Tag Archives: writing

Woven into them.

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Daily writing prompt
What’s a lesson you’ve learned recently that shifted your perspective?
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This cannot be reconciled to a singular event.

It just can’t.

Al says that “perspective generally refers to an individual’s point of view or the mental framework through which they interpret the world, situations, and other people.” I then asked him to better explain interpret, and just like that, he said: “to interpret means to explain, translate, or make sense of something by applying personal context, special knowledge, or creative judgment.”

So essentially, either way I look at it, there is an element of control on my part in just how I choose to perceive or interpret something, an event. My context. “Special” knowledge I possess. An creative judgement? From the man who routinely has lacked any speck of just judgement, let alone the creative variety whatsover?

That means I somehow control the event. At least in terms of my perception and interpretation. Whether I needed to or not, conforming things to my will may not end up well for the home team. To that I can whole heartedly affirm with an array of “missteps” spanning decades.

Born of my perspective and interpretation.

“Creative judgement”?

So shifted I did.

Needed to double clutch this one.

If I can reduce the will on my end, then I can more fully open myself to following another source. If I can be right here and accept what goes on around me right now, then there is no need in enhancing or changing perspective. The need for a replay or two to better understand?

Byeeeeeeee!

There will then be no need for interpretation. No contextual concerns. A special knowledge will emerge, but now from being taught something for the first time. Creative judgement will take a hike, since what is there is now finally seen as what it is.

Truth.

Things no longer have to be woven into my ego and made into something altogether different.

Things will just be.

So I can be.

Woven into them.

Fin.

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Daily writing prompt
If you could change the ending of any book, which one would it be?
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As you get to know me from these routine assignments and other spontaneous contributions, there has been an ongoing, perhaps noticable transition. Intention is undergoing alteration. A reinforcement of values accompanied by a shift in vocation. A new day finally treasured for once with some hope on the horizon.

We are all authors of our own story.

Mine had become a messterpiece.

But with a pack of legal pads, once of those Sharpie ball point pens and this trusty chrome book, I am in the process of being able to document a rewrite.

The main characters remain, but in a new light. The plot has shifted with the introduction of some new to my story. I am not aware of the acromym for a spiritual, adventure packed romance, fixer upper, comedy. Maybe that is something that needs to be left for Al to figure out. But that is where it seems to be going. Hopefully, many chapters remain.

Just know that a script is not handed over to you at birth to follow because of circumstance, event, disbelief or choices. There is plenty of paper and ink to articulate your story the way you want it to be read. And never write it to appeal to an audience. Live it the way best suited for you and let them seek you out.

There are many out there that need to know that they too can become their own authors of life. And reading your genuine story, with all of the melodrama, history, pain, joy and awakening will prove to them that they can write theirs too.

It may seem otherwise, but we are all connected. We just need to open up and let that truth happen.

Until next time, I will steer clear of ig-pay atin-lay and return to my roots Francais.

Fin.

And still do.

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Daily writing prompt
What’s the best advice you’d give to someone younger than you?
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I tend to be a giving person. Often to the point of over stepping, reacting, functioning and just about any other word, phrase or idiom you wish to have follow “over”. But from an advice perspective, that would definitely fall into the misnomer category.

To this old stoic, advice would appear to reflect great knowledge and expertise. Honestly, I do not think I am quite yet qualified to carry that moniker. This guy is still earning his stripes. But I have benefited from a life littered with missteps, misdeeds, miscalculations, misspokeness, missoportunity, and yes, mistakes.

Plenty.

So perhaps when it comes to this day’s assignment, allow me to tweak it a bit to “what wisdom would you offer someone younger than you?” To me, that makes more sense. Advice is born of an expert. Wisdom is earned through life. You seem to pay for advice through commitment accompanied by commission. Wisdom is simply shared free of charge with love. The only stipulation being to be open and to listen.

There is this phrase I have held dear for some time though I don’t recall its origin. I know I have shared it in one form or another because of the wisdom it conveyed to me in practice. Even now, its benefits continue to flow inward. For proof, think about where I am and what I am doing this moment.

“Discipline creates independence”.

In a variety of configurations, I have made it my intention to embrace self-discpline. Not that It has been perfect in its implementation and there have been zero flaws in the execution and outcome. But when you engage in the variety that is focused on your self, little by little, freedoms will emerge. They may be in the shape of ten minutes here, less double handling there to start. But in time, the more sef-discplined you become, the more independent you can be. Mathematically speaking, what you then get to do is inversely proportional to what you have to do.

As Roger and the boys once sang, “I’d call that a bargain, the best I ever had,
The best I ever had”

My kids saw this performed as they were growing up.

Starting, taking care of and finishing what had to be done opened the doors to what got to be done. I see it now in how they live their lives today. Heck, I can learn some tricks from them. And these days, I continue to live by that phrase for this old guy and those in my life around me. I see what happens when it is tried and what doesn’t when it is ignored.

