Sneak Attack: False wind friends

There is an old saying that suggests that you shouldn't be worried about your enemies that attack from the back, but you should be more worried about your friends who attack from the front. This is absolutely true, as most people never suspect that people they trust would ever be the ones that somehow be the ones to hold them back, try to sabotage them, or even would develop a full blown scheme to ruin them. That is the part that is most bothersome, because no one ever really sees that one coming, because these people were supposed to be helping watch your back against someone else. It usually is a shock to find out that not only were they not watching your back, but they were doing the complete opposite and taking part in a systematic betrayal that causes you and others around you nothing but turmoil and aggravation.

 These types of people have different agendas. Sometimes they have a specific goal in mind, where they latch onto certain folks who they believe can obtain those goals, and instead of formulating true friendships, they form "friendships of illusion" where they really only care about the individual or other people if there is a need for them. They see something special about someone, and work their way into the fold,  sometimes stepping all over others, and scamming someone in order to get on that individual's side. They will butter that individual up, tell them that the whole world is against them, and that they are on the side of righteousness, and good, and all of a sudden trust is instilled as the manipulation process is now complete. The ultimate coat tail riders, these people find ways of exploiting the people they are using in order to gain entry for themselves into worlds where they would never get into. Now does this sound like networking? Sounds like it, but there is a difference. Networking means that you actually have something to offer once you get to the certain circles that you are getting to, and networking also means that you are not creating casualties along the way...Networking means that people allow you into a world because you have proven that you are worthy to come in, and be a part of it, without destroying part of that world, or anybody in it. Networking is using yourself..What I am talking about is the use and misuse of others. Creating a "false wind" behind the back of someone to make them think that support is there, but it is really a push towards the stairs.

There will always be users in the world. People who just don't want to work hard, and constantly try to find shortcuts that will benefit them, so they don't have to do what needs to be done to be successful. And there lies the crux of the problem with those folks: Instead of doing what they should be doing and performing the little steps that it takes to be a success, they are constantly trying to take leaps and bounds for fast results. The desire for those fast results mean many things: No solid foundation for what is being built, following, instead of leading, in order to catch lightning in a bottle, and the one that is the topic here.. Using people instead of relying upon hard work and ingenuity for ones cause. These people are vultures hovering over others to see what carcass of forward motion they can latch themselves onto. And when they befriend someone they believe can get them something, they A) milk them for all their worth,B) and C) when they get pissed with them, teach them a lesson by sabotage. And when they are done with the individuals or folks they are using, or when those folks figure them out  for who they are, they immediately distance themselves and latch onto someone who doesn't yet see them for what they are yet. We all have that moment when sometimes we say to ourselves, "something's not right with this friendship" Well there is usually a reason.

What it boils down to is that given the opportunity to do the wrong thing, some people will do the wrong thing every time, in order to further themselves. And that's what these people do while calling you friend. I know this Blog today is cynical, but it is true, and reflective of things that are real out there. There are users, and they will befriend you, slap you on the back, tell you they love you, all the while ruining, sabotaging you, and using you. And the only word you will hear from them when they are done is.."Next". And you will be left trying to figure out just what happened, and just who that person was that rode your back to where they got to.

Mission Possible: The consequences of chase

One of the definitions of the word "Mission" as it pertains to an individual, is "A person's vocation or calling". If that's the case, other words that could possibly apply as such, could be "Pursuit", "Obsession", "Inclination'. or even "Desire". All of us have a purpose in life, but not all discover their mission. There are sometimes two points in life when someone figures out their "Mission" and those points are either at a very young age, because something made an incredible impression on them during youth, or at a crossroads in life when they are reflecting upon their past, and not so sure of their future. So they go inward and ask themselves finally, "Who am I, and what do I want to do before it's too late?" When discovering ones mission there now have to be certain things in place to keep it in perspective. There has to be a clear cut idea of just what that mission is, and there have to be ideas about how the road of that mission is going to be. The mission has to be flexible enough to withstand setbacks, and  outright failures, and has to be a sturdy enough foundation to stand up against saboteurs, and people who just don't want to support you for some reason or another. The mission has to be able to also put up with its worst enemy..The person that birthed it, because self doubt, questioning ones own actions, and procrastination can derail the mission to the point where it will never get started again. The mission in ones mind must be just, and for the right reasons, and one of those reasons is the reward of the mission itself, because the mission has to be one of love. Love is the most powerful of all emotions, and that doesn't just pertain to person/person, but also person/objective. That mission can also build you up, or destroy you.

