Category: Blog

Echoes…

The sun sets on another day…

A shaft of light played through the skyline as sunset came upon us. It was a pretty evening and as the crisp air grasped the night I felt good about it all.

I saw a concert tonight that made me think of the past. I work very hard not to dwell in the past and definitely not to consider it as a negative ever. In this particular case I was thinking about music and all of the music that I’ve listened to over the course of my life.

I have a friend who could probably tell you just about any artist and piece of music up until very recent times. They are very talented and have also written and produced several songs that the world deserves to hear. I am not that good. I rarely remember lyrics and often don’t remember the songwriter or group involved. Still I am usually lost in the melody and the emotion of it all. It is that emotion that often echoes in my soul.

I remember the song that was playing when I fell in love, just about every time. I remember the feelings in my heart when patriotic songs play. I remember the deep feelings from songs like Taps and driving excessively over the speed limit to songs like Barracuda.

I am sure that you have feelings that are similar because music can inspire and make us all feel more than we normally would have. It is an amazing gift that we have given to ourselves.

So as the sun sets on another day take a moment and enjoy the echoes in your mind. Think about the music that made you who you are today and in the process feel deeply each and every day with passion and power and a little melody, no matter what.

Sleep sweet, love life, and listen to the echoes…

Eyes open…

The sun sets on another day…

Sunset would have been super if those dern clouds had not eaten it again. Still, I smiled as the sun set because it was a good day filled with happy thoughts. Often that is enough, sometimes it is more!

My poem for today, just because.

I walk with eyes wide open and see the world before
I find a path and make it last and never know for sure
The things that lay before me, without recipe or care
I need to watch the world around me and always be aware

The people who do good, sometimes find their way to bad
the things that they have done can make many people sad
The evil men declare are often doing good
and showing all a better path and the good for which they stood

The world is just a treatise, on worry, rhyme, and more
we have to take our moments back and realize what’s for sure
the sure is just a word now, and we know that it is true
that sure cannot be a surety for anyone but you

The world is always changing and the world is never the same
The world finds a way, while people look to blame
and when the world finds itself within your widened view
I hope that you can find the time to find out what is true

With your eyes open wide.

So as the sun sets on another day, I hope your day was good. I hope your walked into the day with open eyes. I hope you found all the things you want each day, and made the world yours, no matter what.

Sleep sweet, love life, and look closely…

It’s all write…

The sun sets on another day…

Sunset was a terrific series of exciting colors. The sky was bright with hues that were almost like satin. It was pretty awesome!

I had the opportunity today to spend time with a series of talented writers. We were presenting our writing journey to a large group of interested onlookers. I try to always be very positive and to help people along in their journey. There are lots of reasons that people want to write, some of them include the creation of their story, the release of tension or passion, an innate need to write, and so many more. The audience in this group was very accommodating and everyone involved was very positive.

I find that if we share ideas at the very core, we often communicate more effectively than most people understand. As I sat and watched the interaction and joined in many cases it made me feel pretty good that so many, were interested in sharing part of themselves. You know if you would like to put something together it’s all right. If you take the time to do so it is all write.

Many people have a wonderful story to share. I hope if you have a story to share that you take the time to share it and even if only one person reads it, maybe, just maybe, you will change the world.

So as the sun sets on another day, I hope that you have a fantastic day and live your passion to its fullest extent. If that passion is writing I hope you find the people that support you and that make you feel good about life every day, no matter what.

Sleep sweet, love life, and keep writing…

Forests and trees…

The sun sets on another day…

Sunset was full of sparkly shimmers as I methodically cut down trees in my forest and removed the dead wood one trunk at a time. It is a big job, but I stopped and enjoyed the light show, and smiled at the moments.

As I sat trimming down fallen trees I thought about the old saying “It is hard to see the forest for the trees”. I was working on one at a time so I could see the trees and the forest, but how many times do we get mired in either the big picture, and forget the single tree or vice versa.

It can be daunting when you consider all that is life, but think about it. When you consider any issue, are you taking into account the larger issue? How about the single person?

We see this a lot right now. People make up situations about good or bad (mostly bad) and in the process of trying to resolve it they forget about either the larger or smaller part of the problem. Imagine a world where a single person can be discarded easily, or a group of people. Imagine a world where the decision is made from the sake of one person or a few.

This can be tough. We can make a rule that applies to a single idea or person, but it may cause issue to dozens, or hundreds or more. By the same token, we can make a issue of a majority and wipe out the smaller for no other reason than it was smaller.

Consider well your thoughts and actions because they may affect a forest, or they may cause issue to a tree, but perhaps it would be better if we all let sleeping dogs lie, and find out a good path with a few more minutes.

