Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Tuesday Night Thoughts on Appreciation 09/29/09

I sit here at my computer as the Tuesday night starts to fade in the distance. I should be preparing for bed, but I find myself reflecting on several moments that have gotten my thoughts going again. Out of all the places I could have found a bit of inspiration, I never expected to find it in my mailbox of all places.

Let me give you a quick background story, to help you understand where my thoughts just might be headed. Several days ago, I found myself shopping in one of my favorite stores and picked up a couple of items. To me it was just a normal visit to the store, until I retrieved my mail today. When I opened the mailbox, I found a envelope from the store I was shopping at. At first thought, I was thinking that they must have a sale coming up and were trying to make me aware. To my surprise it was a handwritten note about my recent shopping experience, the items that I purchased, and thanking me for visiting the store. It may have been generated by the current economy we are in, but it got my attention nevertheless.

Simple things like this are unheard of for most unless your are shopping at the Gucci store, Louis Vuitton store, or buying a Mercedes. Regardless of what I was buying, I can honestly say that I felt quite appreciated as I read the note. And this is how I found myself wrapping my thoughts around the concept of appreciation.

appreciation: 1 a : judgment, evaluation; especially : a favorable critical estimate b : sensitive awareness; especially : recognition of aesthetic values c : an expression of admiration, approval, or gratitude

From my experiences on a daily basis I think we often times do not take the time out to appreciate things as they are. It seems like it is a part of our nature to take things for granted until we are forced to appreciate them.

Do you appreciate where you are currently? Do you appreciate how you got there? Do you appreciate the people you have in your life? personal relationships? professional relationships?

When was the last time that you had a conversation with the cleaning crew in your office outside asking them to clean up something you spilled?

Have you ever heard a co-worker complaining about their job, but they still come into work the next day? In this economy isn't it a good thing just to have a job.

I posed a few questions just to put some additional thoughts in your mind. I can say that I appreciate every moment that I have in this life, based on me never knowing the next thing that may inspire me. On this night I can say I was inspired by a little alligator on a shirt and my boy D Spence.

“Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams.”

-Ashley Smith

“The best way to appreciate your job is to imagine yourself without one.”

-Oscar Wilde

“I would rather be able to appreciate things I can not have than to have things I am not able to appreciate.”

-Elbert Hubbard

“The deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciated.”

-William James

Monday, September 28, 2009

Lazy Monday Thoughts 09/28/09

The weekend is over and I must say that it was quite enjoyable. A dear friend was visiting over the weekend I thoroughly enjoyed my entire weekend. I had several experiences over the course of the last couple days that continue to point me in the direction of creating a legacy and my own legend.

No one can turn the TV on this morning and not see a sports report on growing legend of Brett Favre. The media has been reporting on Brett Favre for months about whether he would unretire/retire or would he just annoy the world for a couple of more months. Just watching yesterday's game Brett Farve let the world know that he truly loves the game. Not just from his throwing the winning touchdown pass, but the fact that he did all the other things in the game expected of a leader.

Below is the definition of legend:

Legend - a person or thing that inspires legends

I have committed myself to inspiring others to build a legacy and the Legend of You and Me starts today. We do this together and will make a difference!

“A talented trumpeter who toots his own horn winds up playing to an empty theatre. A talented trumpeter who lets others recognize his talent winds up a legend.”

-Lisa Edmondson

“A cynic might suggest as the motto of modern life this simple legend - "Just as good as the real”

-Charles Dudley Warner

“You must adjust. This is the legend imprinted in every schoolbook, the invisible message on every blackboard.”

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Sunday Thoughts 09/27/09

Another wonderful Sunday in the land of the living.I am blessed to be living on this day and received more reminders of what we should be doing in this world.

I had the amazing opportunity to attend the Alpha Phi Alpha's annual Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Breakfast on yesterday and it was no surprise to hear the key note speaker address the audience. Kevin Powell served as the Keynote speaker for this special engagement. Kevin Powell is an American political activist, poet, writer, entertainer and entrepreneur. As I listened to him speak I began to see how his words were confirming things that I continue to have thoughts on.

Mr. Powell made a comment that nothing that happens is a coincidence and the seeds are planted early in our youth. The entire discussion was centered around "Inspire to create a legacy." This really stuck out for me because it made me think about we can do to inspire someone to be the next Thurgood Marshall,Mae Jemison, or Sandra Day O'Connor. At the end of his speech, Mr. Powell left us with the challenge of dedicating our lives and energy to helping others become successful. We are the legacy builders and need to better understand the difference between social justice and charity. I was reminded yet again about how important being a mentor is in the lives of our young people. We have the resources available to inspire others to build a legacy. Our forefathers did not have any of the resources that we have today and they were able to build lasting legacies with their numerous accomplishments/achievements.