The best way I can express what having a mission feels like is that it is such an obsessive feeling that it is painful. It sometimes clouds up the mind from everything else. It's like being in love to the power of 10. The desire to do what your spirits, and yes demons are telling you to do is frantic, and powerful at the same time. When I look at those old comedy movies in Black and White where someone gets hypnotized, and they then say in a monotone voice, "I must do this". Well that's sort of how that inner voice sounds. A mission is fortunately and unfortunately always on ones brain, and not only that, in their heart also. Both of those entities create an insatiable thirst for executing everything that pertains to the mission.

Why is this good? It is always important to have a purpose..A reason to get up in the morning..Not for your kids, or someone else, but for yourself, because when you do not have that you will wake up one day at 65 years old, and realize that you have probably done quite a bit for other people, and have made many sacrifices, but have nothing in your life that shows just who you are, and what you stood for. Whenever someone discovers a mission for themselves, it can light the way for them to find out those answers about who they are and what their life's manifesto is. But those answers will be gotten for the right reason..For themselves, and their place in the universe. Ones own little footprint that said "I was here". As small as that may sound, it is extremely important because there are plenty of people who have lived to a ripe old age, and have used space for those years, and they lament about what could have been. During their lives they may have had a dream, or desire, but it never manifested itself into a mission, and therefore got thrown on the shelf. So having a mission in life is crucial to ones identity, and how they can see themselves as unique amongst millions, with a purpose, and a fire in their belly.

Here is the downside of having a mission: Sometimes it rules you to the point where everything in its wake is not allowed to flourish..Love life, family, friends outside interests, relaxation, all take a back seat to the mission because it dominates the landscape of who you are, and to some it is attractive, but upon closer look it is exclusive, and an obstructive fence around the individual, because nothing must get in the way of the mission. It creates intensity, focus, and unyielding motivation, but also creates a sort of isolation, and emotional detachment from  wanting things that have a possibility to be enriching. It is fire and desire, and it just can't be turned off. everything else is second, which more often than not causes some problems, but the prospect of the mission reward somehow makes it easy to deal with. Desire turns into mission, which turns into obsession, and that is when there are casualties along the roadside. One day you may wake up and realize that the pursuit of the mission has left you alone, and alienated from the things that could have been a part of your happiness equation, but unfortunately all that matters now is "now". That is the troubling aspect of chasing a calling. It sometimes just "is".

For people out there who have a mission, you understand exactly what I am talking about. To those who don't, there may be a time in your life where you discover an aspect of yourself that you didn't know existed, and it will be enlightening, and an incredible feeling. You will then have a game plan to reward yourself, and create a mission that you can take on. It could happen tomorrow..It could happen 5 years from now, or in some cases it might NOT happen. But even the smallest mission in life can be a huge rewarding desire..Whether it is helping people, or pursuing a dream, your mission has to fulfill you, and perhaps the ripple effects will inspire others who get the benefits from your residuals, or fire someone up to chase their own mission. We all need something to arise in the morning for that benefits ones self.

I am on a mission...What that is I won't say, but it is a blessing, and a burden sometimes. Most times it feels like an obsession. But it is who I am, and even though it may have cost me to some important things to a degree in my life, the greater cost for me is if I don't pursue it. I may fail, but I may not either. But this much is true..My mission is very possible, and I can't stomach the idea of saying "What if" in the mirror. To avoid those words should be a common mission to all.

