My Most Prized Possession

People often tell me how I affect their lives in a positive way, but I rarely write about people who have affected my life in a positive way, at least not beyond the "general" sense.  But this has been a sweet week for me, in part because one of my dear friends and "little sisters" realized a great accomplishment this week, and her response to me for believing in her and encouraging her humbled me, and even made me a little teary (ever so briefly, says manly man.) But that will be another blog post.

In my office hangs a plaque, given to me some years ago by a tremendous friend -- Karen. I use only her first name because, well... she's shy, perhaps.  If she decides to identify herself further by commenting on this blog then you'll know.  But when I received the plaque from her, it was very humbling to me and truth be told... another one of those teary moments for me.  Why? Because this plaque, in it's few but tremendously powerful words, illustrated with a beautiful rendition of an eagle in flight -- epitomized what I try to do for people.  I love to help people and help them feel better about life and themselves.  I believe that's why I'm on the planet, and most of the things I do characterize that in some way.

This plaque, given to me all those years ago, has the same effect on me each and every time I read it. And I do not take for granted that anyone will feel this way about me every day, so each day I strive to continue to live up to these words, which I now present for your e-listening pleasure. May you strive to live up to them in YOUR life.  It reads:

EXCELLENCE: Excellence is the result of caring more than others think is wise; risking more than others think is safe; Dreaming more than others think is practical and expecting more than others think is possible.

To my friend Karen, thank you. These words continue to have the same effect on me as the day you gave them to me, and they always bring me back to a place of humility and gratitude.  Your gift -- this gift you gave me -- is in fact, my most prized possession.

Have a beautiful day, and life.

Kelvin

I'm Thankful For It All

It's been a beautiful year so far, not to be confused with a year where everything went as I'd planned. I've been a party to making some people happy, helping some dreams come true, facilitating some folks and helping them see through and beyond life's fog, and have had others do the same for me.  I've experienced some wonderful highs, and some less than wonderful lows, and there's a good chance I've been part of a low for someone else.

You  might think it ludicrous that I am thankful for the lows as well as the highs, but they both are part of the duality of life, so explains my friend Dr. Wayne Dyer (no, we've not met or talked by I call him friend anyway, because I have learned from him.) Because without a low, there is no high; without a back, there is no front.  Each of my experiences this year -- happy and not so happy -- has contained a lesson which has benefited me, and as we know... it takes struggle and resistance to make muscles strong.

Now, don't get me wrong.  I am pleased to say that my life has experienced predominantly ups... for which I am extremely grateful; but even within the disappointments, I can still point to momentous smiles, so I'm thankful for it all.  Among all the things I'm thankful for, I'd like to list a few of the most significant:

1. I am blessed with excellent health and vitality, often in spite of my apparent efforts to the contrary ;-)
2. I am blessed with the gift of speaking and writing that touches people's souls, and further blessed that many have let me know how I've affected them. That knowledge itself... is a gift beyond measure, for me.
3. I'm blessed with having some of the best and most caring friends a person can have; most of them I've met -- but some of them, I have not.
4.  I have been blessed to love -- and be loved -- on many different levels, and though the highs of that have not always lasted, the memory of them has.
5.  I am  blessed to see blue skies and sunshine, even in a storm, and blessed to hear birds singing, even when there is no sound.
6.  I am blessed to wake up each morning with a smile in my heart, if not on my face (but it catches up soon)  and blessed that something happens nearly everyday that leaves me -- at night -- feeling glad that I was part of that day.

7. I am blessed with a beautiful family, the shining stars of which are three awesome children who are healthy, self-sufficient, self reliant and all contributing to society in a meaningful way... and oh yeah... I'm pretty sure they all love me, too ;-)  Plus, I laugh almost daily with my 82 year old mom, though less frequently with my brother and sisters.

That's just the tip of my list... which goes very deep.  And, occasionally, I break out the long yellow pad and fill it up, just to keep perspective.

So today, my friends, as you celebrate Thanksgiving (and maybe even if you don't), when you give thanks,  however and to whomever you give thanks, please... do it with some degree of intensity. Make your list, so that when you say "thank you" it has some weight and mental energy behind it.  Someone once said that "love makes the world go round, but it's money that greases the wheels."  Personally, I think it's GRATITUDE that greases the wheels.


Have an absolutely incredible day, and thank you for allowing me to be a part of your life.

Appreciatively yours,
Kelvin