Be Inspired For You

Wanted: more to inspire others and fewer to throw cold water on them…

Possibilities: Unlimited

Who knows…you may even land on the moon…

April 30, 2012 Posted by | Photos, Quote of the Week | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment

Yup, You Sure Can!

Yesterday I had the chance to sit and listen to someone talk who has been an inspiration to millions the world over.  I won’t name any names but I will leave you to guess for yourself who it is.

Sure, he has his critics.  Everyone does.  You have yours.  I have mine.  He has his.

But that does not seem to matter to him.

You can’t.  Of course you can’t.  There’s no way he can….There were so many people that said he could not do what he set out to do.  And he said not to pay attention to the “people that say you can’t, because those are the people who never could.”

If you have a passion, and you have a dream, and someone dares to tell you that there’s no way you could ever do that…

maybe they are the ones that need to evaluate who has their priorities straight.

You can if you will…you won’t if you can’t.

He may be famous the world over…

but it has not changed him.  He’s genuine.  He’s real.  He has his faults, his quirks, he has his strengths, he’s competitive, he’s funny, he has a way of telling stories that makes everyone laugh…he has a passion for what he does…

And he said, that in the end, he wanted his legacy to be known as “someone that’s made an impact on kids’ lives.”

That’s how he wants to have an impact.  In the end, will all of the other stuff that keeps the news in a frenzy about him really matter?

No.  In the end, what matters is that some little child who was brought to a Philippine orphanage in a small cardboard box was gathered into the arms of someone who loved her, was given food to eat, a special home to live in, a chance to live life like a child should.

Before her only chance was a small cardboard box…Now opportunities for her have no limit…they soar sky high with possibilities!

He finished by saying, “You never know when you’re in your fourth quarter, when you’re in your two-minute drill, so let’s try to finish strong now.”

For a gal who had an uncle play on NFL defense …touchdown!  This really hits it home for me.

My uncle is a strong person…he’s a strong person physically, but he’s also a strong person within as well.

Recently my uncle’s brother died.

My uncle is grieving.

He spoke quieter…the twinkle in his eye was no longer there….when I last went to see him….

he was missing the brother who played alongside both him and another brother on defense and helped lead their college team  (ironically my school’s hated rivals) to the National Championship two years in a row…his brother has scores of honors to his credit…first round draft pick of Tampa Bay Bucs…six-time All Pro…NFL hall of fame…etc etc…

But to my uncle, this man is the brother stood alongside him not only on the field but off the field…he is the dearly-loved little brother who suddenly passed away…and who my uncle is missing deeply…

….but he still kindly asked me what was in the works in my life for next fall.  My uncle is such a strong person.

So is Mr. Speaker.

Whoever you may be, you can be a strong person!

And by strong I don’t mean bullying and trying to control everyone in your pathway (remember, true strength may bring about power, but power does not bring about true strength), I mean strength as in…

knowing you have weaknesses but that you are trying to do the right thing…making a difference in the lives of those around you…

being secure and satisfied in who you are…and that means being genuine, being real.   A fake person is like someone who is caked in stage makeup, you’re left wondering whose really underneath????????????

Finish strong.

By this time, some of you are probably guessing the man behind the words.

Go ahead and try!  You’re probably right.

Whether you like him or not,  no one can argue that what he said is not important to all of us.  It is!   How are we making an impact?  What if this is your two minute drill?

Was it awesome to sit there and  hear him speak, candidly, about his life, his experiences, his beliefs, his passion for what he does?  Yup, sure was!

I was inspired by his stories…his words…his life…

Make someone else in your life inspired by yours.   :-)

M.E.

April 23, 2012 Posted by | Inspirations | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

To Dream the Impossible Dream

Just wanted to say that I haven’t forgotten you all.  Has it really been thirteen days since Easter?  Wow!  it seems like it has been months. And time is flying through to May.  
Been swallowed up in the assignments, the presentations, and everything required to satisfy demanding professors who expect me to play the role of Superwoman as a college student.
 
