Category: One for the Journal

As most of you know, sports reign king in my household with Baseball being the broadcast of choice throughout the summer/autumn months. The Professor’s obsession does tend to take over at times, especially when his team has earned a place in the Playoffs. There is just no getting around it, so at times, I just plop down and mindlessly absorb what is going-on in the game.

Last night was one of those nights. It was a Playoff game with a late starting time, so I sat through a few innings and, of course, being the curious being that I am, I began to ask questions. As Baseball is a somewhat slower moving game, my quest for knowledge is tolerated by the Professor. I became very curious about the position of the Catcher. I asked out loud, “Who would ever want to be a Catcher? That position is awful.” Professor agreed without offering too much additional dialogue. I continued, “Is that Catcher wearing bright yellow nail polish?” That query got a loud guffaw and a response that it was actually yellow tape that some Catchers wear to make their calls more clear to the Pitcher.

Once I got past that exchange, I persisted with more chitchat, “Look at the uniform they have to wear, all that protective gear so hot in the summer months and so necessary as not to get hurt, jeez!” To that the Professor responded, “The Tools of Ignorance” I said, “…the what of what?” He repeated, “The Tools of Ignorance, that’s what they call the Catcher’s garb.” Oh wow, now I have heard everything! Who knew there was a phrase for that!

Being that I am left to my own devices during such times, I hit the computer to find out more. The MLB site was a treasure trove of information. From there I learned that the term is meant to point out the irony that a player that possesses the intelligence needed to be effective behind the plate would be foolish enough to play a position that required so much safety equipment. Ah ha! I’m starting to get the hang of this sports lingo!

The Tools of Ignorance. I’m going to keep this descriptive phrase in my arsenal, Lord only knows what I could apply it to!!

I listened to a broadcast on our local television station the other day. It was a local event that I thought worthy of sharing in case any of you missed the resulting national coverage.

The story spoke of Naples FL resident, Edward K. Pearson, a humble man of 80 years, who had passed away leaving no known surviving family or friends. His last request was for a simple cremation with his ashes interred at Sarasota National Cemetery.

Pearson was an Army veteran who served this country as a Private. The funeral director, Michael Hoyt, of Legacy Options Funeral Services, thought that the service would be unattended except for the Honor Guard he had arranged. So, he took it upon himself to make a few calls…(hmmm… did he hear the voice of ‘I Can Do Better’? )

From the calls that Mr. Hoyt made, the word went out to various veterans organizations who heard the rally cry. From that, the story was picked up by local media who shared it up the line to CNN, who then tweeted it to Florida Senator Marco Rubio who posted it on Facebook. AND, from all that attention, Private Pearson’s funeral was attended by more than 4,000 people of all ages and walks of life, some veterans and some not. I believe all the gracious souls who attended this funeral service must have had the same mindset…that of ‘I Can Do Better’. One woman interviewed said, “I was a Marine Corp vet, and I brought my two young daughters with me today. It is important for us to do this kind of thing, this man served his country and by that was a brother to us all.”

I believe that there is a universal message and lesson to be learned from these incredible souls who put their own lives aside to attend a funeral and honor a fellow human being that they had never met. This is a true example of people having their heart in the right place.

‘Be so good they can’t ignore you!’ I heard that last night as I was walking through the living room on my way to the kitchen. I had been upstairs on my own, and even though removed from what was going on downstairs, I still heard plenty of hoops and hollering as the Professor’s team was clinching a playoff position. Although the quip I heard was first said by comic Steve Martin and repeated last night about a team’s magnificent win, it inspired me greatly. I let it ring around in my head for hours imagining how I could expand and use it to propel my efforts.

Here’s what I came up with: if I were to focus my endeavors to ‘do good things’ in a more constant full-court press manner, how could I not be effective? In other words, if I maintained a sunshine-y disposition; remembering to speak sweetly every time I am called on, and not be dissuaded from the goal of spreading happiness – all of these efforts would be impossible for others to brush aside.