Are you ready to take the first step in building a new legacy today?

“Our days are numbered. One of the primary goals in our lives should be to prepare for our last day. The legacy we leave is not just in our possessions, but in the quality of our lives. What preparations should we be making now? The greatest waste in all of our earth, which cannot be recycled or reclaimed, is our waste of the time that God has given us each day.”

-Billy Graham

“I maybe here for a short while, gone tomorrow into oblivion or until the days come to take me away. But, in whatever part you play, be remembered as part of a legacy...of sharing dreams and changing humanity for the better. It's that legacy that never dies”

“There are certain things that are fundamental to human fulfillment. The essence of these needs is captured in the phrase 'to live, to love, to learn, to leave a legacy'. The need to live is our physical need for such things as food, clothing, shelter, economical well-being, health. The need to love is our social need to relate to other people, to belong, to love and to be loved. The need to learn is our mental need to develop and to grow. And the need to leave a legacy is our spiritual need to have a sense of meaning, purpose, personal congruence, and contribution”

-Steven R. Covey

Friday, September 25, 2009

Friday Thoughts on Mentoring 09/25/09

Sometimes we get inspired at the most in opportune times, but its inspiration nonetheless. I found myself sitting down grabbing a bite at Chick Fil A and having a conversation with a young man named Ethan.

This young man works at Chick Fil A and happened to be off on this particular night. Ethan and I share a common interest in music and proceeded to have a discussion about new albums that we were listening to. Somewhere in the conversation, I found myself observing Ethan using the word "Dude" after a lot of his phrases. I pointed this out to him and he said, "You know what I notice I do that sometimes and I need to watch how often I say that." I didn't point it out because it was bothering me, but more because I felt that as a senior in high school I did not want to see that become a part of his normal speech unconsciously.

Ethan acknowledged that he understood why I was telling him this, and thanked me for sharing the information with him. The conversation morphed and I explained to him that what I was doing could be perceived as mentoring.

In Homer's "The Odyssey," the great Odysseus asks his friend Mentor to watch over his son Telemachus while he goes off to fight in the Trojan War. Mentoring is one of the oldest forms of influence as seen through this classic tale. As a tool mentoring can be a powerful and poplular way for people to gain personal and professional skills.

There were probably a combination of things that wrapped my thoughts around mentoring. In various aspects of my life, I am engaged in some form of mentoring like most other people.

It may seem like a simple thing, but think back to when you first learned to ride a bike? What about the first time you made pitcher of "RED KOOLAID? I am sure that you didn't know how much sugar to put in it the first time.

How did you become a good father/mother?? good husband/wife? a good friend?? good at your job??

I pose these questions so that we begin to think about what the future of our country looks like. Our young people need help in reaching their potential and developing the skills necessary to be successful in this world. Whether you believe it or not OUR FUTURE and OUR LEGACY, does depend on the younger generation.

Are you ready to commit to being a mentor now?

“Mentor: Someone whose hindsight can become your foresight”

“Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a push in the right direction.”
-John Crosby

“We've got to look at the programs that are working across the nation to prevent crime -- mentoring programs, dispute resolution programs that teach children how to resolve conflicts without knives and guns and fists, and truancy prevention programs that get them back into school and keep them out of trouble,”
-Janet Reno

“And if you're interested in the quality of education and you're paying attention to what you hear at Laclede, why don't you volunteer? Why don't you mentor a child how to read?”
-George W. Bush

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Sunday Thoughts 09/20/09

A fresh new week is on the horizon, and I find myself looking back at the last week still trying wrap my mind around a few lingering thoughts. The week was good and I encountered a few situations and overheard a few conversations that may influence my thoughts today.

I will paint a picture of something and let you run with it whatever way applies to your life at this moment in time. Imagine that you are in the garden of eden and can visibly see the forbidden fruit. Its slightly out of reach but you see resources and people that can help you obtain it if you so choose to. In that same garden you also see another tree that also bears fruit which is even further out of reach and the same resources are available. Don't make a decision yet, but start thinking about situations that you have experienced throughout the course of your life.

Over the course of my life I have often times encountered temptations and its not always represented as something that is bad for you. Based on our experiences in life and hearing people use the term, we often associate it with something utterly life changing and negative.

My thoughts on temptation today really don't have much to do with me fighting demons, but to focus on looking at things through a different lens.