So as the sun sets on another day, yes, this was a strange post, but the picture was good as I slowly weed out my forest of dead trees. Remember, removing dead trees can promote growth. Be the person that makes a difference in life, and pay attention to both the forest and the trees. In the end, enjoy them both, no matter what.

Sleep sweet, love life, and use an axe…

The edge of anger…

The sun sets on another day…

As the sun set the clouds closed in again. Sometimes I look at the Michigan sky and feel the edge of anger for all the sunsets it steals, but I stop and smile, knowing there is far more to the world, and that high above, the sunset is spectacular.

I talk a lot about passion and about living your life to its fullest. I don’t usually talk much about anger even though anger and passion are very close bedfellows. It could easily be said that anger is a subset of what most people consider passion. After all passion is defined as “near uncontrollable emotion” and so anger can be definitely a part of passion.

Passion is very easy and yet quite difficult. At the core of who we are passion is abundant. Emotions run rampant in our minds and based on our past we control them to the levels we dictate as acceptable. Anger is one of the more destructive emotions. A small slice of anger can level buildings and we see examples of unrestrained anger in our world today. It is amusing to me to watch the news often as people create situations we’re in animate objects imbue such power that they can destroy the world but heartily overlook the edge of anger and beyond.

I have known anger that is almost limitless. As a child and a young adult I had minimal guidance and less than minimal control. Anger was easy because the world was always against me and I was always alone. Moving from place to place an average of once every nine months made making friends near impossible. A broken family and a dysfunctional set of people around me made things even more difficult. Several issues at churches broke my faith and eliminated guidance from that area. My grandparents were a light in the darkness but I saw them only during the summer and for the school years I was near alone with my sister.

I found books and movies where I could, and it was from strange places like “Star Trek” that I learned the value of honor and the passion and power to overcome anger. It makes the world a strange place when you have to evaluate everything constantly without end and be in control knowing that the anger is still there, and you are just at the edge of it.

Today it comes as second nature for me to control my anger and keep a happy demeanor all the time. This is not because anyone is telling me to do it but instead because it is the right thing to do.

How do you deal with your anger? Do you stop it before it gets to the edge? Do you embrace it and let it roll over you? Do you find ways of channeling your anger and changing it all? What finds its way into you to make anger real? What can eliminate anger in a single stroke?

No matter what your answers please remember that anger can easily control you unless you control it. Find your center if you can or get help from someone who can guide you. Make every day an opportunity to lean towards the positive and set aside the negative. Be the best you that you can be no matter what that you is.

So as the sun sets on another day, I hope you find amazingness everywhere. I hope you find a way to peace and the presence to set aside anger more easily. If you are on the edge of anger I hope you can use it and channel it into something more. Mostly I hope you find your way to be happy each and every day, no matter what.

Sleep sweet, love life, and be you…

Positive words…

The sun sets on another day…

I was tired and switch spots for a moment drifting to sleep in the car. In the back of my mind there was something knocking on the door, and I opened my eyes to see sunset in the distance. It was a spectacular sunset and a culmination of a magical weekend.

There were a lot of things that happened this weekend. The city we stayed in was very cute and while walking the downtown we met a significant number of people. Having no social conscience, it was easy to interact with people and get a feel for the positive presence in the unique location.

During our walk around the city there were a number of people who gave advice and tried to interact in a positive manner. As everyone knows sometimes this really helps and sometimes it does very little. I think the same thing about 29000 Sunsets, sometimes it may say something that speaks to you and sometimes it will be meaningless drivel that does very little. As each person reacted with us I tried to walk away with the positive and realize that their intention was to try to help. Whether they helped or not was inconsequential but instead it was that feeling of positivity that I took away with me.

This morning we discussed that and even that is sometimes a little much but trying to be positive is a whole lot better than the alternative.

with that in mind all I can suggest is take the good with you. Take the love with you. Take the passion with you. Take the positivity with you. Take everything that can help you better day with you and make it part of your existence. There may be things that are negative but toss them in the trash can with the doughnut wrapper.

So as the sun sets on another day, we can look down on anything, but we can also look up to anything. Let’s take another path and just enjoy our day the best we can each day. The world can be a better place if we just look for the good and set aside the not so good. Along the way, lets make our time good each day, no matter what.

Sleep sweet, love life, and find the good…

Ultraspectacular…

The sun sets on another day…

I find myself circling a moment and then repeating it. Actually there were a lot of moments. As the sun set in the Western sky I smiled at the colors and creations of the day.

Words are a lot of fun. As words come and words go we have meanings that sometimes stay the same and sometimes change. I like to think everything is spectacular and awesome and that the world is breathtaking, stunning, astounding, astonishing, with a splash of stupendous extraordinary incredibility but that is almost unbelievable. In the end the words do not convey enough.

