If Today Was Your Last Day
A few weeks ago, I wrote about the renegade pitchmen, Billy Mays and Vince Offer. I mentioned how I liked Vince’s on-air style better than Billy’s… and the next day, tragically, Billy Mays died.
Okay, I admit, that was a little spooky, to say the least. And sure, once he died, I felt kinda bad for saying I wasn’t a fan of the way Billy yelled at me in my own living room (from the TV). But I did make it clear that after watching several episodes of The Pitchmen, I had really grown to respect Billy as a businessman.
The day before Billy died, his son (Billy Mays III) sent me a message on Twitter saying he had read my blog post, and thought it was well-written. He also mentioned there was a personal aspect between Billy and Vince that I probably didn’t know about.
Hey, Billy III’s a good kid. He was one of my favorite people on The Pitchmen.
And that’s really what today’s article is all about…
= = = = =
Recently I wrote 10 back-to-school articles for Education.com, as a freelance writer. They’re all about how we can help our children do better in school… but not just by studying with them or giving them a place to do homework uninterrupted.
Most of my articles, not surprisingly, had an aspect of inner work about them. Overcoming fears and rejection, raising self-esteem, encouraging independent thinking… and Teach Your Child Personal Development.
When our children come into this world, they arrive as an empty cup, and it’s up to us to fill it with the best quality liquid we can.
Relationships, and how we interact with others, are vitally important in this lifetime. That’s what we come here to experience. Some people strive for fame and fortune instead… but of course, fame and fortune are not a replacement for human relationships. ANY human relationships.
A local businessman that Barry and I know is one of several brothers, and their father is a well-known “Christian” radio talk show host and entrepreneur. For their entire childhood, that father told the kids that they should have done better in this and that, no matter what they achieved. Now, while the other brothers followed in the father’s footsteps, the one we know still holds resentment over it, and has gone the complete opposite way.
And yet they’re all very successful, and our friend is the best in his field at what he does.
So, is pushing your children to do the best they can admirable? Or despicable? Is that tough love? Or just critical brow-beating?
At the opposite end of the spectrum, there was a trend a few years ago of giving blue ribbons or trophies to all the kids in team sports, whether they won or lost. The idea was to make them feel good for what they did… but it ended up teaching them that they should be rewarded for everything, no matter how hard they try (or don’t) and no matter what they achieve.
As a result, a whole generation of young people entered the work force expecting a free ride… to get paid when they didn’t put out any effort.
So is championing our children’s achievements, no matter how small, productive? Or counter-productive?
Or does it all just depend on the child? And if so… how do we know how what we do now will affect that child for the rest of his life?
I really think it depends on how it’s done. Certainly, celebrate the successes with gusto, but don’t be afraid to let the failures be reminders that not everything in life can go our way. The Universe is in a constantly adjusting balance, and every positive is countered by an equal and opposite negative. That’s just the way it is.
And letting our children feel the sting of disappointment is just as important as letting them feel the ecstasy of achievement.
Back to the point about fame and fortune:
In the few weeks before Billy Mays died, so did a whole slew of other well-known celebrities. First it was David Carradine. Then Ed McMahon. Then Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett.
And most of them went through troubled times. Carradine was an alcoholic, McMahon was deeply in debt, Fawcett was battling cancer, and Jackson… well, Jackson was Jackson. ‘Nuff said!
Whether or not you like to admit it, all of these celebrities influenced our lives one way or another. They entertained us, or they sold us household cleansers (that really work!), or they were pinups on our bedroom walls. Hey, to this day, I have yet to meet anyone who doesn’t feel like getting up and dancing — or at least tapping their feet — when they hear the opening strains of the Jackson 5‘s “I Want You Back”.
They all left a legacy, showed drive and ambition, and had the ability to DO rather than just THINK their way to success. They all did the best they could while they were here.
But what about their relationships?
Michael Jackson was terrorized by his father, Joe, but reportedly was a great dad. Billy Mays was away on the road for most of Billy III’s childhood, but made up for it later. Farrah Fawcett had an up-and-down relationship with her troubled son, and yet left most of her millions to him. David Carradine and his actor father, John, both went through numerous divorces during their lives, but had some long-term marriages in the mix.
Again, it’s about the Universe being in balance… you just can’t have all ups.
