Questioning Success and Change

“Do not let the memories of your past limit the potential of your future. There are no limits to what you can achieve on your journey through life, except in your mind.”

-- Roy T. Bennett, inspiration author

How do you ask for encouragement?

Probably the only good thing about being your own person, knowing yourself, is your lack of need for the encouragement of others. My dad, bless his soul, was not a good father in that respect, so I was always left being my own encouragement. I failed much but, finally, I got my legs under me. I don’t ask for encouragement, I ask for assistance. I am pretty good at owning my shortcomings and seeking the assistance of those better qualified. I watch and I learn. My experience in a corporate setting is if you constantly seek encouragement you will constantly find yourself seeking encouragement. Become your own person. Be happy with who you are and own your honesty when you need assistance, and then learn. If not now, then when?

How do I get people to apply to be a contributor to my space?

Don’t make them apply. People hate to apply. I think it makes people feel less than you like you’re judging them. I have been blogging for over seven years and I ask everyone to comment or give constructive criticism. Those that can’t be constructive get the ax. These are, usually, the ”League of the Perpetually Offended” who seem to be always after me for one reason or another. Ask everyone to contribute, but lay down your very short list of common-sense guidelines. Good luck!

What are some life-changing things I did yesterday?

Uh… I don’t know what you did, or how it changed your life. Tell me. Is this a trick question, or do you think I'm stalking you?

“Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.”

-- Rob Siltanen, advertising CEO 

What immediately changed your day from good to awful?

Other than death, I locked myself out of the house and my girlfriend was at work. Without my keys, wallet, or money, I sat around cursing and laughing at myself over my stupidity for several hours. A waste of my day. I felt awful until I settled down, then I realized my mom had a spare key right next door. I spent the next several hours cursing and laughing at myself over my stupidity until my girlfriend got home so she could laugh with me.

Reader Comment:  Yes, it can happen. We have a spare key under the brick outside the house in our garden flower bed. I put it in a plastic bag to save it from rust.

My Response:  And, now, everyone knows where it is.

Would life be better if we didn't live by the construct of time?

Yes and no. Time gives a structure to our reality. Unfortunately, it is also a cause of heart disease, high blood pressure, stress, frustration, unhappiness, and such. There is never enough of it. Would we be better off? Perhaps, but we’d never know when to start and we’d always be late. That and her husband might come home earlier than expected.

How do you rescue yourself if you are in danger?

I throw myself a life-preserver. The trick is to make good judgment calls so you never find yourself in that predicament. I do not skydive. I do not free-climb. I do not go for a stroll through burning buildings. I do not live above the second floor. I do not have pythons for pets. I do not cheat with another man’s wife. Basically, I don’t do anything that can get me killed. Sooner or later luck simply runs out. I’d rather live to be a ripe old age being happy always.

“Devotion to self is necessary. First, place the mask on yourself and breathe deeply. Then help the others. If you don’t save yourself, they will die.”

-- Dan Groat, author

 What object is very precious to you, but lives with someone else?

My previous life. I had to give it to my ex-wife.

Consider the following ideas: Activist, hunger, corruption, heartless ruler, technology-savvy, mediocrity, success, confidence, modular learning, synchronous. What are their commonalities and distinctions?

Take “success” out of the mix and my first blush was socialism or communism, neither of which has ever been really successful due to the hunger, corruption, and heartless rulers.

Why can you live, even if the world is not good?

Life is about making the right choices and decisions. It is about learning from the choices and decisions we make. Why we live is a choice each of us must make to continue to rise above our circumstances and do better in our lives. Do not dwell over things for which you have little or no control, like the world. Focus on your little piece of it and, when you have controlled that, expand your circle of influence. Most importantly, strive to be happy always.

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”

-- Leo F. Buscaglia (1924-1998), author, motivational speaker, professor

How important is one's childhood experience in determining their success as an adult?