Passed, And Irreplaceable: Those who gave the gift of music quality, live on.

I wasn't figuring on doing a Blog today, but the passing of Etta James today reminds me all that I love about music. And what I love is that the legacy of the true innovators, and people that I admire so much will always live on, even when they pass. Music is subjective, and what certain people like, others don't. It's as simple as that. I have my very strong opinions on what is great music, and I constantly have conversations about what is good and not, and those are just opinions back and forth. But what I am truly convinced about and no one can turn me around on this, is that within the popular music framework of the last hundred years, there are certain innovators within the history of music that will last and be influential long after generations are gone, and that quality of that particular individual will never be replaced. Whether it be Bessie Smith , or Louis Armstrong..Whether it be Duke Ellington, Sinatra, Howlin' Wolf or Sam Cooke, or whether it be Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, or Etta James, there are certain people that came along at a certain time, and gave us themselves and their art, and they will never be replaced. True artists set a certain bar, and standard, and everyone else has no choice but to follow, because what they do is so good, that you can't help but be moved if you are just a listener, or imitate if you are a fellow artist.

Today's cookie cutter mass production line of belly buttons, funky haircuts, and auto-tuned lip synch puppets are no match for the true innovators, and tremendous talents who had to perform sometimes with little or no P.A. system, without ear monitors, or music stands in front of them, in smoke filled Jook Joints, after sleeping in the back of a car, or on some train, for only 3 hours. Yes those were different times, but what those people did was create art that was expressive, innovative, beautiful and visceral at the same time. How? Because there were no videos to watch. There was no Youtube, or American idol. There was no Autotune. You had to sing, and play your ass off as well as or better than someone else, so you better have your heart and soul ready to come out of your mouth, or onto your hands, because in some instances there were no second takes. You had to practice your craft, and be able to perform in the morning or evening. And you had to be different to get noticed.
In the aspect of popular music which encompasses Rock, Soul, Jazz, and Blues, the great ones are dying off, and leaving in their wake beautiful blueprints to follow. I often wonder how can someone not listen to Billie Holiday and not wish to sing emotionally like that. How can someone not want a band behind them like James Brown's band? How can someone not want to play Guitar like Freddie King? How can someone not want to play Bass like James Jamerson? These people set the standard of how to approach their craft, how to attack their art, and even if their personal lives were hell, they showed that you can take that hell, and for a brief time, make it beautiful music that can reach souls. There are people still living now that when they go, it will be tragic, because we won't see the likes of them again..Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, B.B. King, Al Green, and Aretha Franklin are some that are alive at this writing that come to mind.And now Etta James is gone. Once they are gone just like Etta, the landscape is different. There is one less musical voice, or instrumentalist that had a tremendous impact that lasts years, through many generations. One less piece of popular musical history that can never be either replaced or measured for impact.

We are all just copy cats now. Putting our own spin upon what these great artists have already done. The foundations of what we listen to today in popular music were set in stone many years before by artists that never truly got their due because it was a different world back then. But in retrospect they have left us with riches beyond belief, and anyone who loves music as much as I do can understand exactly what I am writing here. You don't have to be as old or older than I am, nor do you have to be a virtuoso singer or musician to hear and feel, and appreciate what came before these individuals, and just what they changed, and made better. I am often called an "Old Schooler" where as I love real musicianship, and real sounding music. I want to know what is on a musician's mind, by listening to what they have to say, or play unfiltered. I understand music history, and have the greatest love and respect for the true innovators who gave me, and millions of others inspiration to be the best I could be as a musician. I take their contributions seriously, and although I will never be those individuals, I can certainly strive to have their spirit within me as I approach what I do.