At the same time…you know everyone else is in the same boat as you are, yet they take the time out of their day to send you the assignment instructions that you lost for a paper due the next day.  They simply laugh when you lose your folder filled with all of their music, and just go and copy it again, and assure you again and again that it is not a problem.
These kind of people keep me believing that there is some part of the world that is still sane. 
Or they take the time to keep me sane.
Take for instance, yesterday…
How come you always look tired whenever I see you?  (duh?!!!  ;-) why do you think?     btw, that also isn’t exactly the thing to tell a woman)
 
I do?  Because I am!  How do I look–?  (I was going to ask how I looked tired, but I have a bad habit of never finishing a question…especially when I am tired)
Well …you look very nice.  (a very disarming, relaxed, cheeky grin)
Somehow this person has an amazing way of being honest with me and still keeping my good favor.  :-)
But you said I looked tired? (believe me, I was not trying to do any cross-questioning here)
When I see you you’re always like this… (sitting down and proceeding to give me a demonstration of what I have apparently been doing… leaning my head on my hand and turning my face sideways)
I was?  I didn’t realize I was doing that.  (I give up…I always end up giving up to this person, somehow they always end up being right)
Then I was given an order.
You go home and go to bed and get some rest.   (very kindly and but very seriously as well, I think that this person pretty much figured out that I needed to be told that)
This was something I wanted to hear, but at the same time did not want to hear.  Not when I have a paper due the next morning at twelve.   Not when I have to search for a creative website and present to the class the next day at 2.  Not when I have to…
Did I say I always give up?  I started thinking they might actually be right.  Besides, a hug and a squeeze goes a very long way in the art of persuasion.
I went home and slept for twelve hours….put aside everything…for the sake of some beauty sleep.  
The next day I awoke in time to go to my first class, and I could not believe how alive I actually felt! And very grateful to the person who insisted I get some rest!  It felt so good!  Apparently going to bed at 2 and waking up at 7 every morning is not exactly the schedule to suit my body. 
I was reminded once again that sometimes we have to set aside important things for the more important things.
Especially when  there are not enough hours in the day and definitely not enough hours in the night….
I am rambling again…something I tend to do when I am tired.  And you may be wondering what on earth this all has to do with dreaming an impossible dream?
I want to pass along to you some encouragement.
We all have situations in our life that make us wonder if we can survive through them.  They may be small things…they may be large things.
As of right now, mine may be stressing over Horror Week of School.  As of right now, yours may be as deep as someone you thought you trusted ripping your heart out and leaving you asking the deep pit of a question, “Why?”   This song which I have shared the link to pretty much has it all.
Take a moment out of your life and listen to this angel from heaven.   Little Jackie Evancho is only twelve years old…number two on the 2011 American album charts…but she is a package sent to America from heaven…a national treasure…an inspiration to us all…her voice will stun you… the sheer beauty and maturity of it is stunning, and she sings with passion and ease and comfort.  
“To try when your arms are too weary…to give when you have no more to give…’
Now I feel like marching out and conquering the world and all of its insanity…
I feel like saneness in the midst of insanity and the final Horror Weeks of School are actually possible.   There may just be a chance to stand strong in the midst of pressure. 
I am actually listening to this while I am writing this to you…because to be honest…I really am tired.
And wondering if surviving the last few weeks of playing Superwoman will actually be possible?
For those demons in your life….
Sometimes people cry not because they’re weak. It’s because they’ve been strong for too long.
You, my friend, are running “where the brave dare not go.”
Stay strong.  Stay true to yourself.  You will make it…and please be fair to your body…get some rest.  ;-)
For the star in your life that you are shooting for….dare to dream the impossible dream.
The world will be better for it…somebody, somewhere in the world needs you to stay true to yourself
And now, maybe I better bump taking a nap on my to-do list from last to first .  I’m sure Mr. Sane will appreciate it.
With lots of love,
M.E.
 
P.S. There are several different versions to this song.  These are some of my fave words: 
“To dream the impossible dream, To fight the unbeatable foe, To bear with unbearable sorrow, To run where the brave dare not go.
To right the unrightable wrong, To be better far than you are, To try when your arms are too weary, To reach the unreachable star,
This is my quest, to follow that star, No matter how hopeless, no matter how far, To be willing to give when there’s no more to give, To be willing to die so that honor and justice may live,
And I know if I’ll only be true to this glorious quest, That my heart will lie peaceful and calm when I’m laid to my rest,
And the world will be better for this, That one man scorned and covered with scars, Still strove with his last ounce of courage, To reach the unreachable star.”

April 21, 2012 Posted by | Uncategorized | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment

Happy Easter 2012!

A blessed Easter to all of you!  Hope it was a glorious day filled with sunshine, joy, and hope…hope you were able to squeeze in an Easter egg hunt or take a deep breath and enjoy the sunshine and the  lilies.  Hope you were reminded of what is most important on this day:  the love of an Almighty God who sent his only begotten Son to suffer on the cross and then rose from the grave so that we might live and celebrate Easter today.

Happy Easter 2012!

M.E.

P.S. The above is an excerpt from “Road to Happiness, Short Story,” which can be found on the main page of the blog.

April 8, 2012 Posted by | Inspirations, Photos | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment

   

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