The examples that I used earlier were to examine the reasons why certain things in our lives are designed to be temptations for us. The forbidden fruit earlier was too easy to obtain and there was really no growth during our pursuit of it. Sometimes people tell us things aren't good for us because of their accessibility or the fact that we won't appreciate what we have. If we pursue the fruit on the 2nd tree and obtain it, do we appreciate it more after the work we have put in to get it? Did we obtain it on our own or ask for help to get it? And if we did have help, did we share the fruits of success?Adam and Eve learned about obedience from their experience in the garden of eden. Don't let temptation scare you, let it teach you a lesson that you are supposed learn.

“Every conquering temptation represents a new fund of moral energy. Every trial endured and weathered in the right spirit makes a soul nobler and stronger than it was before.”

-William Butler Yeats

“Temptation is like a knife, that may either cut the meat or the throat of a man; it may be his food or his poison, his exercise or his destruction”

-John Owen

“Some temptations come to the industrious, but all temptations attack the idle”

-Charles H. Spurgeon

“Temptations, when we meet them at first, are as the lion that roared upon Samson; but if we overcome them, the next time we see them we shall find a nest of honey within them”

-John Bunyan

Saturday, September 19, 2009

Saturday Thoughts 091909

As much as I believe that my life is routine, it never really is when I step back and look at it. I can honestly say that this Saturday morning is really A LOT different than most as I have literally been awake since 2:50 am. You may be asking yourself, why was I up and why didn't I just go back to sleep. I will get to that shortly.

Over the course of the last two nights, I have been awakened by phone calls in the middle of the night while I was preparing to go to sleep or in a very deep sleep. Based on me being the person that I am, I did answer both calls and I am very thankful that the nature of both calls ended up being non-emergencies. I look back now and say, "Whew glad everything is okay, but I am sleepy." So since I was up at this early/late hour, I decided to get to my Saturday Thoughts a little earlier than normal. Based on my recent experiences my thoughts became centered around this question: In case of emergency and you do break the glass who is going to respond?

Just posing that question I think its a great time for each of us to look at our relationships on all levels. Your level of expectation in your relationships will determinethe reliability/dependency that you may have on people in various situations.

Are you going to be there when the glass is broken and the call comes? Can you be counted on to be the one listening on the other end of the phone? If a word of encouragement is needed can you provide it at that moment? You never know when or why someone may need you, but I trust that you will be there.

I have no expectations for my friends that would be any different from their expectations of me. That is one beautiful thing about relationships that there is a shared understanding about who you are.

Make it a great day!

“A true friend never breaches the trust of his companion or stabs in his back. He is trustworthy and reliable. One should therefore always try to be a true and reliable friend. ”

-Sam Veda

“It's just, when you want, no...when you really need...people to be there for you? They're not..they're like a million miles away. And when you think someone is totally reliable and trustworthy and reliable and you've built your whole....life...around”

“The Lord doesn't ask about your ability, only your availability; and, if you prove your dependability, the Lord will increase your capability.”

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Labor Day thoughts

On this relaxing Labor Day, I am enjoying the the time off by doing some of my favorite things; listening to music, watching TV, chatting with friends/family, and surfing the web. I am not doing all these things at once, but its just an overview of some of today's activities for me.

While surfing the web this, morning I ran across an article on Michael Jordan that really caught my attention. If you haven't read it already, I will include the link so you can check it out if you choose to. To sum up the article, it talks about Michael Jordan being inducted to the Hall of Fame and his selection for who would introduce him. It wasn't Phil Jackson the coached who helped him win 6 NBA titles. Nor was it his college coach the legendary Dean Smith who he won a championship for in 1982 while attending the University of North Carolina. Good friend Charles Barkley wasn't even worthy to do the introduction. David Thompson a former basketball player for in-state rival North Carolina State received the phone call to introduce Jordan.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=mc-thompsonjordan090709&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

From my perspective, to see one of the greatest basketball players in the game admit that he patterned his game after a young man he saw play at the age of 11 spoke volumes to me.

Take a look at your life and ask yourself what do others see. You just might be the spark and light a fire inside someone that ends up responsible for bringing light to places never before seen. Until its revealed and sometimes not until later on, we never know the inspiration that someone has that aided in their success.

Find the inspiration in you to do something great and inspire others to do more today than they did yesterday. Who has inspired you?

Yesterday, my thoughts revolved around time and I felt that the last quote was very fitting to close with. Thank you to all my friends and family that continue to inspire me to be who I am and share my gifts with the world.

“You won't realize the distance you've walked until you take a look around and realize how far you've been.”

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.”

-John Quincy Adams

“Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.”

-Andre Gide

“Time goes by so fast, people go in and out of your life. You must never miss the opportunity to tell these people how much they mean to you.”