And fame and fortune just doesn’t change that.
However, fame and fortune, even on a small scale, can certainly help you leave a legacy. And it can help you make a difference in others’ lives.
As a result, yes, it really is possible to have fame, fortune, AND quality relationships. You just have to expect the ups to come with the downs, and be okay with that instead of trying to hide under a fake veil of positivity.
You don’t have to shun money in favor of love, or vice versa. As Barry likes to say, “Love makes the world go round, but money pays for the trip.”
Who has more freedom… someone who’s broke? Or someone who has the funds to do what they want, when they want?
Who has more ability to help others… someone with money? Or someone who has neither money nor time to give, because they’re constantly slaving away, spending one to get the other?
Who has more ability to inspire the world… someone who’s in the public spotlight, that people pay attention to? Or someone who’s organizing a group of people to pray and send out positive thoughts?
The bottom line is, just as we need to encourage and teach our kids how to be their best, while taking disappointments in stride, we also need to help others on a grander scale. Humans are creative beings, and we come here to learn, grow, develop… and teach others what we know.
Sure, there are some of you who will say, “We don’t have to teach (or learn) anything, because we already know all there is!” And, well, yeah… that’s true on a spiritual level. But we’re talking about our physical life here, and as a human being, you DON’T know everything there is. It’s buried so deep in your subconscious, or so high in your superconscious, that you just can’t access it until you learn it again. Once you do, then you can teach it.
Teaching your children is a great start. Now what about pushing a bit further outside your comfort zone, and teaching friends… or strangers?
Write a blog. Create an e-book. Teach a class. You have skills and talents that nobody else on this planet has, and there are people who want to learn them.
When you pass on, back to the spirit plane, what are you going to leave behind? How many others will you have helped? Inspired? Motivated? Taught? Or pushed into action?
What are they going to say about you when you’re gone?
As the group Nickelback says, in “If Today Was Your Last Day”:
Against the grain should be a way of life,
What’s worth the price is always worth the fight.
Every second counts ’cause there’s no second try,
So live like you’re never living twice.
Don’t take the free ride in your own life.
There are some other great lyrics in this song, too… it’s probably their most motivational song, and the video has some very inspirational scenes at the end:
If today was your last day, what would you do differently? How would you treat your kids, your spouse, your partner, your friends, your business associates?
What would you teach people? And how would you do it?
Leave your comments below…
Your Partner in the Quest For
Living a Life Without Limits,
Filed under: Living-Dying, Love & Relationship Skills
Ever since you first interviewed me I felt that you were a gifted communicator. Over the years I’ve listened to other interviews with the same sense.
Your writing is an extension of that gift. From now on I’ll pay more attention to both. This article is wonderful.
Many blessings,
Tom
Great article, Heather. Thanks for reminding us that everyday truly is a gift and we need to make the most of it.
All I can say is wow.
When I was about 10 years of age, a grizzled old rancher told me the following after 2 of my cousins drowned on the same day.
“When you find out your going to die, and have anything left to do – You’ve lived wrong.”
I found it very profound then and still feel it illustrates a great truth/lesson about how one should conduct themselves on a daily basis.
Beautifully said. Today I am trying to sit and just do nothing…so that I may listen to my soul and here what it is saying to me–what guidance and direction it is trying to move me in to do just that–give back to the world what it has given to me in my special way.
Thank you for your reminder to treat everyone with love.
[Heather’s REPLY]:
Hi Kim,
I’m glad it inspired you, and I hope you get the guidance and direction you’re looking for.
As for reminding you to “treat everyone with love”… I didn’t actually say that, and neither did Nickelback. It’s an admirable feat to attempt, but it’s kinda like trying to be 100% positive 24/7… an exercise in futility.
Barry said it best recently (in response to someone who said “love everyone”): “Nah, Love ‘yourself’ & your family. The rest, admire & respect, if appropriate. Dogs love ‘everyone’ – humans, impossible!”
So… go ahead and treat everyone with respect, they do deserve that! 😉
cheers
Heather
In regards to your blog title: It should be “WERE” not “WAS” — as in “If Today Were Your Last Day” – Why would you send out an email with grammatical errors! Who could take you seriously when you don’t even take care to do this well . . .
