“You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have." Breast Cancer Survivors Unless you have been completely absent from our world, you know that October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. There are lots of fundraising events. TV, radio, newspapers and Internet connections all provide substantial visibility into the many organizations involved with cancer research and support for patients who are currently in treatment. This week, I will be speaking … [Read more...]
The Green Plastic Can
When you have confidence, you can have a lot of fun. And when you have fun, you can do amazing things.” Joe Namath Occasionally, my mom called me the “G-Man.” ‘G’ stood for garbage. She called me by that name whenever it was time for me to take out the trash – one of a number of chores I had been assigned. In the beginning, I did not like any part of this job. But, it belonged to me, and the “G-Man” moniker became one of my infrequent nicknames. I did not mind the label. I hated the … [Read more...]
Kite Flyer
“Pilots take no special joy in walking. Pilots like flying.” Neil Armstrong During a visit to our condo in Orange Beach, my sister Janice assembles a kite she bought at the local Al’s 5 & 10 Store. This kite is sophisticated and unlike the basic model flown by young kids every day . . . without their parents help. With sophistication comes some difficulty. Janice and I are joined by another of our sisters, Dianne, in an open grassy field. ‘Pilot Janice’ is holding the string while … [Read more...]
Long Hair
“How did you go bankrupt?” ‘Two ways. Gradually, then suddenly.’ ~ Ernest Hemingway, The Sun Also Rises “I’m not crazy. I have just been in a bad mood for 40 years!” bellows Quiser Bordeaux, the character portrayed by Shirley MacLaine in the popular 1989 movie, Steel Magnolias. My wife Carol loves this quote and I have heard her exclaim it on more than a few occasions when attitude was the central topic of a conversation. All of us have witnessed … [Read more...]
Routines Are Not Routine
“It’s not the will to win that matters – everyone has that. It’s the will to prepare to win that matters.” Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant Have you ever noticed the routines that golf professionals go through as they get ready to make a shot? There are a number of common steps that most pros will perform. Checking with the caddy for distance to the hole, paying attention to current wind speed, and identifying hazards, are some of these elements. While steps in these routines are common among the … [Read more...]
The Best Day Ever
“Things turn out best for the people who make the best out of the way things turn out.” Art Linkletter Today is the day when my family moves into the first home we ever owned. My wife Carol and our two daughters, Kelly and Kim, spend the day moving furniture and boxes into our new residence on Church Street in Mobile, Alabama. The first goal of moving is to transport everything into the house. Unpacking may take weeks, possibly months. It is late in the afternoon when the last box is … [Read more...]
Mondays are great if you start with a positive attitude.
Here is what Michael, Charles and others say about attitude. "You altitude in life depends on your attitude in life." Zig Ziglar "Always turn a negative situation into a positive situation." Michael Jordan "Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year." Ralph Waldo Emerson "The greatest discovery of all time is that a person can change his future by merely changing his attitude." Oprah Winfrey "Hope is a waking dream." Aristotle "If you think you can do a … [Read more...]
I Think I Can
Do you remember the story of The Little Engine That Could? This classic story, published in the New York Tribune in 1906, can be traced back to a sermon by Reverend Charles Wing, a pastor in Brooklyn, New York. In the tale, the engine of a train carrying toys to the village over the mountain breaks down. Along comes a little engine, small in size that has never been given such a huge task. The little engine does not know for sure that it can be successful. It starts with the thought “I think … [Read more...]
Mondays are Great if You Have a Centerfielder
Who is a ‘Centerfielder’? The person who makes great plays in your life. He is the one whom you can call at 2:00am and know that he will come to your aid. He tells you what he thinks – not just what you want to hear. He desires success for you. Seeking no recognition, money or reward, he celebrates your victories. When you win, receive a prize or get a promotion, your ‘Centerfielder’ is in the audience. As you go to the podium, he remains in the background, out of the limelight. But you know … [Read more...]
Mondays are Great
The Mondays Are Great philosophy had its beginning for me 38 years ago. In the early challenges of starting a transportation company, often I made the actual deliveries. While delivering a package and obtaining a signature, I would fill those idle seconds with conversation, as most of us do in those moments -- “How are you,?” and “How is it going?” were my frequent questions. I was excited every moment of the day, including during those delivery experiences, because I was living my dream -- … [Read more...]
