Discounted

Dismissed

Disregarded

Disrespected

Disengaged

I’m not

In my sights, locked

Out of choice

Back to the wall

My place of comfort

I’m back

Ready for action

Grass roots level

Tried to bury me

Not realizing like seeds

I’m meant to grow

From the dust

Still I rise

Like a phoenix

Brushing off ashes

As I fly

 

Now read backwards.

Ever notice how during a rain storm everyone is darting off into their car or work.  Even huddling with strangers in any alcove they can find trying not to get wet.  Putting on hats, galoshes, a raincoat, and the biggest umbrella they can find.  All so they can avoid one of the most necessary things in life.

As they run around trying not to get wet they are forgetting that flowers need rain in order to bloom.  So next time its raining forget the umbrella and let it rain on you.  Feel the rain wash over you, even for just a moment, knowing you to will bloom because of it.

Looking at my reflection

Off the chrome domed lighter

Smoking a cuban

Pen in hand

All within reach

Aromatic smell lifts me

Seltzer my drink of choice

Vintage setting

Lived in color

Not everything is black and white

Birds chirping

Sun shining bright

No rose colored glasses impeding my sight

Smoke hovering just overhead

Enjoying the rhythm of nature

With my bride who shares my bed

Consider this quote…

Luck is not a factor.

Hope is not a strategy.

Failure is not an option.

-James Cameron, Filmmaker

Failing to anticipate

You become reactionary

Jumping from fire to fire

Like a fireman you stop, drop, and roll

Wasting precious time, money, and energy

You need to see around corners

Keen enough know the future is already in your midst

Do the hard part first

Breaking down the constraints, piece by piece

Liberate yourself from the poor job your doing as a fireman

Begin to anticipate

You deserve some peace

“My vision of the future sustains my present agony.” -Lee Brower

Use your vision to fuel you pass the struggles of today.  Knowing the sacrifices being made are helping you to build a bigger future.  Let it propel you forward – pa’lante.  Use your vision as an instrument or a “How to” manual to reverse engineer what you need to focus on to get you where you want to go.

One of the easiest ways to get people in motion is to point out the low hanging fruit. Better yet have them point them out.  As they begin to see and harvest those easy to reach wins something changes inside of them.

What first starts off as entertainment begins to reap results.  Everyone loves an easy win. What would be an easy win for you or your team?

Once people start getting those wins they begin building momentum and winning becomes harder to stop.  Pretty soon they realize they have harvested all the low hanging fruit around them.

Soon they set their sights upon other plots of land with even more fruit to pick.  The different more exotic ones intrigued them.  So they venture into the unknown learning and harvesting fruit unlike they had ever seen before.

They develop new skills, tools, and capabilities enabling them to reach those which were once unattainable.  Gaining greater confidence, courage, and commitment they become pros at seeking out, finding, and harvesting the low hanging fruit where ever they go.

Seeing that stillness

Comes from within

It’s a choice to make

No one to blame

Nothing to seek

Just learn to be

Matters not

Whether adorned in fine silk

If you soul is dipped in silt

Coarse dress

Simple food

High thought

Taking a Stoic’s pose

Reveling with not

While others can’t do with out

Elevating your stature through simplicity

Walking pass the gawkers

Marveling at statues of the past

Your present knowing

Happiness ensues

And cannot be pursued

The word lie is in believe

Yet we still do

No needing to see, hear, touch

To know there is something more

Faith

Sustains us

Nourishes & maintains us

Showing us beauty in all things

We bow our heads

Raise up our spirits

Proclaiming with our voices out-loud

Believing in our faith

Doing onto others as we would want done onto us

We are one

United under the same Grace

No matter

The sex, creed, or race

Look into yourself

To see what your made of

The thoughts you keep

Are evidence of what you’ll keep

Be them negative & that’s what you’ll have

Be them positive & that’s what you’ll be

Make the connections

Connect the dots

Peer into your soul

Looking at yourself in the eye

Don’t look away

Try not to cope with a bottle or up in smoke

There’s hope inside

And it will help you see

Your beautiful

From top to bottom

The self doubt creeps

Is just you losing sight

Of all that is right

Within you