That's why it is such a sad time when someone like Etta James passes. Not just because she was a wonderful singer, but because she was a brick in the foundation of popular music as we know it today...And as I look at the landscape of popular music today, I am truly saddened, because in my opinion, the more bricks that leave, the more they just won't be replaced, and the house that I see sometimes ain't worth a damn of inhabiting...In fact sometimes it needs a big o'l "condemned" sign on it..Rest in Peace Etta.

A Better World Because Of Courage: For Dr. King

There's a special type of individual that comes along with the ability to change the world. Change cannot happen overnight. It is a process where that individual first lets the world know that a change is needed, and makes the world understand that this change is for the better. This is extremely hard because some people don't want the world to change. Some people see the world as a one dimensional place where they can sweep change under the rug, and people mean nothing to them, and there is no such thing as justice for all. They are happy with a system that they control, and have and would kill to protect in an effort to dominate and prevent the change from happening. This individual has to understand this, and accept that nothing short of complete dedication and conviction to this cause will result in the desired effect of change. That individual has to accept the fact that the people who don't want change will do anything, and that means even murdering you to prevent this change from happening. You must have a thick skin, a smart mind, and know the system in order to break it, and above all else you must make everyone around you want to be a part of the blood sweat and tears that this sacrifice of change will incur. Because the change must be just, and noble, and even though it may seem to benefit a few, it will actually benefit all humankind. Yes it takes a special individual to know accept, and execute these aspects of change. There have been people in history that exhibited these traits of greatness. Which brings us to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The task of taking on a cause is overwhelming. The idea that a person can change things and make a difference is often daunting to those who would love to do it, but don't know how or where to start. It is one thing for someone to proclaim themselves a leader, but quite another to actually be a person who people want to follow. Great leaders never proclaim that they are the leaders of something..They just are. People want to listen, and follow because they see something of themselves in that person that instills pride, and hope, and gives them a reason to believe that they themselves can change the world for the better, and not the worse. Dr. King offered that feeling. he symbolized  a struggle that was just, and moral, and went about defining the idea of that struggle with dignity. Was he a perfect man? Of course not. No one is. But what great men and women have in them is the ability to make the people around them understand that they themselves are not bigger than the cause. The cause encompasses people, and those people are the movement. The difference between the movements of today's America, and the Civil Rights struggle that Dr. King came to be a symbol of, is that  struggle was one of humanity. That struggle was one that demanded that you question just who you are, and how you defined yourself as a human being, and how you saw others around you.

When I listen to Dr. King's speeches today, or even read his brilliantly written words, I am moved to want to be a better person not just to other people, but for myself. What Dr. King tried to teach all of us was that truth and love will always outlast lies and violence. And the measure of a person is not how he or she engages in lies or violence, but how they embrace truth and love. It is an awful hard thing to do when trying to change the world, because change is not pretty, nor quick.  I can't imagine the intense pressure that was on this man being a symbol. A symbol for not only this just cause that he spirited, but for all of us. Dr. King represented what all of us have in our minds when we picture the strength of America. But unfortunately heaped upon him was the task of having to fight the very things that were the weakness of America. The seedy underbelly of this country that to this day seems to rear its head up constantly.
I am constantly in awe of the intellect, the perseverance, the sheer magnitude of thought that included the possibility of death that this great man had to endure. Why? So that the world could be better. Not just the South, and not just America, but the world. the idea is to enter in this world and try to leave it a better place than when you got here. Dr. King did just that. No he didn't do it alone, as there were millions of people of all races and hues who stood up, and put their lives on the line. But behind every movement that tries to change the perceptions of people there has to be someone to listen to. There must be a voice that can speak for the people of that movement. There has to be someone who you can look at and say, "I want to help make it better." Dr. King made it better. He spoke for all of us. The civil rights movement may have had its roots in the unjust treatment of Black Americans, but the end result of what Dr. King struggled for and eloquently spoke about and led in the movement, benefits all of us, no matter what race you are, no matter who you are, and no matter where you are from.

