Quote of the Week

"At the core of every true talent there is an awareness of the difficulties inherent in any achievement, and the confidence that by persistence and patience something worthwhile will be realized." - Eric Hoffer

What Matters

How do you treat people? Are you honest? Are you kind? Are you respectful?

When everything boils down there are really only two important things in this life: Faith in God, and the manner in which we treat each other. By each other I mean ALL of each other.

Treating other people well is extremely difficult, when you really stop to think about it. Then again, almost anything worth doing is a challenge. Just as in any other challenge, your odds of success are directly tied to the amount of effort you put in.

I'm not sure what possessed me to philosophize on this topic tonight... It's probably because the effort I put in is lacking. I suppose I could make excuses about how passengers treat me, and how the rude drive thru attendant treats me, etc, etc, etc. The focus, in reality, should not be on how they treat me, but rather on how I treat them.

Perhaps if I treated them better they'd return my effort upon me.

Women

What goes on in their minds? How can it be so different?

Most importantly: How come they never see fit to tell us about it...

Quote of the Week

"The cost of optimism is disappointment."

Brothers

Sometimes there's nothing better than some time spent with a really solid friend. It's the kind of time that can put your mind at ease about things. It's the kind of time that reminds you that someone cares. It's the kind of time that helps you put things in perspective.

Tonight, for the first time in a very long time, I remembered what that kind of time was like.

I still miss you Bohrer. Thanx for your prayers bro.

Addendum

24 hours has taught me an important lesson: Optimism is every bit as fickle as oppurtunity.

Me? An optimist?

Those of you who know me would probably never use the word, "optimist" to describe me. In fact, Kate once gave me a book entitled, "Pessimisms" as a gag gift for my birthday. It still sits on my bookshelf...

But this week I am an optimist. I suppose if you were to look at the history of this blog my optimism would begin with a post from July 29th entitled "Life." The topic of that post then led me to author the posting about opportunity on the 30th, and then later the discussion of baggage on August 3rd. All a string of events that brings me to the here and now. And to optimism.

I wonder if optimism is less a state of mind and more a feeling. Many people are fond of pronouncing the phrase, "you can choose to be optimistic," but can you really? My experience teaches me that optimism is not a choice. The choice to make the best of things and putting your best foot forward despite circumstances is not optimism, and neither is that fake smile on your face. Those things are part of perseverance. ( No doubt they are important too, but not to this discussion.) Optimism is the heartfelt belief that a certain series of events will lead you to something better. The important word in that sentence is, "heartfelt." No matter how hard you try, you can't trick your heart into believing something it doesn't want to.

So there it is. I am optimistic today. Cautiously optimistic, but optimistic nonetheless.

From Iowa, to the grasping of an opportunity, to an honest examination of what it means to have baggage. Then the sudden realization that I am nurturing the heartfelt belief that this certain series of events will lead me to something better.

Life is interesting indeed...

Quote of the Week

"I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Search

Some people will search forever. Some people will search too hard.

Some people will quit.

Some people will find what they're looking for.

How many people have a choice?

All of us.

Quote of the Week

"This is not a black and white world.
To be alive I say the colors must swirl,
and I believe that maybe today,
we will all get to appreciate,
the beauty of grey."

- Live

Baggage

Every single one of us, beyond a shadow of any doubt, has an interesting story to tell. Very often some of the most interesting stories come with what many people refer to as baggage. Baggage never has a positive connotation. I find that very interesting.

Often our lives are defined by "baggage." Events we had no control over, mistakes we made, misfortunes that have befallen us; all are merely ingredients needed to help form us as the people we are. Truth be told, it is not our baggage that defines us, but rather the manner in which we chose to handle our baggage. Some people allow their past to bury them. Some people never learn and are doomed to repeat their old failures. There are, however, a fortunate few who realize that their "baggage" is an oppurtunity to grow.

There is that word oppurtunity again. It is becoming a theme...


"In the clearing stands a boxer.
And a fighter by his trade.
And he carries the reminders,
of every glove that laid him down,
or cut him, 'til he cried out,
in his anger and his shame,
'I am leaving! I am leaving!'
though the fighter still remains."

- Paul Simon

Identity Crisis

I'm in Bloomington, IL on my overnight, and across the street from the hotel is a restaurant called, "Carlos O'Kelly's."

Carlos O'Kelly's is a self-proclaimed "Mexican - Irish fusion."

Mexican and Irish together? Carlos O'Kelly's? Am I the only person befuddled by this mixture?

I didn't go in. I chose a sub from Blimpies instead.