Whats Next

“There are as many worlds as there are kinds of days, and as an opal changes its colors and its fire to match the nature of a day, so do I.”
― John Steinbeck

On November 15, 1871, Horace Greeley who was editor of the New York Tribune, wrote this letter to a young reporter. The reporters name was R. L. Sanderson of Duxbury, Massachusetts who was looking for career advice.

Dear Sir:

So many people ask me what they shall do; so few tell me what they can do. Yet this is the pivot wherein all must turn. I believe that each of us who has his place to make should go where men are wanted, and where employment is not bestowed as alms. Of course, I say to all who are in want of work, Go West!

But what can you do? and how can your family help you? Your mother, I infer, is to be counted out as an effective worker. But what of the rest? And you – can you chop? Can you plow? Can you mow? Can you cut up Indian corn? I reckon not. And in the west it is hard to find such work as you have been accustomed to. The conditions of living are very rude there.

On the whole I say, stay where you are; do as well as you can; and devote every spare hour to making yourself familiar with the conditions and dexterity required for the efficient conservation of out-door industry in a new country. Having mastered these, gather up your family and Go West!

Yours,
Horace Greeley

My own son is leaving today, embarking on a new adventure out west.

He has filled his course with lessons learned and is now embarking on a western happening. There is a long road stretching leading him to both unexpected things but also leading him to expectation.

We wish him well and look forward to the day when we can once again sit and talk of music, sports and worldly plans.

Stay inspired my son!

Honoring Our Veterans

"The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive the Veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their nation." - President George Washington

The day begins with gnats biting at their faces while they stand in formation awaiting the days orders. It is in the same early morning light on a hot and humid field they train. The long ruck marches through a lifting fog only to be met by a blistering sun.

These are the men and women who train and prepare 
while we make our morning coffee.

As rush hour traffic frustrates our commute, two or more hours have already passed for military personnel. In fact, the military never sleeps in protecting our ability to wave a flag, argue left or right and dance our nights away.

I have known many who served their country. Some were once young while others are still young in the eyes of aging men.

All of them are proud and brave.

Their names are not in the great books and movies we each have read or watched. There are no statues bearing their likeness in the town square nor portraits upon the walls of government buildings.

Yet each one remains as brave and heroic as any medal given.

Each served during time of war.

Each I respect and admire.

Each are heroes.

Ralph Gale - World War I

Lawrence Primm - World War II

Paul Schmidt - World War II

Arnold Gale - World War II / Korean War

Gerald Primm - Vietnam War

John Primm - Vietnam War

Roy Carter - Vietnam War

Joseph Schmidt - Gulf War I

Daniel Primm- Iraq

There are many other Veterans whom I could name; friends, friends of friends, men and women I admire. To do so would take days upon days to honor each and every one of them. Many served during times of conflict and during times of peace. Each placed their lives into service of others.

And many more who gave their life in defense,
honor and service to our country.

Today we honor those who train in the early morning fog. We honor those who protect our freedoms and have sacrificed so that others may live in freedom. On this day we honor all veterans.

Thank you brave and gallant warriors.

Thank you for each and every moment given.

Stay inspired my friends!

Your Coffee Cup

“The smell of coffee was enough to wake up my neighbors. In a display of gratitude, they complained about my music being too loud.” ― Jarod Kintz

Are we in such a state of concern to think a red cup can define our life?

Take the story of group of people, highly established in their beliefs, getting together one day at a favorite Starbucks location to chat. Their conversation soon turned into complaints about their life, society and the plain red holiday cups the Starbucks coffee was served in.

Soon a stranger having overheard their conversation found several older cups on the shelves having more holiday themed designs. He paid for each of the cups filled with coffee and offered them to the group gathered at the table.

Each of the astounded coffee drinkers took the festive cups setting their own drinks to the side. When all of them had their new cup of coffee in hand, the stranger said: "If you noticed, all of the holiday themed cups have been taken up, leaving behind the plain red ones."

He continued by saying, "While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink."

Consider that life is the coffee.

Your jobs, money and position in society are the cups. Your cup might be red, blue, brown, white, black or festive holiday themed. But those cups are just tools to hold and contain life.

The cup we have does not define, nor change the quality of life we live.

Many times by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee. We enjoy and live for the coffee, not the cups! The happiest of people do not necessarily have the best of everything.

What they do is make the best of everything.

Enjoy your coffee, tea or milk in any cup that is handy. Inside is what matters.

Stay inspired my friends!

Spinning Those Plates

“There are those of us who are always about to live. We are waiting until things change, until there is more time, until we are less tired, until we get a promotion, until we settle down / until, until, until. It always seems as if there is some major event that must occur in our lives before we begin living.” - George Sheehan

From one of my earlier books titled, Change Lives, it seemed a good day to offer a snippet of the story.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It was on this particular day he had spent time waiting for the door to open. He always felt good by seeing the light of change shine through the opening. If only for a short time, he was recharged by being so close to possibility but never did he move towards the open door.

Why did he not have the courage to change he asked himself.

A family, home and great job he worked at feverishly. The all consuming job he devoted so much time and energy to. The results of which provided for his family in ways that wouldn't have been possible had he not worked so hard. Everyday he would put in ten to twelve hours, staying ahead of work demands. Slowly earning more and being an integral part of the work place.

As he thought to himself about work, he kept trying to think exactly what it was his family was doing that week. "I have to stay focused," he said to himself in a hushed tone. Too much work to keep up with, have to stay ahead of the curve. Yet something kept nagging him, about his life, about his home and family.

Where had all of the time gone?

As the open door of change closed, the dull fluorescent light of the room returned, he started his way back to the old path. As he walked, a few stones were scattered along the side of the path and an overwhelming feeling of loss began to overcome him. Work weighed heavily upon him but he headed for home. Home, so many unfinished projects greeted him when entering the front door.

The back deck sitting partially completed awaiting those finishing touches. A ceiling joint in need of repair and a broken window to replace were but a few of the items on what seemed a mounting list. Where were his children, his wife and the hum of excitement that he was home. None of them were there. Most days the only excitement they actually had was that he really did come home from work.

Where had all of the time gone?

A list of unfinished projects and even bigger list of failed attention to his family. But work, the work is important he thought. How else could he provide for his family and complete all that needed to be done. Like an old Ed Sullivan Show act of Spinning Plates. The performer kept running from one end to another keeping all of the plates spinning.

His life was like that, always running to keep his life going.

Long days at the office, rushing to get home for a school function or meeting with his wife and friends. Try to get some work done on a home project and do that volunteer stuff at the church. Running and never seeming to get ahead of the wobbling plates. It could his life wasn't all that bad but perception is in the eye of the beholder. Why couldn't people just understand how difficult his life was? Why couldn't people just be more helpful?

He was about to find out just how difficult life was going to become as he walked through his home. This was the beginning of change. Movement was happening and it was pulling him with it.

The plates began to tumble to the floor with a resounding crash.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

What crashes can be repaired, changed into something new and greater.

Just stay inspired my friends!