I am proud to be standing on the shoulders of Dr. King because great people of that ilk only come a few times in our lifetime. Courage, conviction, strength, wisdom, and yes the ability to love in the face of hatred, are all characteristics that we can often strive for, and some do make it. But to lead a people and pursue a just cause to make the world a better place is as noble a thing that anyone can possibly do. His legacy is all of us. When I see children of different races, laughing and playing together, when I look at the rainbow of colors of people who are my friends, and when I see people of all hues working together at a business, I think of Dr. King, and how he would be smiling. yes, we still have a long long way to go. Anyone who says we don't just isn't paying attention. but because Dr. King was here, and just what he did, and stood up for, and eventually died for..The trip is a whole lot shorter than what would have been had he not come along.
Thank you Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Loose Laces: Sooner or later "it" comes to us

Once again today, I had no intention of writing a Blog. I had other things on my mind, and was prepared to flesh out some lyrics that I had been working on. While stopped at a light this morning, I observed a little old man crossing the street. I noticed that his shoelace was untied, and I wondered if he was just waiting to cross the street to fix it. When he got across the street to the sidewalk he continued to walk, and still hadn't noticed the lace flopping around his shoe. I felt bad, and wondered if he was going to fall at some point. Just as I thought that, he stopped abruptly, and looked down, and walked doubled back to a storefront bench where he sat, tied his lace, and continued on his merry way. I wondered just where he was going. My light had changed, and I didn't even notice it, but no one was behind me, so I was able to witness this little uneventful event in this man's life. But when I saw that he noticed his laces, I said to myself, "Good..He figured it out" As I drove onward that image, and thought kept playing over and over in my head, until I finally saw how that little old man and his shoe reminded me of our lives, and how we all somehow figure it out.

We all get lost within life sometimes. We wind up losing ourselves, some people wind up doing bad things, associating with bad people, doing things that don't bring us happiness, or just messing their lives up in general. Life has a way of throwing all kinds of curves at you, and sometimes you just can't handle them, and therefore you begin to skate through life aimlessly trying to latch on to something, anything that makes you feel good, important, loved, or something that takes your mind away from how miserable you really feel. Everyone gets to that point in their lives where there is a "What am I doing?" moment where we are just plain lost, and directionless. Those times are hardest for us because There may be many factors involved. We may be getting older, and are unhappy with how our lives have gone. We may have had a major life change such as a death or divorce. We may have just hit rock bottom, and now are assessing how to climb out of the hole. At any rate, often there are many peripheral things that put us on skates, and we glide around on ice trying to get a hold of any side rail that will have us lean onto it. If we are not skating around, we are just walking, completely oblivious that our laces are untied. Our lives flopping around our feet, eventually causing us to stumble all over ourselves, eventually landing on the ground wondering what happened.

But a great many of us like the old man look inward, and figure it out. There comes a point in your turmoil that an epiphany will happen. A light will somehow show up, and you will see that your shoelace is untied. Whether you have almost ruined your life, alienated friends and family, or destroyed relationships with loved ones, there is always time for you to stop and tie your laces. People make mistakes all of the time. And as I've said, if you don't make mistakes then you are not trying to live. If I am fortunate, I will make hundreds of more mistakes in life, and I will have opportunities to correct those mistakes, as well. It is a part of life that we occasionally have loose laces flopping around our feet. Or that we skate around on ice looking for a rail. If you eventually take a look around yourself, you will see 'it" and figure "it" out. "It" meaning who you are, where you are now and where you should be going. You will then have a seat, and tie your laces, and be on your merry way towards what you want. And what you want often depends upon your own honest assessment. Because what you want and need are sometimes entirely different, those two ideas can pull you apart. What you want are usually the things that will make you feel satisfied..What you need are the things that will make you feel happy.
The great wilderness of life is so confusing sometimes that it's easy to get lost within what you want to be doing, what you feel that you should be doing, and what people tell you that you should be doing. It makes you lose yourself, and your purpose, and often is the thing that causes laces to come untied, and lives to become unraveled. Trying to please everyone is the surest way to not please yourself.
But with a little perseverance, we all seem to figure it out. Some will always walk around with their laces untied, but most stop on a bench and tie theirs, and proceed to where they want to go.
We are all that little old man that I saw. Just trying to cross the street in life, and following a desire to go somewhere. People look at you and wonder if you will fall flat on your face, or you will finally discover that your laces are untied. Most are glad when you finally do figure it out. And even happier to know that you can continue onward to go where you need to go.