I don’t think the experience is as important as how the child deals with the experience. Good or bad, if the child learns the lessons of what they, or others, go through in life, they will be better prepared to deal with situations that might hold them back from being successful. This takes good parenting which, unfortunately, is lacking in almost every social and economic level in society. Politically, this is why cowards congregate together, riot, burn down stores, loot, and attack people from behind. They have no good social or moral values.

Where are normal people from?

Define normal. 

What does the quote, "Life changes fast. Life changes in the instant. You sit down to dinner and life as you know it ends,” mean?

Change is the only true constant in the universe. The past is gone and the future may not arrive. As each moment ends, your life up to that moment is just a memory. Moment to moment, your life is constantly changing with everything else that is constantly changing.  All we really have is now, this moment, now this moment, and now this one, and so on.  This is why it is so very important to be happy always.

How does it feel to be the best at work?

You’re always walking the cusp of failure. You are constantly tasked with weighing your ethics against the job and whether the job is worth the cost of being the best if it requires questioning your ethics. Better to just do the job the best you can and not worry about being the best. Enjoy what you do and assist others in their success. If your ethics allow you to rise, so be it. Better to just be happy always.

“Always dream and shoot higher than you know you can do. Do not bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself.”

-- William Faulkner (1897-1962), author, writer

What was that moment in your life when you said enough is enough and you learned to stop standing on ceremony? In other words, when did you learn to put an end to other's needs before your own?

My second tour in military intelligence when someone repeated, for the umpteenth time, “It’s the way we’ve always done it.” Intelligence, really? How about we think outside the box, for once, and really do the job we’re being paid for? I showed them the better way, which was contrary to the regulation, and then set about changing the regulation. It wasn’t that hard. Most things, not rocket science, aren’t.

What are the 3 things that make life worth living?

Good bourbon, good food, and great sex. When you get older and sex falls to the side, being happy always is a great replacement.

How do I grow as a person and be as perfect as I can?

You asked the question, you are as perfect as you can be. Now, you can grow as a person. Have a moral sense of ethics, and hold them dear. Treat others well. Live life fully. Be happy always.

My mom asked me what I wanted since I help her out, but I don't know what I want. Do you have any suggestions?

She gave you life. Tell her you helped her because you love her, not because she owes you any more than she’s already given you. Then, smile and give her a big hug.

“From her thighs, she gives you life
And how you treat she who gives you life
Shows how much you value the life given to you by the Creator.
And from seed to dust
There is ONE soul above all others --
That you must always show patience, respect, and trust
And this woman is your mother.
And when your soul departs your body
And your deeds are weighed against the feather
There is only one soul who can save yours
And this woman is your mother.
And when the heart of the universe
Asks her hair and mind,
Whether you were gentle and kind to her
Her heart will be forced to remain silent
And her hair will speak freely as a separate entity,
Very much like the seaweed in the sea --
It will reveal all that it has heard and seen.

This woman whose heart has seen yours,
First before anybody else in the world,
And whose womb had opened the door
For your eyes to experience light and more --
Is your very own MOTHER.
So, no matter whether your mother has been cruel,
Manipulative, abusive, mentally sick, or simply childish
How you treat her is the ultimate test.
If she misguides you, forgive her and show her the right way
With simple wisdom, gentleness, and kindness.
And always remember,
That the queen in the Creator's kingdom,
Who sits on the throne of all existence,
Is exactly the same as in yours.
And her name is,
THE DIVINE MOTHER.”

-- Suzy Kassem, writer, poet, philosopher

 

Editor's Note

(Re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card)

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider an alternate viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and while engaging in peaceful and constructive discussion, in an arena of mutual respect, concerning those opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience, and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with the United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. He spent 17 years, following his service career, working with the premier, world-renowned, Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects involved in pharmaceutical research. Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As the weapon for his war on intolerance he chose the pen, and wages his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He currently resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteers as a chaplain at the regional medical center.