Beautiful Day Blues

The massive orb dominates the aqua crystalline backdrop of its own making, floods its rays on everything below.
The sky devoid of a single cloud seems as empty as I feel and the beach looks like an arid desert, molded by tireless wind and blazing heat.
I picture myself atop an Arabian camel, parched with thirst, crossing an unforgiving series of never-ending dunes, up one and down the next, no rhyme nor reason, only the nose of the animal in front of me.

As I walk, I find my feet drawn to stepping on shells.
I like the crunch under my soles and wonder what draws me to destruction.
No real gain, just a crackle and a few pops beneath my Reeboks.
Hmmmm.

The half-covered shiny Coors light can contrasts with the faceless dull version that lies next to it, undoubtedly washed ashore.
A half-eaten fish head sits next to a huge jellyfish obviously out of place in a world far too shallow for its survival. It sways its last moments of life with each bathing wave that push it side to side as it bakes in the sun.
Soggy yellow plastic, discarded cigarette butts, even a soiled diaper that for a brief moment I entertain the thought of picking up.
Normally, I would have.
Not today.

Walk, walk, crunch, crunch, more broken shells.
I pick up a triangular orange piece that reminds me of a shark’s tooth, run my fingers along its edges to its sharp point and keep pricking my index in some warped notion of martyrdom.

I glance down the beach at a lone fisherman checking his lines.
What does he see on this spectacular day?
Does he pay attention to anything besides his bait on the hook?
Does the serenity help his quest for meaning or simply lead him from Bud to Bud?
I long for the eyes of my children, the wondrous zeal that would find magic in the beat up straw hat, the buried yellow ribbon or any stick more than two feet long, an instant conductor’s wand or a spear or a trumpet or a telescope.
What vision might they bring to my sight?
Could I shed this morose foreboding that clings to me like an oversized sweatshirt pulled too soon from the dryer, damp, heavy, with an odd, unrecognizable, unpleasant smell?

Still, the seagull and the sandpiper frolic in the surf, peck morsels from the wet sand, bob their heads up and down and chase the waves.
The majestic pelicans swoop along the shore like prehistoric predators a mere foot above the surface.
The flies dart back and forth, light and take off, never at rest for more than an instant.
The Labrador chases a tennis ball.
The infant waddles to wet her toes.
The white-haired snowbird stoops to collect a sand dollar.
A crab peeks out of his hole only to retreat back in again.

Me, I walk and crunch shells, walk and crunch shells, a case of beautiful day blues…

Success Quotes

Success requires no explanation. Failure permits no alibis.
-Napoleon Hill.

Today is the first and last day of the rest of your life.

Key Points

Recently, I have been doing a lot of travel in Central America and have had the privilege of enjoying many tremendous experiences with my Hispanic brothers and sisters. As a continuous student of human behavior, I have noticed that the general demeanor of the overwhelming majority continues to be the same; positive, fun-loving, passionate—the normal qualities of fiery Latin people—despite the grumblings about the economic slow-down or recession. To me, this is quite significant as it indicates that, rain or shine, tough or prosperous times, we each face the choice every day of determining our attitude.

While I don’t fault anyone for acknowledging challenging times, it really need not be any different than recognizing a season. Winter will always be winter, snow will fall and people will hole up in their homes for as long as it lasts. Then, the sun will melt the snow, spring will sprout new buds and those who have hidden inside will bring their blankets out for a picnic—as has always happened since the beginning of human history. We will endure the difficulties and they will in due course give way to a gentler, easier period until the cycle starts again.

Here’s the key point. Each of us chooses whether to complain about the snow or make a snow man with our children, whether to moan about the rain or happily wait for the rainbow, whether to allow the opinions around us to keep us down and depressed or shine our own light and help brighten the path for others, regardless of storms or clouds. What about you? Problem or solution? Positive or negative? Candle or wind that blows it out? Choose wisely. Not only will your attitude influence others—at the end of the day, it will have a heck of an influence on you.

P.S. These “days away” from the Modest To Millions online launch are still dragging a tad, though I promise I am focused on the Important tasks only—don’t worry, we are almost there!!! Stay tuned…