind and attitude, movement will cause change in your life and great things will eventually happen.

Journey Home

Phil Richards - Long Journey Home

"When we are sure that we are on the right road there is no need to plan our journey too far ahead. No need to burden ourselves with doubts and fears as to the obstacles that may bar our progress. We cannot take more than one step at a time." ~Orison Swett Marden

When we start out on a path towards something new and exciting in our life, it appears a thousand miles long. We even wonder if we are on the right path at all. The questions cloud our mind and cause us to second guess our ability to even proceed.

It is a cruel trick we play on ourselves that is called self doubt. Self doubt is the "ball and chain" attached to our life that prevents us from proceeding with the journey. It slows us and attempts to hold us in one place, never to find what is at our journey's end.

You can rid yourself of this self doubt and continue your travel. But the path may create indecision when a crossroads appears before you. Now you have to make a decision to go left or go right. Do I take the well worn path or the road less taken? Indecision will try to stall you and keep you from moving forward. But you can overcome it by simply choosing and taking on your decision with excitement of the unknown.

We all learn eventually that our journey of life is pretty much an unknown. It is how we choose to travel along the path that will dictate if it is an enjoyable or miserable one. And our paths are so different from each other, we have to love our own path and not covet the other.

When we finally settle into our journey of life, the excitement of where it will end up is replaced by excitement of the journey itself. At that point, we come to realize that the journey is really a journey home. Whether 999 miles remain to be traveled or only a single mile, enjoy every step along the way. Know full well that home awaits you.

Begin to enjoy the travel, step by step, mile by mile to the journey's end.

The Oak Door

“Every wall is a door.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

In my book CHANGED LIVES, the chapter called "Choice at the Crossroads" talks about my early years. It is those times of your life that tend to form the 'first' you. These early years will cement much of who you are.

We each have to learn where we came from in order to better understand who we are today. With that knowledge, we can better make choices that will allow us to change.

~~~~~~

It was during these formative years that I developed the ‘good son’ mentality. Do what was told of you, do it to your best and then do it even better. Being raised on a farm in eastern Nebraska allowed one to work hard as well. It was not always easy, but there are no complaints when one doesn’t know anything different.

My father had a depression era view on many things. Save as much money as you can, reuse as much as you can and old stuff can be considered new if you are seeing it for the first time. Take old oak doors for instance, the old heavy ones that you rarely find these days.

There can be many uses for these doors if you put your mind to good use. On our small farm we raised hogs, the type that end up in the grocery store and on the dinner table. If you look at pictures of them in story books, they are cute and seemingly cuddly. To raise them is a different story and is a lot of work.

There are days that require you to divide them up, some for fattening, and others for market. The process can be quite challenging and it was the oak doors we used. An oak door with door knobs intact makes a great way to separate hogs. These doors are also quite heavy for a young boy that didn’t have the physique of a football player.

We would find these doors at the old trash dumping location near our hometown. This dump was a ravine, back again during those times before much stricter regulations. That which we could not burn was taken to this dump.

Most times we returned with more then we took. This is the ‘new stuff’ I referred to earlier. My father had a great ‘eye’ for things that could be potentially used on our farm. He could spot an old oak door many yards away. One such day he found one laying about half way down the ravine. All we had to do was climb down, attach a rope and pull it back up. I was the available son and was instructed to ensure that I tied up to it securely.

So down I went....

~~~~~~

What things stick in your mind, that form much of your thought process today? Tomorrow, pieces of other lives.
_

Atomic Bomb Fears

“You don't drown by falling in the water; you drown by staying there.”
― Edwin Louis Cole

In 1946, the United States conducted the first two tests nuclear bomb tests conducted after the WW-II bombs denoted over Japan. These tests were called Operation Crossroads and occurred at the Bikini Atoll string of islands.

The first, named Able, occurred on July 1 and was detonated from an altitude of 520 ft. The second, shown here called Baker, was detonated at a depth of 90 ft underwater on July 25. Many, many more tests would occur but the awesome power of destruction man can unleash upon ourselves was now a part of our lives.

Fear of no tomorrow had begun.

As the years followed, many thought the world was near an end. Parents worried, children practiced ducking under their school desks and politicians pounded many a podium. There was a race to complete destruction of all human life as many worried.

Yet we have continued to survive and continue on with life.

Parents were able to raise their children. Children came out from under their desks, growing up to carry on full and productive lives. And the politicians continued to pound many a podium. The race to our destruction was just life passing through another period of man.

Many more events occurred previous to this and since. As humans we have found a way to get through the worry and fear of each event. We have survived and will survive today's event and many future events.

Tomorrow had come and will come again.

Yet we must not be paralyzed by fear of what is or what may come. William White wrote, "I am not afraid of tomorrow, for I have seen yesterday and I love today." We can not allow fear to stifle this beautiful thing we call life.

We must live.

And we must stay inspired my friends!

Running Dream

Our life is filled with pursuits of dreams or visions of things that we want or want to accomplish. We turn those pursuits into reality when we turn the dream or vision into goals. The goal being something defined and real that we can measure.

We then head out in haste, racing towards achieving the goal. We move fast and then seem to run out of energy or ambition. We find ourselves running at the pace of a 5K race when in fact the race is a marathon. With nearly 42 kilometers to run, we find self-doubt in completing the goal.

It is in those defining moments, here at the building near the crossroads that you can choose to quit. You will leave your tattered dreams tacked to the walls of the room inside along with others long forgotten. Dreams that will always remain dreams.

But in that defining moment you can also decide to step through the door of choice and continue the race. You will make adjustment along the way, adjusting the pace of your pursuit. The building of lost dreams will be left far behind and as you near your goal, that building will have completely disappeared along with its disappointments.
_

Fullfilling Your Vision

“Vision; it reaches beyond the thing that is, into the conception of what can be. Imagination gives you the picture. Vision gives you the impulse to make the picture your own.” - Robert Collier

When you dream of a vision and then begin to step towards it, you are on a path to realize that vision. So it is with a friend of mine and his love of music. As part of that love, the band in which he plays Mandolin has grown to become quite popular in the Bluegrass music community.

His story is like many others that have a vision or dream, but do not simply sit still. He has created movement in his life, always knowing that he would find his way to reach this vision.

You have the same ability to achieve many things in life. If you have even just a single dream, it takes making movement. The building near the crossroads has a door through which you can step through. There will be many paths you can take from that point forward and you will not have a clear idea of which one to take.

The idea though is to simply take one of the paths. Begin the journey and eventually you will find yourself standing at the gate to your dream. This final door that you have been moving towards. Step forward and find your dream.

To find out more about what was on the other side of my friend's door, check out Blackstone Valley Bluegrass.

Doors Of Change

Picture source, Life In Italy

Flora Whittemore - “The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live.”

There are many doors you choose to walk through each day. Varying shapes and styles, of colors and age. Some are grand elegant doors and others are broken.

You get to pick most of these doors through which you travel each day. Sometimes, the choices are limited and at other times, only one is there to go through.

So you choose, go through or turn back. Like the building by the crossroads I have spoken before, it may start with only one door, but going through it will open your eyes to so many more choices.

(Read Tuesday, March 21, 2006 - Life At A Crossroads)

It takes a bold first step to open and walk through that one door. Then it becomes a series of opening and closing doors. Trying never to look back but to move forward with each bold decision that you make. Reach out and turn the door knob to change in your life.

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.