And, if my good thoughts, good words and good deeds are constant, just by their consistency the ‘goodness’ would be contagious and so on and so on…

So, go on out there today and ‘Be so good, THEY CAN’T IGNORE YOU!’ And remember, don’t get side-tracked and don’t let up!

Let’s see what happens!

I spent some time in conversation this week with a lovely person from an older generation. This means that the gal was in her nineties as I am racking up birthday digits more rapidly than I’d care to admit! The visit with this fine woman put me in mind of the vast differences between our generations in the way we think and the way we communicate. My thoughts on this topic moved me to reflect and weight-in on how we might share knowledge and values across these chasms.

Here is a list of generations beginning with that of my friend: Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Gen X’ers, Millennials and Gen Z’ers. These groups each possess knowledge that is of benefit to the other groups. I know I have been inspired and propelled by the values, attitudes and approaches taken by all of the groups listed. Yet, the knowledge transfer is seemingly slower the further apart the generations are. I think we need to find a way to better connect to each other, because as much as it is a gift to spend time with an older individual, it should be the same with a younger person. After all, isn’t there something to learn from every conversation, and isn’t our foresight borne out of such dialogue?

Learning from each other is what will bring about change in our world. Cross-generational knowledge is the synergy that will power the change in the long run.

Tiger Woods is the epitome of a young person getting their life back on track after a fall from grace. Decisions made from youth and fame can do that; knock someone off the pedestal and rob them of their true destiny. Tiger’s return to his spiritual calling is not only something very special to witness, it is an inspiring story of how that came to be.

Tiger grew up in California and began playing the game as a toddler. His athletic father, who was single-digit handicap golfer himself, coached the young prodigy in his game, and more notable, in the important things in life. Family came first in the Woods household.

Tiger’s amateur career turned pro in 1996 at age 20 where in his first year he won three PGA championships and his first Masters Tournament. His continued meteoric rise throughout that decade was astounding. But in the decade that followed, Tiger’s very public fall from grace left him reeling from the demise of his marriage and a succession of painful injuries that resulted in four grueling surgeries and intense rehab. It was during this hiatus that Tiger found the humble heart that brought him back to his true destiny.

In an interview Tiger said, “When I was a boy growing up, it was always Family, School and then Sports. I had to find my way back to those values; it could no longer be Golf first. In order for me to return to the game after my back, hip and knee injuries, I had to realign myself.”

And, realign himself he did, Tiger did the physical, spiritual and mental work necessary to get back to the top of the game by not only winning the 2019 Masters Tournament for the 5th time, but also being presented the 2019 Presidential Medal of Freedom. All this came from his ability to self-examine and self-reflect on the missing essentials in his life and to demonstrate the immense courage to return them to his life.

This is what the heart of a true champion looks like.

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“A Champion is driven by what is deep inside him; his desire, his dreams and his vision.” ~ Muhammad Ali

Working together and remembering our common humanity reminds me that listening to our spiritual calling is what is needed to ensure unity in our world that is riddled with discord. A spiritual life belongs to all of us, not to one faith or church. This type of prayer should ring true for those who live outside of the confines of conventional religious faith, as well as ‘ring’ for those who do. Regardless of your position, I believe it is important to perceive your divine origin daily.

I came across a list the other day that I thought compelling. The article spoke of ways to achieve a higher good in this lifetime. Here is the list; I hope you enjoy pondering it!

• Be aware of your body. Treat it as if it were a host. Eat organic and avoid harsh chemicals whenever you can.
• Find true Self-Esteem. Believe in yourself and in the abilities you have been given. Trust in your intuition and lift yourself up with inspiring music and activities. Stand strong in the winds of life and chase your dreams.
• Detoxify your life. Remove those persons who deliver drama, negative notions and the ones who do not support your aspirations. If a job you are working-at is a dead end, seek another and don’t stop until you are successful in replacing it with another positive place to spend your hours.
• Give up Being Right. Open up your heart and mind and consider other points of view. It doesn’t mean you have to change your stance, it means that you are open to expanding your viewpoint from a more informed place.
• Focus on the present. Miring through the past is counter-productive. Where your past experiences have shaped you, let the present day serve you from those experiences without dragging the negative hurt or unrest into your daily actions.
• See the world in yourself. Hope is a tremendous thing. Being able to live with expectations can be very propelling. See the possibilities in all things and grow in that manner.
• Live for enlightenment. Approaching all things with kindness will get you there. Learn to speak sweetly, act enormously (beyond the thresholds you have reached before), listen to the songs the universe delivers and be committed to be guided by them.