Open Mouth..Insert Cork : The contradiction of closed minds

I had absolutely no intention today of writing a Blog, but I was driving around running errands, and I got behind a car with an interesting bumper sticker. I'm not a fan of bumper stickers, but this one stuck with me.. It read, "If only closed minds came with closed mouths" I couldn't help smiling, thinking it to be absolutely true. How could I not have inspiration after seeing that? In my opinion there are two things that are true. 1) If you have a closed mind, you will never accept any new perspective, and learn, and 2) You can't hear anything if your mouth is always moving. These are two symptomatic problems with people who have everything to say, yet nothing to talk about. Those with closed minds often have this contradiction happening as they rail, and protest, and bitch and moan about every little thing that comes across their radar as unacceptable. Most times what is unacceptable to them insults their particular way of thinking, and they believe that co existing with others, means that others must have their point of view. Which often times than not is pretty one dimensional, because they will not do the one thing that communication requires. And that is listen.

It is perfectly fine to have differing opinions with people. That is part of life and we will always encounter individuals who don't believe anything close to what we think. The fundamental difference between someone who is open minded vs. someone closed minded is the acceptance of that fact, and the understanding that this is a common idea. Open minded people enjoy the diversity of others, even when to them the point of view is idiotic. The concept is that "you have your opinion and I have mine". The closed mind can never grasp this concept, therefore they must send forth anger, vitriol, hatred, and outspoken opposition to any and everything that is not in line with their thinking. Even going as far to say that all of the problems in their own lives are because some other idea, people, or that someone's lifestyle is public enemy #1, and should be eradicated, or corrected to be in line with how they think. Scapegoat-ism to the extreme, as they can never remotely accept the fact that they could be wrong about a particular subject, and often times than not, create confrontation just to stir a pot where they can put forth their ideas, and shoot down any others.. It's just not enough to keep their mouth shut, and live and let live. The closed mind will blame, whine, yell at, instigate, and yes even pour forth hatred to get their point across.

It certainly is not easy to coexist in a world of different opinions. I have my distinct opinions, and you have yours. No one is the holder of all knowledge, and if you understand that concept, you will always be ready, and even eager to seek out people with new opinions, and new ways of thinking, because that promotes growth in ones self. A person who is always asking questions will receive many answers to think about. A person who wants to only deal with what and who they can relate to, will never learn anything new, and often they don't have any desire to learn anyway. They remain in a world where they have little respect for anyone, and they often will carry on bitching about something in life, but when you ask them for a solution, they have none. They just like to complain, and sometimes complain about other people complaining. Of course offering no solutions to what they hem and haw about. That is the person with the closed mind's greatest achievement..To turn the tables and try to make everyone think that they are the victims of a world that they are trying to make better. When in reality, all they want is a world full of the exact ideas that they possess, which sometimes means eliminating certain people, certain religions, certain lifestyles, certain books, etc. To the closed minded person, the world needs a big witch hunt, and bonfire so they can capture and burn everything they don't agree with.

Keep an open mind, and a closed mouth. Not the other way around, and you will always be able to listen, and learn, and absorb and grow. People are different, and the world is different than you are. That's a good thing, because the search for yourself requires you to see aspects of yourself in others..And often there are ideas, traits, and beautiful things that you can learn from others, that you can adapt into your own being. The world is in fast forward..Don't have a closed mind that gets left in the dust. Or even become a bumper sticker on someone's car.