Today I had the pleasure a meeting number of people that I can only refer to by words. I think there are any words that adequately describe those people. There were the two cheerleaders who’s poise and patience were beyond belief and their grandparent and parent. There were the people who came from a gym that were magnificently communicative. Their engagement in the event was very positive. There were family and friends and people that new the foundation event and those that were there just to share in a fantastic and positive get together.

The second annual Haley Sue Foundation Ball was an amazing success in my eyes as it points all of the positives in a world that we often trip over negatives. From the well spoken emcee to all of the volunteers and officers of the event, to all of the workers that made the event a success. I can only say thank you and feel fantastic at the outcome.

The Haley Sue Foundation was created from a vision of my niece, and right now I believe she would smile at the good work they continue to try to do and at the excitement and tangible elation of people involved in the event. I look forward to this again and if you were there I hope you had a great time.

So as the sun sets on another day, to everyone that went, thank you. If you didn’t, I hope I can see you next year and beyond. Make a difference every day, no matter what.

Sleep sweet, love life, and wow!

Storms edge…

The sun sets on another day.

I couldn’t believe how amazing sunset was after an interesting day. As the sun lay its colors across the western sky I was amazed by the beauty. The clouds spotted the horizon and the evening edges of the mountains made everything seem almost unreal. It was a good night.

As I was driving today I had the fun of going through a storm. This was not just any storm it was a storm of epic proportions with rain that was so intense that you could not possibly see beyond a few feet in front of you. Cars and trucks pulled over and people were lost as they waited for the storm to pass.

I was deciding the direction I needed to go and kept on the path that I knew would work. Before me lay a storm and I thought through it every moment and in an instant the sky changed and suddenly it was clear.

I’m not going to say for a moment that storms don’t pass, they do. Storms can be incredibly intense and we all face them from time to time. What makes us different is we can either ride out the storm and patiently wait or we can push through and find a path that works for us. Sure it might be a little tense but we can find a way if we only try.

So as the sun sets on another day, I made it through the storm today and will make it through each and every day because I will not stop until I find my path. Remember that in front of you is something new and often that something new is filled with peace and adventure. Find your path and make it yours, no matter what.

Sleep sweet, love life, and push through the storm…

A slice…

The sun sets on another day

Sunset was filled with amazement as we passed from the deep clouds into the darkness. There was an adventure in the air.

I find myself considering every day as a magnificent acdventure. When it’s all said and done and we walk before the end of the end it will be the adventures that we take with us. We all are filled with slices. Each of us has a slice of happiness, a slice of sadness, a slice of drama, a slice of fear, a slice of elation, a slice of love, a slice of hate, and so much more.

As I think about the few days to come and the emotionally charged amazement I am about to go through I can only hope that I have a slice of everything and perhaps a little more.

What is your slice today? Today is just one of many days and in dealing with today do you find all of the different slices that you need to be spectacular. After all everyday can be an adventure if you’re willing to let it be. Find your adventure and make it amazing.

So as the sun sets on another day, consider while your adventure and all of the spectacular moments of life. Make every day the most fantastic day it can be, no matter what.

Sleep sweet, love life, and be excited…

Three Blind Mice…

The sun sets on another day…

Sunset was a little more than fantastic, and I enjoyed watching the sun fall behind the trees. As the days slowly warm, there is nothing you can do but enjoy every moment a little more.

I was with a small group today, talking about a little bit of everything. When you’re with a group, you have a tendency of listening and hearing what you want to hear. Quite often, as the group becomes more excited, the situation becomes more of a response than a practical conversation. The larger the group, the more chances this will degrade.

Today’s group was a little different. Three people from three different backgrounds enjoyed conversations about a little bit of everything. Some of the conversations were very pointed, and some were light-hearted. The interaction was positive and well-meaning, with three people enjoying their time together and smiling at the exchanges. We could have been three blind mice, but instead, the farmer’s wife missed, and we were a little more.

That’s just me, of course. There were two other viewpoints in the room, and they may agree or not agree. I hope they got the same satisfaction from our interactions and perhaps opened their minds as they opened mine. Every interaction with people is an opportunity to learn and grow. Today I learned a lot about two people, but it also offered me a path to consider my future and my growth as well. This is what good conversations should be.

I am pretty big on listening and hearing if you read much of what I write. It is an integral part of our existence and allows us the potential to grow more effectively. If we listen to respond, we do not offer ourselves the ability to process what is being said and instead focus on how we can interact in the conversation. People do both, but I hope we can get to a point in our society where people listen to hear and find far better responses.

So as the sun sets on another day, it was a good day. There was a whole lot going on and a lot of fun in between. I hope you enjoy every moment that you have and in the process meet new people and expand your horizons, no matter what.

Sleep sweet, love life, and listen…