Spark an Encounter

"In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit." ~Albert Schweitzer

Every day of the work week, I write something that will hopefully meet a need that someone out there can use. Something that can lift another person or give them a little bit of encouragement to go further. The comments I get back are supportive and help keep my enthusiasm powered up.

Every day of the work week, you have an opportunity to meet the need of someone out there as well. Giving something to them that can lift another person or give them a little bit of encouragement to go further.

But each of us also need to have our spirits 'rekindled' from time to time. That rekindling can at times require a small spark while others require a huge flame. Either way, we all need to be rekindled from time to time.

And it is normally an encounter with another human being that causes the spark which reignites our life. It comes in many different forms. A smile, kind word or a simple cup of coffee. The sparks could be small like those mentioned. The spark could be huge such as counseling, a new friendship or a community of people helping.

When the spark occurs, you will feel it within your spirit. The person providing the spark will feel it inside as well. That is what is so cool about an encounter with someone else.

Stay inspired my friends!

Set Sail

“The potential of the average person is like a huge ocean unsailed, a new continent unexplored, a world of possibilities waiting to be released and channeled toward some great good.” ―Brian Tracy

You have likely heard someone tell you that "your life has great potential" in an attempt to inspire and motivate you. Even I have written about each of our own potential to achieve great success in life. But in one sense, does that also strike a certain amount of fear in you?

The Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard called it "...the dizziness of freedom."

It is described as "a man standing on the edge of a tall building or cliff. When the man looks over the edge, he experiences a focused fear of falling, but at the same time, the man feels a terrifying impulse to throw himself intentionally off the edge. That experience is anxiety or dread because of our complete freedom to choose to either throw oneself off or to stay put. The mere fact that one has the possibility and freedom to do something, even the most terrifying of possibilities, triggers immense feelings of dread."

Does the thought of stepping out of your normal create fear inside of you?

I am sure it does but we need to overcome our perception that possibility is paralyzing. We can achieve quite a bit in our lives when circumstance seems to dictate otherwise. There are hundreds of examples that exist in which very successful people started with nothing. These were people that did not have a boat or shore to set sail from in sight. But these people embraced their own potential and searched out the shore, built a boat of possibility and set sail.

Each of us has the freedom to overcome our fears and pursue that possibility.

We will each find our own achievements, we will each find success in our life. All we have to do is step into the boat and set sail.

Stay inspired my friends!

Building a Roof

"We are made to persist. That's how we find out who we are." -Tobias Wolff

I will be upfront and honest with you. What I am about to describe would not have been possible for me fifteen or twenty years ago. There would have been an attempt but I simply was not the same person back in those days. But I can also say that I had my moments this time as well. So please bear with me as I tell you my tale of success.

It all started a few weeks ago, the story I am about to tell you that is.

We are new, or at least newer, homeowners after eighteen years in a much older home. Our new home has a great yard and a great deck off the back of the house. the one thing we decided to do was look into building a roof over part of the large deck. This would provide us with an open area to sit even during the rain and still enjoy the outdoors.

Plans were discussed with a friend on how we could build this new and amazing roof to enhance the deck area. All that remained was to contact our homeowner's association for approval and then pull the proper county building permit. This was going to be a "piece of cake" especially after I had spoken with a very nice man named Joel with the planning department.

I had drawn up a reasonable set of plans that would show the simple nature of the roof, how it would blend in architecturally and no other complications should ensure. Then off to the county offices, papers in hand to meet with the correct people.

After a mistake, on my part of waiting in the wrong office, I met with Joel and we drew up a quick hand drawing of the lot showing house location, etc. This was so simple he said, it should be "piece of cake."

It seemed most everyone in our county of nearly one million residents were applying for a building permit this day. But I waited patiently for my turn with the "Development Plan Review" person. When my name was incorrectly pronounced as Jocelyn instead of Joseph, I didn't respond at first. When I realized it was my name being called, the lady was clearly not happy that I could not interpret what she was saying.

Hang on I said to myself, you are almost there.

Alas, the moment we sat down I knew this was not going well and she immediately didn't like the hand drawing. The same one that the very nice man named Joel in the Planning Department had drawn for me. To shorten my story, I would need a scale drawing, two copies to be exact. It seemed that her having a bad day was going to be mine as well. And I was nearly ready to let that happen. It was on the tip of my tongue, but I held it in check.

As I left the office, she said with what seemed a smirk, "...hope to see you again real soon." I responded "...hope that your day gets better and thank you for helping me."

Yes, there could have been a scene. I could have thrown a temper tantrum. I could have allowed whatever was possibly making her day a bad one, my problem. My attitude was going to stay above the line and it did. And maybe, just maybe by keeping my attitude in check, having a bit of grace for the woman with the red pen, I helped make her day slightly better.

The next day I returned with the paperwork requested. It was a new day, new perspective, and new optimism. I breezed through the "Development Plan Review" (different lady), the "Storm/Water/Sewer Plan Review" and with a slight bump in the actual "Building Permits" only one final stage remained. I would need to speak with the "Building Inspections" folks to clear up a small issue with the existing deck.

Well over an hour wait and closing time was nearing. I was sure inspectors were out and the very nice lady at the desk offered to contact one of the gentlemen over in the offices. There were only three minor questions, but I was determined not to leave until I was certain all was complete. In a few minutes, a man walked through the door to greet me.

We both smiled and laughed a little bit. My first response to him was, "the circle is now complete." the man greeting me was Joel, the very same person I had started my odyssey with. Life is good and we shared a few laughs, got my questions answered and left very happy in spite of any bumps.

We can choose to allow circumstance to get the better of us. We can choose to allow others to dictate how we feel.

Or we can choose to overcome circumstance. We can choose to determine how we are going to feel.

Persistence and attitude, they are for you to determine, not someone else. Build a great attitude over your life to shelter you and those around you from the storms of others. And stay inspired folks and have a great day.

Whats That In My Coffee

"I wake up some mornings and sit and have my coffee and look out at my beautiful garden, and I go, 'Remember how good this is. Because you can lose it." -Jim Carrey

Not long ago, I was sitting in the morning sun drinking that first cup of coffee. A wonderful Saturday with a slight fall coolness in the air and leaves turning bright red and orange in color. The warmness of coffee was soothing and tasted wonderful in the setting as the cacophony of the day began all around me.

As I neared the end of drinking my coffee, I noticed something in the bottom of the cup. It could have been a piece of coffee bean or possibly a tiny piece of a leaf may have floated into my cup. Worse yet, maybe it was a flying insect of some sort seeking out the warmth in the steaming coffee mist. Any which way you wanted to view it, all I could say was "whats that in my coffee"?

The discovery did not cause me great alarm as the object was still in the cup and not inside of me. It did sort of intrigue me for a very short amount of time until I rinsed the cup and filled it once again with more coffee.

One small "something" did not change the enjoyment I had in drinking that cup of coffee.

As we live our life, each day, each week, month and year, there will be "something" that ends up in the bottom of our cup. Circumstance and other stuff will occur. Will you let those things ruin the enjoyable moments of your life? Will you let those "somethings" dictate the day?

When you find that "something" in the bottom of your cup, never mind it. Wash out the cup and fill it full once again. Enjoy the taste of the coffee, enjoy life!

Stay inspired my friends.