The True Reward: The gift of you, is yours to unwrap

When I talk to people, I am always left in a great mood when someone tells me that they do something that they love, and how it makes them feel doing it. The beautiful thing is that often people have searched and searched for something, and had even found it at one point, and denied themselves of it. After constant searching for some "Thing" that would give them pleasure, and satisfy them, they realized that they had loved something all along, and it was right there. But often times you really have to go through phases, setbacks, rough times, and confusion filled with darkness to finally get to something fulfilling. It is extremely hard work to search yourself, and figure these things out, as most people never reach that point. But if you can look deep inside yourself, and learn from mistakes, and go through a ton of things that knock you down, and push you backwards in life, you will realize that you are on a journey that has one big reward at the end of it..And that reward is you.

The only person that you ever have to prove anything to in life is yourself..You have to wake up with this person, look at this person in the mirror, and be satisfied with this person all day long. That person deserves the best treatment you have to offer, and the crux of that treatment is figuring out just what makes you happy. Happiness takes time and is often a journey filled with unhappy crappy diners, and messy gas station bathrooms. The hardest concept for anyone to grasp is reaching for happiness, and fulfillment. It is not a place, nor is it in a person. Someone can be a part of your happiness equation, but they can't make you happy. It is not in children because children grow up and leave the house, and sometimes there will be just you left. So the journey to get the reward should be an ongoing process that parallels events in your life that shape you. Whether it be marriage, divorce, death, career changes, children, or just plain uncertainty, the journey to yourself is an investment that pays off in the end if you let it. Even though there seems to be confusion in your life, the sheer joy of self discovery is worth it because the small epiphanies in life show you where you need to be, and sometimes where you shouldn't be.

It doesn't take a person to be intensely introspective, but at least asking the questions of "Why am I here?" and "What is my purpose?" Because everyone has a place to be and a purpose to fulfill. We are all pebbles being thrown in a pond, and we all create ripples. Those ripples fan out and effect everyone, and even people we don't see. When we can find our niche, or place to start the true journey, the ripples are positive in two fold because we are giving of ourselves and receiving what we send back in the course of making ourselves better. Making ourselves better is the reward..It is its own powerful addiction that is worth sharing. We can be the change catalyst in others, and we can be the inspiration, because how joyous is it for others to see the qualities of determination, pursuit of excellence, and sheer love of what another gets out of doing something that they love, or finding a facet of themselves that they didn't know existed. And when you can find that aspect of yourself that you didn't know existed it is like meeting someone new that can tell you something very important. We all have layers and layers of undiscovered territory within us, but more often than not those territories remain undiscovered. It is through mistakes, being somewhere at the right time, tragic circumstances, or just plain old trying to find ones self that these layers are peeled back and revealed to us, and we can chip away at the block of stone that is ourselves to create the beautiful piece of art underneath. It may take most of ones lifetime to emerge from this stone into the art of themselves, but isn't that the goal? Art is not often created in a short period of time. We have to be patient with ourselves, and make a conscious decision to seek out the inner us for no other reason than to retrieve a better us.

There will be major failures in life, and disappointments unforeseen, and unavoidable, and if there isn't then you just aren't living, you are existing. No mistakes means that you are not trying, and if you are not trying, then why bother? Go after the true reward which is yourself, and unwrap the gift that has been given to you. You owe yourself the pursuit of excellence, and demand it from yourself, and the people around you. If they pull you down, and if they create chaos, and havoc, and if they are negative in their approach, or nonsensical, then they will put a damper on your search for you, and you need to cut them loose. The true reward demands your attention, and it is worth every penny of emotional, and life experience investment that you put into it. It can happen to you, and will happen to you if you let it.
Undiscovered territory? No problem..Get your wagon and go inward young man. Keep your eyes on the prize..It exists in the mirror. And the mirror don't lie.