The 'fall back time change' has my sleep cycle messed up. Normally, I'm up at 5:30 A.M. each morning, you guessed, I am now up at 4:30 A.M. My wife yells at me as I leave the bedroom, "Don't be calling the kids or grandchildren for at least three hours!" I thus wonder around emptying de-humidifiers, waste cans, reading newspapers and writing these blogs.
Most of my blog writing is nonsense and the personal notes that I send to my adult children and grandkids is a lot of gobbledygook preaching, warnings and less than subtle messages about 'how' they should live; I suppose you could sum up my persona as not so much the fun-loving father/grandfather but, instead, the 'old pain-in-the-ass' relative you'd like to disown.
What is it about old farts, like me, who believe that they have something profound to impart to love ones and should they fail to do that they believe they have failed? Perhaps the most significant life lesson taught is to accept Christ as Lord and Savior, unless, of course you are Jewish, Muslim or Buddhist. I have my mother, Lou and maternal grandmother, Mammy to thank for this life's 'anchor.'
I understand that my children and grandchildren will face adversities and I suppose I believe that I need to give them some heads up preview and suggestions for overcoming. My personal firsthand observation about 'overcoming' came through an up close relationship with a father , who with a mere eighth grade education built a multi-million dollar enterprise in St. Louis and Dallas, Texas. Another individual from a distance showed me the true depth of resiliency; picking your 'knocked-down ass' up off the floor and soaring to greater heights. His name was Ron Stein. Stein was an all-state football, baseball and basketball player (1956) from O'Fallon high school (Illinois). Ron received a full athletic scholarship from the University of Illinois. The summer before he was to enter U of I, Stein was stricken with crippling Polio. Ron Stein played 'wheelchair' basketball at the University of Illinois and in 1960 he was a member of the USA Wheelchair Paraplegics Olympic Championship team. Yep, I've seen some folks overcome.
I also figured out the 'empowerment' factor. You know this one; believing that you CAN. This lesson was taught by many in my life. My family, teachers and coaches all kept pushing me with the same encouraging 'cheer,' you CAN help others, you can make a difference and you owe your talents (whatever they be) to other.
I reflect on themes I continue to preach and it is a simple message: Figure out who you are? (Talents/Passions) and what is your purpose? (Embrace a mission). Pay it all forward.
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