[ Barry’s Reply ] —
And, here’s my question back to you:
Setting aside the fact that using “WAS” and “WERE” are both technically correct (depending on the level of Queen’s English that can be nitpicked or anal-lyzed — see below), why would you write and worry about it?
You remind us of the person who comes upon a stack of hay, sees a big fat ass nugget of GOLD sitting on top, and then walks away because it’s NOT supposed to be there, and instead she THINKS she’s supposed to be looking for the needle INSIDE the haystack.
In other words, Sarah, you’re majoring in minor shit and missing the GOLD (big picture) due to some morbid desire to nitpick and find the needle (the superficial DETAILS).
When you “let go” of OCD thinking, you begin to actually SEE and EXPERIENCE the beauty of life, in all it’s APPARENT flaws, right in front of your face.
And, by actually reading this post, you would have surmised (maybe) that the reason Heather decided to use “WAS” is because it’s actually the TITLE of the Nickelback song she references INSIDE the very post whose misuse (in your mind) of a word in the TITLE prevented you from reading and/or cherishing what’s important in the first place.
Get that? Holy smokes, I sure hope so!
NOTE: now, since you’re being a grammar “Hall Monitor,” let’s get into it:
There are TWO points of view on the use of “was” vs. “were”. PRESCRIPTIVISM (encompassing text-book essay-type writing) says that you’re right, you need to say “were” because it’s a “contrary to fact” condition… meaning that it’s, presumably, NOT your last day.
DESCRIPTIVISM, on the other hand, says that “was” is now acceptable as an alternative because of the fact that the English language is an ever-evolving organic thing, just like the Universe itself, and since so many people now say “was” it’s no longer incorrect. Conversational speech (as on our blog… ALWAYS) and art (as in Nickelback’s song) favor descriptivism over prescriptivism.
Bottom line: If you only want to read crap that’s 100% grammatically correct and sterile, then stick to corporate white papers and institutional textbooks. Enjoy! (Ummmm…. yeah!)
As for the rest of us, we choose the natural appeal of the wonderfully changing and conversational aspects of our language.
I am the father of 6 lovely children (girl, girl, boy, boy, girl, girl), all born within 9 years and 4 days. All of them now have their own children and I am an 80 years of age grandfather of 12 grandchildren.
Heather, your article is FABULOUS and I am sending it on to my kids and ask them to get it to their kids, the oldest one of which will marry in January 2010.
We had plenty of difficulties to overcome with 6 in a row, but in our days (1962-1972) it was easier in employment, schooling and even socially.
Indeed, in general people want only the positive but are unwilling to accept that there are negatives to cope with as was the case when our first two daughters were hit by a car when only 7 and 8 1/2 years of age. As you said, in our physical form we have to be prepared to accept discrepancies, allow them but do then the best you can to equalize the situation.
Always, ALWAYS, ~~~~ irrespective of whatever, ALWAYS give LOVE to your children. (Like Barry got from his father!!) The rewards we, now grandparents, get is amazing. There is so much Love in the whole family and with the kids, a “unity” where each one cares for the other one.
Heather, I am sure you, Barry and your son will experience the same. Peace and love, René.
Thanks, Heather,
This really helped put a spark “under me” to get busy and do what needs to be done! I just realized tonight that I need to get my life back if I’m going to be any good to anyone else. I need to focus on who and what are important to me and let go of what’s not. Thanks agian.
OMG..Barry. Nice come back to Sarah. I think we all felt relieved there.
Everything about today’s article was perfectly placed and timely to say the least. We need to hear these things more often as we get so overwhelmed with the BS of daily living. Too many people die with the “music” still in them.
Good Job!
Heather,
Your article was well written, and your subject, quite valuable! Thank You.
Barry,
Your rebuttal to Sarah S.’s comment was (is)…lol.. quite disappointing! What did you hope to accomplish?……’to change Sarah’s attitude? Yeah,.right!….’to,maybe, prove your intelligence by stooping to her level?…. You could consider that your readers are intelligent enough to recognize an example of low self esteem [ i.e., Sarah’s grammar nitpicking ] as a temporary diversion! Shame on both of you for managing to divert our attention from Heather’s valuable content !!!
