A child, filled with imagination, dreams big dreams. Maybe one day, the young boy in this YouTube video will play for the Chicago Cubs, but today in his imagination, he is playing for them and it is real. Free the imagination in your little girl or boy. Let it run wild once again. Let it slay dragons, govern a magic kingdom, discover a new solar system. Set your course, let your inner child guide you.
August 19 – Today is the first anniversary of the death of my best friend, soul mate, and wife, Barb Calabrese. I called her Babe. A remarkable woman who taught me more about love than all the words I’ve read on the subject. She touched a large Twitter following, @Barb_Calabrese, reaching out in simple, love-filled ways.
My year has been a year of learning to dance with grieving. A year of learning how to live without someone whom I shared the most intimate secrets of my soul. A year of grappling with why? And, discovering I’ll never know the answer. A year of discovering I am not alone on this journey. All who have suffered a deep loss understand the grieving experience without speaking. They understand by looking into each other’s eyes. Their messages travel silently from heart to heart.
In my year of grieving, I rediscovered a deep faith in God. For unexplained reasons people I know, and strangers enter my life as messengers of love at unexpected times, times when I am low; times when sadness knocks at my door. They pick me up. Make me smile. And, encourage me. I find the strength to go on another day.
Each day, I grow stronger. Each day, I grow more optimistic. And, each day I find my path forward unfolding before me. How does it happen? I believe it is grace. I have no other explanation for it. I don’t think grieving ever ends. But I choose to dance with it.
To all my brothers and sisters who grieve over the loss of a loved one, together let’s find the strength and courage to go on. Together, let’s smile more often. Together, let’s sing joyful and happy songs. Together, let’s celebrate the gift of the life of the person we loved and love; and, together let’s not waste a moment of the wonderful gift of life you and I still share.
Are you creative? Have you run up against brick walls? Naysayers? People who won’t encourage you? Join the club of creative people. George Lois, American art director, designer, and author gives a blunt talk to college students about the courage they will need to be creative. If you need a creative pep talk, this Vimeo video is for you.
You may not be famous, but you have a dream, chase it. Your friends and family may laugh at you. You have a dream, chase it. You wake up in the middle of the night, unable to sleep, doubts rush at you like an F5 tornado. You have a dream, chase it. Maybe you’ll catch it; maybe you won’t, but you’ll never know unless you chase it.
Giving up is easy. It throws away hope. It doesn’t give the heart a chance to rise to the occasion. Be stouthearted. Be courageous. Be strong. Perhaps only you will know what you had to endure. Perhaps only you will know how many times you wanted to quit, but a voice deep inside screamed, “Don’t quit. Don’t you dare to quit.” The following YouTube video is a short trailer for Ernest Shackleton’s Antartica Odessey. Get inspired. Don’t Quit.
Challenges surround us, problems overwhelm us. At times we may wonder if they’ll ever end; if we’ll ever have the strength, wisdom, and courage to overcome them. The answer is YES. A resounding YES. Things may not turn out the way we want, but if we give it our best and let our Creator do the rest, something good will come from our actions. Never quit. Never give up. Give it your best.
A grateful attitude is a pathway to happiness, joy, and love. When I view life through my heart’s lens, I see all life as a gift I have no time for sorrow, no time for envy, no time to crawl inside a personal prison. I jump for joy, for each moment is Christmas – it is all gift. Please enjoy this powerful YouTube video about gratitude.
When I first saw this YouTube video, I showed it to my students at The Ohio State University as a model for teamwork. I’ve watched it many times. The more I watch it, the more I see how it represents our need to compliment each other. Your strength compliments my weakness. My strength compliments your weakness. We make it work when we learn to trust each other at a deep level. It takes courage to let go and rely on another.
Fearful Of Trying Something New? Take heart from a young girls courage to conquer her fears.
Every day is a great day. “What a minute, Ray. You don’t a bad day? Are you on work release from a rehab center?”
“What a minute, Ray. You don’t have a bad day? Are you on work release from a rehab center?”
“I’m serious, every day is a great day. Every day you can find to give you a bit joy, a touch of happiness, a hint of love. Put it together and you had a great day.”
“What about when everything goes wrong. I mean everything goes wrong.
“I see I’m dealing with a cynic. I’m dealing with a dude who’s bent over, cramped up, looks like he waiting curbside for the mortuary van. “Come on, let me see the edges turn up. When was the last time you smiled? Sing it buster.”
“There’s nothing to smile about. You watch the news? You read the online blogs? You follow politics, terror, crime.”
“I know the problem. If I know the problem. I can suggest an antidote. Don’t delay, your life hangs in the balance.”
“Hey tone it down a bit. I can hear you.”
“You kidding me. It’s a great day and tomorrow has all the making of an even better day. And, I’m FDA approved.”
“Are you dangerous? Or, simple minded?”
“I’m neither depressed dude. Here’s the deal. It’s your diet. Plan and simple. I’m putting you on a one month diet. It’s rough. You’re going cold turkey. Actually, cold turkey is better than turkey left out on the cabinet for a week.”
“I’m suffering enough. How much longer do I have to listen to you?”
“I’m doing the writing, so you’ll have to hang around as long as I want you to hang around.”
“Let’s get it over so I can rest.”
“No listening to cable news shows. No listening to the talking heads who think they have every answer. Watch the comedy channel. Read inspiring books. Take extended walks in nature. Meet every one of your neighbors. And, most importantly, do two kind acts a day. Do it all for a month and you’ll be The dude, not a depressed dude.”
“Do I have to?”
“Afraid so. If you don’t, I’ll bring you back in the next blog.”
“I’m on it.”