Monday, September 14, 2009

Saturday Thoughts - 09/12/09

Wow, it feels good to be in the land of the living! That's a great thing to say on this day and we should all be grateful for that. Sometimes we don't do a good job of being thankful for our first blessing of the day. So this is just a reminder of how we should approach this day.

My thoughts this week have revolved around the unexpected and assumptions.

How are we prepared to deal with unexpected situations? How do you deal with change after the unexpected occurs? How you respond is one of the components that determines your character.

So often we make assumptions about people and situations without taking other things into consideration. Never underestimate what another person will do to get ahead or to keep you down. Everyone does not have your best interest at heart and sometimes people will forget that you have feelings and continue to move forward with their plans.

I am continually learning to never underestimate what another person will do as it minimizes the surprises later. Be it good or bad, there is always going to be something that you are not going to be prepared for. Never assume that you have seen or done it all as there is always something that is out there to trump your last experience.

“If one advances confidently in the direction of one's dreams, and endeavors to live the life which one has imagined, one will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.”

-Henry David Thoreau

“Nobody says you must laugh, but a sense of humor can help you overlook the unattractive, tolerate the unpleasant, cope with the unexpected, and smile through the day”

Ann Landers

“The best things in life are unexpected - because there were no expectations.”

-Eli Khamarov

“Nearly all the best things that came to me in life have been unexpected, unplanned by me.”

-Carl Sandburg

Sunday Thoughts - NFL Sunday Opening Weekend - 09/13/09

Today is a great day already and I know why. The sun is barely up and I was blessed with another day on this earth. For anyone that knows me at all, you can imagine how I am feeling right now. My ribs are in the oven and I am finishing up in the lab on my homemade barbecue sauce.

My thoughts today are centered around the first Sunday in the NFL season and beginnings. I feel like a kid on the first day of school, as I have a new outfit to wear and I couldn't sleep last night. Kickoff of the first game today is just hours away and this season promises many exciting moments that lie ahead.

As the season prepares to kick-off on this beautiful Sunday, I found a few quotes that may help you appreciate new beginnings this season or in your life. I thank a friend of mine named Jason Womble for inspiring today's thoughts. Jason is a devoted fan of the Detroit Lions and stands behind his team 110% even after they became the first team in NFL history to finish 0-16. Jason's tireless dedication and faith in his team inspired me to find something that embodies what today means for him and his beloved Lions.

So on this day, I salute all fans and Jason for their endless love for the game. Whoever your team is, good luck to you and them today.

GO LIONS, PERFECT SEASON #2 STARTS TODAY!!!

“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.”

-Maria Robinson

“There are things that we never want to let go of, people we never want to leave behind. But keep in mind that letting go isn’t the end of the world, it’s the beginning of a new life.”

“If you want to know the end, look at the beginning”

-African Proverb

“Accept everything about yourself--I mean everything. You are you and that is the beginning and the end--no apologies, no regrets.”

-Henry Kissinger

Lazy Monday Thoughts

Its amazing how often we take for granted things we experience in life. Exactly a year ago, I remember sitting in the emergency room getting X-Rays after a minor car accident that I was involved in. While I hated to be involved in the accident, I appreciate most things that happened after it. Over the last year amidst the unexpected aches and pains, I can appreciate a lot in my life after going through that experience.

In life we often talk about first impressions and what your thoughts were the first time that you met someone. How many times have you met someone and have no recollection of a first impression? How often have people come into your life and you don't realize why you met them at that point in your life?

How often do we take for granted that there is a reason for everything? Think about this example, have you ever been in a restaurant and made a comment to a server and they mention that it was the most thoughtful thing that anyone has said to them all day?

I am sure you wonder what I am getting at, but I will tell you to keep my thoughts on track. Last night, I was having dinner at my favorite Sunday night local and met a young lady whose face looked very familiar to me but we did not know each other. When I first sat down at the bar to eat, she was sitting about two chairs away from me and by the time she finished her drink she was sitting right next to me. While we talked she started telling me about her day and that it had not turned out as she had planned. I kept listening to her story and could see that this would be another experience that she grows from. She began to talk about her experiences and how they shaped her life. She rose from her circumstances as a young person growing up in a single parent home and remained focused and became the strong woman she is today. This young lady also talked about valuing yourself and making sure that you never just settle for anything if you aren't appeasing yourself.

Just over dinner, my eyes were opened as she made some valid points. Here I am sitting there thinking that I am helping her turn her night around because of the bad day that she had. When it was all said and done she actually helped me and didn't realize it. In our daily travels and the work that we do, there will be always be chance meetings with people. In that one instant you have an opportunity to define why this person has come into your life.