[ Barry’s Reply ] —
Mike, it’s this kind of belief — that irrational and irrelevant commentary should be IGNORED or un-confronted — that truly causes this country to behave like a bunch of self-loathing, head-in-the-sand, you-do-your-thing-and-I’ll-do-mine schleps. But, look, you confronted me on something you felt I should have NOT done, just like I did with Sarah. So, I respect that about you. So, be “okay” with your approach in speaking out and don’t lean on some holier-than-thou totem pole when somebody else does the same thing. Not everybody is going to speak-out just like you. So, respect that when it happens instead of trying to come up with some lame excuse (like me/us diverting your attention, when quite honestly you wouldn’t have read my coarse reply to Sarah until AFTER you read Heather’s post anyway).
At the risk of going on a interesting slide down “intelligence stooping” (as you would see it), I’ll just stop here and go with what change-maker and thought-provoker Bill Maher would say [ closely paraphrased ]:
“This is what I believe. Yeah, you can believe something else, but I’m going to say why it’s dumb.”
HINT: In another words, Mike, confronting stupidity is NOT stooping to stupidity’s level. It’s plainly TEACHING why the stupidity is stupid. Get it ? If not, read some of my PAST posts and/or start watching “Real Time With Bill Maher”
P.S. There’s a REASON — a very method-behind-the-madness one — that one week we’ll interview a gal named, say, Sonia Choquette, who has a book titled “The Answer Is Simple…. Love Yourself, Live Your Spirit” and then the very next week turnaround and interview a guy named Larry Winget, who has a book titled “People Are Idiots And I Can Prove It.” It’s about exploring and experiencing a broad spectrum of mindsets, approaches, and responses to living. We’re not about boxing ourselves in, in some pretty happy-go-lucky package with a bow, here at LWL.
That really is a wonderous thought. Would today be the day that I hold myself accountable? To myself.
Would today be the day that I remember that as God’s creations we are all worthy of our biggest dreams? And afford that same right and encouragement to my brethern?
Would today be the day that I not offer, nor accept any excuses?
Would today be a day that despite knowing you wouldn’t see the sitting sun be a day of hope, faith, and encouragement?
But I have hope that each day gets better than the last, so why would I dwell too much on ,”If today was my last day.” Not saying you are.
Doesn’t seem to go very far. Make each day better and it doesn’t much matter when the last day is.
I remember an ‘ole sayin’, “You either have enough time or you don’t, not much you can do about it either way.
-Lyn
Hi Heather:
WOW …
May This Be My Lesson For Today and Every Day!
my Blogs:
http://www.energyefficientbuild.blogspot.com
http://www.yogia-attackonmumbai.blogspot.com
http://www.yogi–anand.blogspot.com
I thought the article was awesome, I actually am very busy and sometimes don’t have time to read all my e-mails, but ironically I read the Billy Mays article and was blown away that he died the next day. I thought the song was great, and the grammar police was rude. Your response was right on. I actually had someone use a typo as an excuse to say my company’s website was unprofessional, her loss, we just had men proofreading it, but now they have me, so, no worries. PEACE, PAM
Heather…as always you deliver the heart and soul of problem solving. I am experiencing seeing my own mistakes in raising my child by observing him parent my grandchildren. It is both inspiring and horrifying to watch how a 5 and 2 year old react to their father(My Son).
He leads them in ways I lead him and he empowers them in ways I empowered him but…he disciplines differently and it tears me apart inside to observe. Nothing abusive is going on but just “tough love” at the ages these guys are goes against my better judgment ( I spelt that wrong for Sarah). I believe we need more nurturing but he thinks “nurturing is spoiling”. Hey…I think spoiling is what grandparents are made for. We can see all the value and goodness in life and we just want to pass it on.
I was especially inspired by the lyrics of Nickelbacks’ song.
I am currently waiting for a kidney transplant and I do dialysis 3 times a week. I am only 53 yrs old so all of a sudden I am facing mortality and I realize that what I do from now on has to make a difference in the lives of others.
Not just family but everybody…We are all family anyway… Not just financially but spiritually and expressing the value of time so that those I can influence understand how little we all have and the need for using it to make a difference. And of course like Rene says…we all need to work on the love and last but not least…HUMOR!
Thanks Guys…Good Stuff..
Wow a very powerful article.
The response on the justification for the grammatical discrepancy was facinating.
Personally I believe a polite thank you would have done it.