I hope this list inspires you, as it did me. Though I have lived a good life wherein I have tasted fine wine, witnessed the miracle of a fiery sunset, seen majesty in the mountain ranges of the world, and seen unabashed beauty in a sweet newborn’s face…I still seek to live a GREAT life, and that is one realized by taking the action of more acts of kindness and by demonstrating extraordinary behavior.

Your mother is your voice of reason; the mirror of your soul; your true north.

I am a kitchen dweller, and I come from a long line of such women. My golden-haired sister inherited the same trait, as did my brother although his is a diluted type. I find all types of goodness in the hallowed walls of my kitchen sanctuary. I find that cooking good food for folks is a loving and worthwhile gesture. There is something very intrinsic in the process of preparing food to serve to a guest. I think the loveliest thing you can do is to cook for someone, it is about a nice a valentine as you can give.

Cooking is one of the strongest ceremonies in life. It is all about creating emotion. Recipes are often handed down generation-to-generation. When you cook ‘with love’, the food just tastes better. It is meditative!

My mother was a woman of such heart. In her cooking, Love was her secret ingredient. From her apron strings, I learned that the joy is not in cooking for one’s self, but in cooking for others!

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“There is no spectacle on earth more appealing than that of a beautiful woman in the act of cooking dinner for someone she loves.” – Tom Wolfe

On September 23rd, we mark the date of the Autumnal Equinox. This is the day our planet will experience equal day and night. The Equinox helps remind us of the law of equilibrium. It also marks the beginning of a new season, and a new chance to strive towards greater balance in our lives.

I hope you find gratitude today in all that you have. I hope you are delivered compassion for all those who struggle and who are in need. And, I wish for you to find – more love for yourself and all those around you.

You have to put yourself in the right position to receive what goodness is coming to you. Spending time in giving thanks is a great place to start. These small acknowledgements keep you aligned. Offering a daily prayer for divine understanding will allow you to recognize what it is that you haven’t seen before, and thereby deliver to you the lessons you need to succeed.

My mantra of ‘I Can Do Better’ is working. Each day I am dedicated to trying to do as much good as I can, and I believe that by applying this creed throughout my day I am realizing more compassion in my everyday life.

This topic I speak about boils down to loving one’s self and being brave enough to ask for more love to come to you. It also reminds us to be disciplined in our work of reaching for a higher good. As a result of this practice, I have found that my world is more optimistic and broad, and that is a very good thing to obtain!

This morning, I watched with great interest a story on the beloved Alex Trebek and his journey so far with his devastating cancer diagnosis. I was so moved by the positive and uplifting spirit that he displayed even after receiving the recent news that his cancer had bounded back with a vengeance. The honest manner in which he delivered this news was nothing short of inspiring.

It is important to mention that Alex, since receiving his diagnosis in March of this year, has not missed one day of work even through his days and weeks of two rounds of aggressive chemotherapy. When questioned where this determination came from, Trebek answered, “I just need to continue doing what I have done for the past 36 years. I am 79 years old, and I have had an amazing life. Do I worry about what happens when I die? Like anyone else, of course I do, but my questions are more directed to what will happen to those I leave behind, not for myself.” This says to me that Alex has been fulfilled in this life and will meet the next realm with the same spirit – he will seek to attain perfection and live up to whatever is placed in front of him. His testament to continue to ‘do what he has done’ is like a seeing a valiant flag of victory waved.

In this day and age, one does not have to go far to learn of someone in their circle who has or is suffering from cancer. My experiences in dealing with my father’s diagnosis, received at a young age, left an indelible mark on me and my siblings when he lost his battle. Where I do not have any room in my heart for hate, I do admit I hate cancer. It is a robber baron.