Opening Different Doors

"When one door closes another door opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us." - Alexander Graham Bell

There are times in life when opportunity slips away, only to be presented with another. What we first expect our path to be turns out not to be what we expected at all.

The following excerpt from my book CHANGED LIVES shows such an example. The story a man who turned his life into a very successful career in the technology field, but not until he made a choice which detoured him through military service.

Change prepares us in ways we can never foresee.

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Jobs didn't look so attractive either; all of my experience was in restaurants. But I finally got some good prospects lined up for a day's travels, both job interviews and places to stay. I went out to start my car and – nothing, it would not start.

I never did find out what was wrong with the car - took it in, they checked it out, found nothing and it never did that again. But it screwed up my appointments all right. And while it was in the shop I wandered over to the Army recruitment office and, as they say, the rest is history.

I signed up, went off to Ft. Benning and became an infantryman. After four years there, the regular world was just going to be too easy.

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Never be discouraged by the closing of one door.

Opportunity awaits you through another door which is opening. All you have to do is be aware and chose to walk in a new direction.

Stay inspired my friends!

Change Today Changes Tomorrow

“The timeless in you is aware of life's timelessness. And knows that yesterday is but today's memory and tomorrow is today's dream.”
― Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet

Famed Irish novelist James Joyce wrote, "I am tomorrow, or some future day, what I establish today. I am today what I established yesterday or some previous day." How you created yourself yesterday is the person you are today and or course what you do today will establish the person you are tomorrow.

We are a product of what we have, are and will do each day.

Many of us make resolutions to change something in our lives. Or we tell ourselves, tomorrow I will change. But tomorrow comes and you remain the same with nothing being different.

We say we are going to do something, but nothing ever gets done.

So today should be the day in which we begin to shape the person who will wake up tomorrow a different person. And you can only do this by taking steps to make changes in your life today.

One first step. One change today. Each changes the you of tomorrow.

Stay inspired my friends!

Where Did Time Go

"The future is something which everyone reaches at the rate of 60 minutes an hour, whatever he does, whoever he is." - C. S. Lewis

Normally I write early in the morning when the first two or three cups of coffee are still having an effect upon me. This is a very early hour which is well before allowing myself to get into the days work.

The time is used to reflect and write from my heart.

It works out that way most days, but other days the time just slips away. Today was one of those occasions in which I found the clock striking a much later hour before getting an article written. My daily work activity grabs my attention from the start of sitting down in front of my computer and does not let go. Some of those days the clock strikes 5:00 PM before I realize what has happened.

All of a sudden, time has slipped away.

The time was not wasted because quite a bit was accomplished. But my day never seems complete without having written. It has become habit for me and when I miss a day, I feel it inside. Most people may never know or care that I failed to write and missing a day of writing means missing the opportunity to impact in a positive way someone who needs to read those words.

Try not to miss our opportunities in life.

Opportunity is one in which we can help another person. It is an opportunity I believe each of us should strive for each day. Every moment that happens is a chance to impact someones life. To make it a better day for someone who needs someone like you. An opportunity to make life a little better for ourselves and those around us.

It is said that time passes at the same rate for each of us. What counts is what we do with it. Do we let time waste away or do we make it count for something?

Use the time you have to make a difference in someones life. Use the time so that it is well spent. Before you know it, 5:00pm will be upon you and you will ask yourself, "where did the time go?"

Stay inspired my friends!

Youth Sports At What Cost

"She was 15 years old. Her crime? Her coach thought she didn’t play very well in the first half. Her punishment? Total humiliation." - Mike Giuliano

How often have you sat in stands of a local youth sports game and heard parents disparaging the umpires, the players or coaches. I am sure each of us have possibly yelled something in defense of our own team or child.

Many times it can become very offensive in language or just in the verbal abuse the parent is shouting. We certainly are either embarrassed after the fact by our words or even for the person shouting so loudly.

Most people would not stand idly by and may say something. In the world of sports at many levels, umpires or referees have the authority to remove that person from the facility because of the abusive language.

So much of this goes on that law enforcement is hired to attend and be a presence during these sporting events from young children playing soccer, middle and high school well into the college and professional ranks.

Why then do we allow coaches to abuse our children?

In a recent article, Mike Giuliano writes about this phenomenon in which we allow many (not all) coaches verbally and sometimes physically abuse our kids.

Mike is a teacher and girls soccer coach at Greater Atlanta Christian in the Atlanta area. He and his family moved to Atlanta so that his wife Barbara could take a job fighting domestic minor sex trafficking.

Previously Mike was the head soccer coach at Wheaton College (men), San Diego State University (women) and Westmont College (women). His teams have won four national collegiate championships and he has a Ph.D. in communication studies from Northwestern University.

The stories he tells of the mental, verbal and sometimes physical go well beyond what would be accepted of teachers in the classroom, or of parents in the stadium stands. But we allow coaches to do so.

Why? All in search of that elusive sports scholarship.

The reason is a very simplistic one and does not encompass all of the various reasons. But Mike explains, "...there is so much fear of the price of college, that any coach who may increase our children’s chances of securing an athletic scholarship is treated with reverence, regardless of his or her demeanor."

And the price our children pay long term is more devastating. As adults these kids have a higher percentage of serious self-esteem issues, more apt to wed abusive spouses or abuse their own spouses.

What we are teaching our kids by allowing these types of coaches into their lives is that verbal abuse unleashed for a “good cause” is always justified as explained by Giuliano.

Is this how we should be raising our children?

There will be those who justify the abuse and respond by saying we are coddling our children. I have even heard a parent tell his son after losing a club wrestling match that he needs to "grow a pair" in a not so friendly manner.

Are we over-protecting our kids? No, I am not talking about that kind of treatment. This is the real thing and we need to open our eyes to the impact it has on our kids and what it does to society long term.

If not for society, then for your own child. Give them an opportunity to learn and love sports. So much can be learned about life, competition and leadership with the right kind of experience.

Stand up and protect your kids when a coach or anyone is being abusive. There will be more games played with both wins and defeats occurring. Just don't let either come at the cost of your child's long term well-being.

Stay inspired my friends.

(Thanks Mike Giuliano for the great article as guidance for this article)