[ Barry’s Reply ] — riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight and that’s our style…. somebody acts like an idiot and we just say “Thank You.” or “Ahhh, yes, your asinine mis-guided nitpicking about our choice of word in a blog title is so so, how shall I say, beautiful.” Again, riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight. I do believe my reply to Mike above clarifies, in more detail, what I’ve just said to you Vic.
Hi Heather, Thank you for taking the time to write such heart felt words. It is obvious that you are a mother and one who relishes the role. You’re sentiments rang true even to a woman who has not yet known motherhood. Your word–well, they were sparkling and true. As I stated, I don’t have children but have for some time observed how parents behave towards their own, after all, we all had a ‘childhood’. . . I’m 38 and have just recently discovered what a ‘blog’ is. (I know Dork!) I have to admit I saw your emails and more times than I can count I deleted them, simply thinking well, just some more ‘junk’ mail. Little did I know what I was missing? I truly enjoy reading what you and your husband have to say. This is only the second time I’ve read the blog and so far, you’ve got my attention. Fresh, ivocative, insightful and intelligent and right on!!! You’ve held me captive. I now have a greater appreciation for the subject of parenthood-what a weighty responsibility it is. . . For so long I considered my own generation a bit lost, but I see there’s so much hope. Kudos to you for examining your path- for the sake of your (our ) progeny. Finally, behold! The world is done with dodging glances. WE are finally asking the pertinent questions and speaking to each other-what a gift our technology is! I like to think that perhaps our own parents would have asked the questions our own generation poses if they thought for a second anyone was out there listening or even cared – You know at times I think, how isolated they must have felt? They didn’t have the public forum we have today. . . We are lucky indeed to have this medium of communication and thinking conscience beings as yourself . . .Warm regards, MAV.
Great article! As we go about making a living, it’s so easy to lose track of the most important things in our life. We need to stop occasionally, or have someone stop us, and be reminded of the big picture.
I was inspired by that song the first time I heard it. So much that I shared it with my readers back in May. You could read
my take on the using the song in your life here:
http://photoshophouseofcards.blogspot.com/2009/05/if-today-was-your-last-day.html
Regarding the comment on “love” ….
It is possible for one to “LOVE” every person on the planet, once one learns to love oneself with all your own flaws, then it is much easier to accept that other people have flaws as well. To love someone does not mean that you put that person ahead of yourself. Nor does it mean that you do not expect them to learn and grow just like you do. For me, loving others means to honor the spirit inside them as I honor the spirit inside myself, and to forgive them as I forgive myself for my own mistakes and errors in judgement.
Love is choice. It is the most powerful positive emotion known to mankind. It should be encouraged as much as possible. For once we learn to manifest it more fully, change will come more easily. But again, it is a personal choice. Not everyone will choose love. And I’m ok with that.
Great article! I appreciate the encouragement to show love to our children by encouraging them in every way we can, to be the best that they can be.
Unconditional love is just that, unconditional. I think a parent would do well to teach a child how to discover their own unique joy and formulate their own definition of what success is.
I think oftentimes well intentioned parents project their own definitions which causes a child to comply, creating the illusion of happieness. Even the definition of love is as unique as the individual.
Good stuff for sure-
I’d like to add that nobody has a clue as to what the world will look like in 5 years and yet we educate our children for the future. Kids are not frightened about being wrong. Society beats that into them. Education systems are set up to focus on mistakes thus paving the way for fear of failure and becoming stuck. The education system is educating children out of their creative capacity. Educating them away from their own inner guidance.
Well meaning parents are doing the same thing because they have been educated away from their inner guide and creative souls.
Picasso once said that “all children are born artists..” The challenge is to remain an artist as we grow up. We don’t grow into creativity, we grow out of it, we get educated out of it.
Every education system has hierarchies, beginning with math, languages, humanities and at the bottom is arts. Art and music are normally given a higher status than drama and dance. Why isn’t there a education system that teaches dance as much as math?
Our current education system was built to meet the needs of industrialism. The hierarchies are based on a couple of ideas.
First, the most useful subjects for work should be at the top of the education system. Most of us were steered away from things that we loved to do as a kid such as art, music and dance. We were told to focus on math because we would never be successful as an artist or musician. Focus on math, language and science because that is what you need to focus on to be successful…You’ll never become an artist…
Profoundly mistaken.
