An Old Story with New Meaning

In honor of throwback Thursday... 

I recently shared an old story of mine with a crowd and was surprised to find it had a new ending. It was 1979, Margaret Thatcher was the new Prime Minister, Bill Clinton had recently been elected Governor of Arkansas, Atari had just released Asteroids, and I was in my first year of ministerial school in Los Angeles at what was then Ernest Holmes College. Like most first year’s, I was required to take a homiletics (speaking) class, one I frequently missed due to its coincidental timing to big waves. Unable to make my newbie freshman class during the day, I tucked away my surfboard and attended the senior class in the evening.

1979, me in my first year of Ministerial School

My first class assignment was to deliver a Rudyard Kipling poem I had memorized, entitled “If”, and man oh man, was I brilliant in conveying its depth. The pauses, emphasis, diction and silence all created a magical moment that had the whole room hanging on every word. I sure was hot stuff at 19 and cocky as the day is long. I was feeling quite proud of myself. If only you could have heard it! It was smokin’ good!  I glanced at the instructor knowing I had just scored big time. He looked delighted and I could tell I had just won him over. Later, in the same class, so impressed he was with my prose and delivery, the instructor asked me to stand and improvise a talk about light for 3 to 4 minutes. I approached the front of the room and then promptly froze. I have never forgotten those moments and not particularly fondly; no words came to my mind nor out of my mouth. I stood there with sweat pouring down my face, my heart racing wildly and my brain turning to putty. A sea of faces stared at me, I was in a blackout, thinking nothing-and the more I tried to find something, the less would come to me…I wanted to impress everyone so badly-but I was vacuous. For the first and longest 4 minutes in my life, I was literally speechless.

The story and lesson I’ve told for the past three and a half decades happened after that moment, which was that I would never again be short of words – which is a good thing for a public speaker. But recently, upon some inner urgings I reveled in a new take on an old lesson.  That day, I got humbled to the core. It wasn’t by choice or even by accident, it was given to me and I got it. The gift of humility. What I learned is that no matter how good a message I may have just delivered, it means nothing in terms of the next talk. I was shown in no uncertain terms that cockiness can lock the gates to the Infinite. I was educated to the cellular level that the message is not me and that I have to get myself out of the way for the extra magic to enter the equation. I do my best to remain humble, but never in a false sense because I’m clear, as clear as every uncomfortable sigh could be heard during that four minutes of silence in 1979, that the next time - the words just might not come.

Parental Authority Can Always Be Questioned

There's no doubt about the clarity of nature's authority with its heat of summer and cold of winter, darkness of night  and brightness of day, hunter or hunted.  Kids who grew up in touch with the rhythm of nature learned their boundaries were non-negotiable. But like everything else, change is ever present in the world and in the lives of those growing up and those raising kids, especially as it pertains to boundaries.

Either I have been a fine teacher or my son has always known that my boundaries are not absolute and has fine-tuned the art of wearing me down. Recently, during his daily digital diet dose, he spotted a super fancy crane truck whose reach extends five-feet. He just had to call it his own. Here, I savored, would be my summer opportunity to teach him about math, the value of a dollar and the art of patience. It started off nicely with saving some of his allowance. Then it picked up velocity leading to his relentless pursuit to earn more money which meant I became the employer and the bank. After weeks of being hounded to borrow money, I left town for a conference returning to find he wasn't going to miss a beat to work me over since his mom had stepped out of this educational equation from day one.

The day finally came where he got close enough that I would kick in the rest just to get some rest from his incessant demands. We rolled up the pennies, counted the dollars, large and small, and carefully calculated the amount he had saved. We loaded up the car, and hair blowing in the wind with excitement, we drove to the bank, deposited his booty, and then returned straight home to order his dream crane truck online. After placing his order I was ready for peace to return to our home. I sat back in the chair for a moment basking in the moment of resolution, readying for the quiet expectancy that would ensue, and indulging, if not just for a moment, in the gratitude for the opportunity to shepherd this fine lesson for my son. I was, in a sense, reveling in my own small success when no sooner had we pushed send, I noted his footsteps padding away from me as he made his first journey to our mail box looking for his crane truck. I explained the store's policies as best I could. Given that it was Friday, the delivery, which could take as long as seven days would best be expected the following Friday. I noted the question mark in his eyes, still not comprehending why it wouldn't just appear in the mailbox as soon as we had ordered it. After explaining again, I punctuated the conversation by marking the calendar so he would understand. There, I thought, now peace will return.

But Trevor was not happy with this news and refused to understand nor accept it as the truth, repeatedly visiting the mail box a half dozen times that Friday. I figured I might not have Mother Nature with her absolute authority on my side in this life lesson on patience but at least the post master general was a pretty good second. I lost count how many times I heard, “Where’s the truck” that Friday and Saturday. Trevor spoke with such affirmation and authority that the truck was coming, but he'd worn me thin on patience and his perseveration had eroded any sense of success I'd felt in teaching him a new life lesson. I'd finally had enough by Saturday afternoon and instead of explaining for the umpteenth time that it would be six more days, I invited him to check the mailbox for himself.  To which, he jumped up, opened the front door, and there sitting on the doorstep, barely 24-hours after we placed the order was his big Amazon box.  Unbeknownst to me, it had been expedited by overnight delivery. So, who learned the greater lesson? I feel probably me. When one is relentless in speaking their truth with authority, heaven and earth and even the US post master general will move to make it so.

A Dog Blessing

So grateful to have been asked to officiate the blessing of the dogs at this year's Cardiff Dog Days of Summer. What a fun and rewarding day!!!!