Earth Wind and Fire's Reasons may be floating around in your head right now and its okay!

People come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. When you figure out which one it is, you will know what to do for each person."

There are so many reasons that you have come into my life, and I thank you for all of them. Make it a great day!

Monday, September 7, 2009

Sunday Thoughts 09/06/09

Amazingly, you can always count on certain things at certain points in your life. Another holiday is upon us and its a time for friends and family to get together for a common purpose - GOOD FOOD & GOOD TIMES.

On this particular Sunday, I really don't have too much on the brain just excited to spend time with friends and extended family. Its not a surprise that its hot outside and I am going to be trying to escape the heat as usual.

While I am on the subject of time, I cant help but make a few comments about how precious time is. In terms of your time, I trust that you value your time and how you spend it. This weekend is an excellent opportunity to re-evaluate how you are currently spending your time.

What are your current priorities that use up the bulk of your time? Are you wasting time anywhere? Do you have some relationships that do not have a lot of time devoted to them or some that have too much time devoted to them? That may get a few thoughts going in your mind if they aren't already there.

Time is one of things in our life that will run out. When you wake up everyday you know that the sun will rise and the sun will set. What you don't know is when exactly it will rise and will set. We also know that in everyday there are 24 hours only no matter how you slice it. In thinking along those lines, its also important to remember that in everyone of our lives we will be born and we will die. So what are you doing in the meantime?

All I can say is your time in this life is precious and make the most of it with friends and family.

"Time is free, but it's priceless. You can't own it, but you can use it. You can't keepit, but you can spend it. Once you've lost ityou can never get it back.”

-Harvey MacKay

“Life is all about timing... the unreachable becomes reachable, the unavailable become available, the unattainable... attainable. Have the patience, wait it out It's all about timing.”

-Stacey Charter

“Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone Else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

-Steve Jobs

“Difficult times have helped me to understand better than before, how infinitely rich and beautiful life is in every way, and that so many things that one goes worrying about are of no importance whatsoever...”-Isak Dinesen

“In good times and bad times, I'll be on your side for ever more...that's what friends are for.”

-Dionne Warwick

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Saturday Thoughts 09/05/09

Another Saturday upon us and I am wide awake planning today's strategy on how I will beat the heat. Before I drifted off to sleep last night I found myself reflecting on this past week and the things that caught my attention. After looking at the week I found myself dealing with the term selflessness. I will share two examples of what stuck with me this week.
************** Example #1 **************
Earlier this week, news reports flowed and the Internet was a buzz at the actions of a high school quarterback who overpowered one of his fellow students who had a handgun on the school bus threatening the riders of the bus. In just an instant this young man made a decision that would ultimately change his life from that point on. With no regard for his own safety or what would happen next, the young man could only thing about his 3 younger sister and the other riders on the bus.
*************** Example #2 ***************
Over the last 24 hours, if you watch sports at all or have caught the tell end of the news you have seen the reports of an Oregon football player who showed a side of sportsmanship that we hope is never repeated. In watching the replays of the incident, his opponent did not exhibit good sportsmanship in taunting the young man rubbing in the fact that they were just defeated. In an instant one punch changed this young man's life and his career as a football player is potentially over.
***************
You might be asking why I chose to use these two examples and what was I trying to show because I earlier referenced the term selflessness. Well, these two examples bring to the forefront that when we are making decisions whether through deep thought or in a moments notice, our character/moral fiber influences that decision.

In the first example, a young man put his life on the line to protect his sister and others with no regard for his own safety, and is now being lauded as hero.

In the second example, a young man was taunted by a young man and made the decision that he wanted to respond in a different way to let someone know that he did not appreciate the taunting. The young man change the course of his season, but also his team as the went from potential contender to searching for his replacement.

Its amazing in looking at these two examples how in an instant selfless behavior seems to be rewarded while selfish behavior may not be rewarded so favorably. As human beings we often have selfish tendencies, but in the grand scheme of things i hope that overall are selfless acts far out weigh our selfish acts.

“Only those who have learned the power of sincere and selfless contribution experience life's deepest joy: true fulfillment.”

-Anthony Robbins

“We are formed and molded by our thoughts. Those whose minds are shaped by selfless thoughts give joy when they speak or act. Joy follows them like a shadow that never leaves them.”

-Buddha

“without selfless service, no one ever receives the fruits of their rewards. ”

-Sri Guru Granth Sahib

“Is the intention pure, selfless, and born out of love? Is it based on truth? Does it result in peace? If so, it is a right action.”

-Sri Sathya Sai Baba