Second is academic ability which has really come to dominate our idea of intelligence. The universities have designed the educational system in their image. Think about it, from pre-school on our kids are being educated in such a way that sets them up for university entrance exams! The consequence of this design is that many brilliantly talented children are being stifled and steered away from their hearts passion. They are being taught that they are not talented or creative, because what they are really good at in school isn’t valued.
In the next 30 years, world wide, more people will be graduating through the educational systems since the beginning of history. It is the combination of technology and its transformation effect on work and demography along with a huge explosion in population. A degree won’t be worth anything. You can already see the shift. Not many years ago a BA would get you a pretty high paying job, now the same job description requires a PhD…and so on and so on. It is a procee of academic inflation. There are highly educated people who are unemployed and have been for months, even years. We need to radically rethink our view of intelligence.
It is diverse. We know we think about the world in all of the ways we experience it. Some people are visual learners, some kinesthetic learners, and some are auditory learners. We think in abstract terms, in movement.
It is dynamic intelligence-it is wonderfully interactive. The brain isn’t devided into compartments. In fact creativity can be defined as original ideas that have value which more often or not come about by the different diciplinary way of seeing things (perspective).
It’s distinct.
We need to adopt an educational system that is one of capacity, one that allows, in fact, one that nurtures our children to their greatness. The current education system has and continues to mine our minds in the same way that we strip mine the earth…removing layer after layer of fertile soil and eroding it until bedrock for a particular commodity. This way of education and thinking will no longer serve us. The shift is already occuring in the required level of education and it isn’t working. The number of children who are diagnosed as ADD and on medication, being told to sit down, sit still and be quite is at record highs. These children do not need to sit down, sit still and be quiet. On the contrary, they need to be allowed to remain connected to who they really are and to what brings them passion and happiness.
We have to rethink the fundamental education we provide our children. We have to use the gift that was bestowed upon all of us at birth…use the power of your minds and follow your heart to the ends of greatness.
Our children come into this world knowing how to do just that. We all did. We can continue to empower our selves and our children to realize greatness as well as be in a position of powerful creating in the existing educational system.
We can see our creative capacities for the richness they provide. We can see our children for the hope they provide. As parents our task is to educate, nurture and empower our children for the wholeness of their being.
And if little Johnny falls and skins his knees that is okay. Be a powerful supporter of your kids experience(s) bumps bruises along the way are part of life. It’s all in how you look at it.
If today was your last day would you have any regrets about the way your beleifs held you back? What about the transfer of those beleifs to your kids…any regrets?
Thanks for letting me get on my soap box.
Cyndi
Cyndi
That is merely the conditioned mindset that closes itself off to all the possiblities that exsist. None are right and none are wrong, its all perspective. 🙂
Dear Heather,
Your post reminds me of another experience that has been burned into my own mind daily…
A few years ago, our daughters’ Sunday school teach had a 19 year old daughter who died in a tragic car accident on the way to school.
She later told us that the night before, she was pre-occupied with something when it was time for goodnight hugs, and she simply gave her daughter a quick hug. Her daughter stopped her and said “hey, I want a REAL hug.”
That provided a sufficient “interrupt” for the mom, and she stopped what she was doing to gave her daughter a full-bodied and heartfelt warm embrace, fully focused on the moment. She told her how much she loved her, and threw in an extra squeeze just for good measure…
THAT was the last embrace they ever had!
Heather – stories like the above, and articles like yours are the things that “interrupts” are made of.
For those of us who are fortunate to know you and have the opportunity to experience your class and wisdom – we will forever take your messages forward with us in life. The difference your profound message will make, may never even be truly known to even ourselves – and yet could make all the difference in the world!
Thank you dear – you are a shining light and hold a place in all of our hearts!
BARRY: I totally & completely resonate with your reply to “Susan!” Kudos to you for your reply and eloquently illustrating her absurdly misplaced focus.
Perhaps only those of us who sweat blood and tears daily to fulfill our passion of impacting lives in all that we do, can relate to the reaction that you had – I surely can and do!
Susan will likely never “get it,” but for those who thought your reaction was excessive, perhaps it served to give even greater insight into the “passion behind the purpose” with which you and Heather impact all of our lives daily.
Don’t ever stop being YOU! We love ya!