The Heart Transcends Words

I just got back into town from a whirlwind four-day speaking gig in Guadalajara. I don’t know what I was thinking, but everybody speaks Spanish down there. With great humility I held my own during the conference thanks to the translator that instantly translated my messages from English to Spanish, and then backwards when others were speaking to me.  But, during the afternoon workshop, when an instructor asked us to turn and talk to the person next to us, I found myself looking into the eyes of a young woman from Venezuela who spoke only Spanish with no interpreter at either of our sides.

Like an elephant in the room, years of my attempts to become fluent in Spanish and the repeated anxiety it caused me in all previous situations I had been given to flex my second language’s linguistic muscles arose.  But, hearts do speak. And as I looked into Shirley’s eyes and studied the features of her face I could not help but feel her heart reaching out in an attempt to connect with me.  The desire in me to not disappoint her had me searching reams of Spanish curriculum tucked away in the recesses of my mind, without anxiety, for the words and phrases that could cross this divide. In finding even the most basic of words to begin conversation, I discovered her passion was teaching the children of Venezuela spiritual principle so they could go confidently through life.

By the time the process had come to a close, I couldn’t ever remember having so much fun attempting to speak Spanish.  I wasn’t too self-conscious because that silliness was overwritten by the joy I found in attempting to find words to convey my thoughts and feelings.  I don’t know how silly I may have sounded to Shirley but she was most gracious as her eyes twinkled in an attempt to understand what I was saying. I may never see Shirley again but I will always remember the heart’s desire to understand transcends all- even a language barrier.

Finding Your Inspiration

"You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you'll discover will be wonderful. What you'll discover  is yourself." Alan Alda

Inspiration is everywhere you look. From the common to the incredible, everything can take your breath away and leave you astounded. 

When you remain leery and guarded, you are not available for the fantastic. It's up to you to explore and be curious. What you'll find is your creative voice. When you are comfortable in your own skin, no longer second-guessing, people will feel the essence of your being and your passion for life. You will be a radiant transparency of the Divine. 

While some may feel your reality comes from the realm of fantasy, don't allow their projections to become your creative blocks diminishing your glow. Everyone is entitled to their own perspectives, but it has nothing to do with your genius. 

Embrace your joy, it's right for you to shine right now. This is not the time to hold back your creative gifts. The world needs the beauty you've been entrusted to deliver. 

It's time to go full out for what you love so you can turn your fantasy into a fantastic reality. You do this by feeling the power of something greater coming through you.

Find yourself a super hero theme song that just makes you feel great when you hear it. Come up with an empowering phrase that inspires you when you repeat it. Create a power move or stance that triggers your confidence. Get yourself a talisman that will remind you of your fantastic power, and allow it to activate you every day. 

It Takes Guts To Follow Through

"I live a creative life and you can't live a creative life without being vulnerable. I believe creativity and fear are basically conjoined twins; they share all the same major organs, and cannot be separated, one from the other without killing them both. And, you don't want to murder creativity just to destroy fear!" Elizabeth Gilbert

What if it's terrible? What if I blow it? What if I waste valuable resources? What if I embarrass myself? It takes guts to get going and keep going in life when you hear all the reasons why it's not a good idea. Creativity isn't something you do, it's who you are. The creative life is a vulnerable way of being. Allow your concern to be the fuel to the furnace of your creative spirit that drives you beyond your limiting concepts. 

Those anxious images can become the same fodder to empower you to follow through with your vision. Ask yourself, what's the payoff of holding onto your fright? your medium of expression...whether it's paints, business, writing, music, or textiles...it's your doorway to the Infinite.

Are you able to wander through to the other side wide-eyed and open? Discover a new significance while paying attention and interpreting, through your individual lens. That bright-eyed creative kid you used to be was fearless, where is s/he? 

Unless you uncover yourself from the accumulating mounds of responsibilities and busyness, how will you ever find the energy to explore your creative self? It takes guts to get out from underneath all you've taken on, but unless you've got fresh energy, you'll never find what it takes to follow through on what is tantalizing your soul for expression. 

Try this. Go to a Farmers Market where all has not been homogenized but diversity of expression is the selling feature. Embrace how unique each vendor is with his/her creative offering. H

How different is each one's display in telling the story of who they are? Pay attention as you allow your sense to heighten to the smells, sounds, and sights. Become aware of how differently the produce is packaged.

Rebel Roar

"The real power of the Buddha was that he had so much love. He saw people trapped in their notions of their small separate self, feeling guilty or proud of that self. he offered revolutionary teachings that resounded like a lion's roar, like a great rising tide that helped people to wake up and break free from the prison of ignorance." Thich Nhat Hanh

How can you be a rebel if you are stuck, tired and worn out? Sitting all day is not conducive to a healthy lifestyle. Your body must be in motion sometime through the course of the day. If sitting in a car, behind a desk, at a dining room table, on a couch or in front of a screen constitutes most of your day, your body isn't happy. If your body isn't getting its daily dosage of exercise, it's tough for it to support the rebel in you. Your body is a divine conduit that gets recharged and activated by movement. 

There is great value in listening to the voice within, but if you lack the energy to deliver on the inner direction, how will you be the bringer of the new? The rebel in your wants to express and be heard. There is a creative part of your spirit that desires to express in its unique way, but if your delivery system lacks vibrancy, it gets tougher, over the years, to break the habit of focusing on the lack of vitality. The rebel is enthusiastic and excited to be the channel for what's fresh and possible. 

Where has your tiredness impacted your zest for life and stopped supporting the part of you who is enthused to roar out the new creative expression? 

Get out and get your body moving today. Get your heart pumping an dthat means more than just 15 minutes. Go for a bike ride, walk on the beach, get out on the tennis court, anything that gets your muscles moving and circulates fresh air through your body and provides oxygen-rich blood to your brain.