So maybe let’s end with this.

I don’t really want to offer any advice. I still don’t know what I am doing. But I am more than happy to share the wisdom I earned and learned in the process of trying to make sense of life.

You are free to do with it whatever you choose.

I just know I get to do now because of what I had to do then.

And still do.

Teachers.

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Daily writing prompt
Who are you most inspired by?
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Some days, following communion service or mass, I run into a man that is busy replacing all of the entrance mats in and around the church. For lack of a better term, he always has this air of “being totally into it” about him. We exchange “good mornings”, “looks like a great day” and “take care”. Who knows how many he does in the course of the day. That is not easy work. But he does. And he is into it. Making things just right for all those coming and going.

A young man I got to know through coaching football is starting a podcast. His mission is two fold. First, to invite athletes to discuss their personal side, what they are about, what they have had to overcome, who they truly are and what they intend to become. Through growing that audience, he hopes to generate the support that will help those that are less fortunate overcome, be who they truly are and begin the work to become all they were intended to be. When I watched him talk to this teammates on the field and in the locker room, you could literally see the passionate concern flow out and touch those all around. It was was never about him. Always them.

Those that I support via job development and coaching have their own burdens to overcome, and yet they show up for work, on time, do their best and look out for their teammates. One in particular simply leads by example. Parts of the establishment are now cleaner than ever before, he addresses stocking issues when he sees them, makes the aisles customer friendly and will help any customer that approaches him looking for the chrome go faster or the platimunm ectawhatsit. He knows where everything is and will take every lost soul where it can be found.

There are other folks in my life that simply put themselves out there for others. Most times small, Sometimes medium, and once in a while, in a big way. They all understand in a deep and genuine fashion that it really isn’t about them. It is all about those in their universe. Without accolades, a million or so clicks, likes or followers, they just go about life putting the other guy first. Because they can. Because that is how they are built. Mostly, just because.

So you want to discuss influencers?

These are three off the top of my noggin that change the world every day through their intention, their effort and genuine love for the other.

True inspiration.

Teachers.

Now that is one great life skill.

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Daily writing prompt
If you could instantly master any skill, what would it be and why?
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This is interesting timing.

We had our first contact day for the 2026 football season yesterday. In this instance, “contact” means that we coaches get to be in contact with the players, teaching, mentoring and learning how far they have travelled since the last season. Helmets and pads come later. But for now, it is simply coaching.

I bring this up today because back in the day, I came upon an approach to coaching football that was not centered on mastery of one but moreso mastery of self. A project that I too have taken to heart. Sorry about the pun. For those of you that caught it, I will send you a star for your helmet. The moment was fertile for so many last night. But most sailed over their noggins. This too shall pass. But again, I digress.

In my view, mastery of self is about rounding out all of ones abilities. To focus entirely upon one may overlook others that might be worthy of consideration for growth into something far more. We are all gifted with certain talents, aptitudes or strengths, if you will. But then for some strange reason, we automatically refer to anything that falls out of that category as “weakness”. The connotation that just because you aren’t able to do it now makes it invaluable and unworthy to pursue just baffles me.

We are not just one thing. But a host of many. And in coming to that realization, I began to look at strength’s opposite not as “weakness” but as “capacity”. You may be “full” of talents and abilites in certain areas, but there is also an abundance of capacity to address, pursue and develop many others with intention, perseverance and faith.

For that reason, we are all common in that one trait; our capacity to grow.

When I coach, my focus is on the development of the whole person, not simply the athlete. By looking at each individual as the sole proprietor of four fundamental aptitudes – athletics, academics, arts and agape’ – you can enlighten and challenge them to recognize, understand and embrace their capacity to enhance any or all of them.

Academics is more than just math or science, Latin or social studies. It is a genuine and active interest in the value of knowledge and how it forms all manner of opportunity. Perhaps it is the arts, expression in the form or drawing, painting, music, theatre, poetry, you name it. Agape’, the relentless, active approach of seeking the well-being of others, through service and servanthood. And then athletics. A passion for competition on the field, court, diamond, pool, or track.

We are each gifted with these four aptitudes. How we express our gratitude for their receiot is exposed by our approach in working to master each, fulfilling what we were meant to become.

Should they heed the call, seek self-mastery across each aptitude, imagine the individual that appears at the first contact day or practice. They are one that has actively and passionately sought to fill capacity in all areas, thereby learning a sense of self-mastery and incorporating abundant growth within.

Glimmers already appeared on that field last night.

So how can you divest yourself of not trying it because you never have done it, it is not a strength and you just “weren’t made that way”?

In response to this prompt, albeit several hundred words later, I couldn’t choose to instantly master anything. That would leave parts of me empty. I would prefer to honestly see the widest possibilities as true potential and then apply myself to fully fill my capacity in each to the brim.

And then some.

Now that is one great life skill.