Stephanie & The Mulac Family Marketers
Yes Thomas-
That is exactly my point. Conditioned mindsets can hold one back from greatness.
Cheers!
Hey Barry
I appologise. I think a part of me is still sorting through some feelings I didn’t know exsisted.
I couldn’t agree more with your basic philosophy. I had a conversation with a man who was celebrating the new president. I blew his bubble all to he%$, and then some. I ended the conversation by saying the american people should be ashamed of themselves for putting bushie in charge.
People wonder why the economy is in the crapper. At the core of it is the survival mentality. I bet the comedians are eating it up too. Only in america can an executive be rewarded for driving its company into the ground.
A little off subject but a note about the so called education system in this country.
I believe it is designed to turn out a people of robots who dutify perform certain tasks that society has determined needs doing.
It is a way of controlling the masses. The schools/society install certain triggers or buttons and then ‘they’ (whoever you choose to think ‘they’ represent) push those buttons/triggers for the response needed/desired.
We have traded away our inborn/spirit authority for an outside authorized authority that says among other things, get an good education, a job, draw a paycheck, work for 40+ years retire on SS and don’t even think you can do something else.
I think that is what is happening to a lot of families today. He/She goes to work at a dull boring job, comes home with that same dull boring mindset and instills it in the home and children. I feel that is part of the breakup of the family unit too. An act of desperation by one member to claim what is rightfully theirs’ but that they can’t identify. Of course a strong family unit does nothing to solidify control of the masses so a weakened family is part of the scheme.
Plain and simple the public school system is a cult but it is not broken. Sorry if I got off subject a bit but maybe if today was my last day I could use it give someone the perspective of what freedom really was and looked like 50 years ago in the USA.
Sadly at the time I didn’t know I was being indoctrinated into this group think mentality, that has me at 58 on disability and dependent, at least momentarily, on SS. I do look for that to change.
-Lyn
Hey Lyn
I agree with you. Its unfortunate though we have been sold out. While I must admit our president is of a higher caliber than his oponent his belief is there is nothing wrong with the school system.
Personally I think politics is a dinosaur whos time has come to die, lol. I urge you to be the difference you wish to see in this world. I started a letter that I’m going to finish writing to the white house.
Maybe its time to start a revolution in our own country. Boston tea party and all the glory that comes with it. A no holds bar fight for real freedom. Their definition of democracy is so tainted. Its like a soldier goes to battle and dies for your freedom. This maybe true and on the other side of the coin we have salesmen and women sitting in power taking away our freedoms by telling us how we are supposed to live.
Here’s a simple analogy of what I believe. If I were the president who was making the choice for war I would do it so differently it would blow people’s minds. In my heart if I thought it would make a difference I would require everyone to participate and pay for it as well.
I would serve 6 months, my staff would serve 6 months, congress would serve 6 months, and all the couch potato’s out there that supported that idea would also be required to serve.
At the same time I would respect and honor all those who dont wish to participate in legalized murder. You see I’ve discovered during the course of my life that violence solves absolutely nothing, except to fuel feelings of hatred.
Hey Adam
I can honestly relate to what your saying. I too was feeling trapped by my own beliefs. Now whether they were conditioned or not doesn’t matter.
I too bought all that crap thats being peddled by new age spiritual teachers. Quite frankly I’m here to say it didn’t work. All it did was frustrate me even more.
The biggest benifit to it though is it finally led me in the right direction. I did find something that works. I hope you find it too.
First, let me begin by saying that I’m not sure I have the resolve needed to fight for liberty.
The song, “Star Spangled Banner” came about because an English Warship bombed the fort in Baltimore harbor, aiming to quit firing once the flag fell. Unbelievably the flag still stood at the dawns early light.
What kept the flag standing though were the bodies of the men and women that gathered at its base to keep it upright and who believed in a cause greater than themselves.
Do any of us believe in a greater cause?
Remember these people at the fort did nothing as agressors they refused to surrender.
They believed in “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.”
All those rights are not granted but bestowed on us as humans from our Creator and are best pursued as individual actions without harm to others.
Sadly I can think of no government in the world today that fits that bill.
-Lyn
Barry & Heather,
I eagerly read all your emails. For some unknown reason this is my first visit to your blog. Your material is always timely and so well presented. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and insight which inspire and motivate me.
-Gerald
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