This song, over and over in my head, in my ears this last weekend…seeping in, soaking me up, into every crevice, cathartic…I think…or wallowing…not sure…but it felt like, feels like…progress…

“I Can’t Make You Love Me”

Turn down the lights;
Turn down the bed.
Turn down these voices
Inside my head.

Lay down with me;
Tell me no lies.
Just hold me close;
Don’t patronize.

Don’t patronize me.

[Chorus:]
‘Cuz I can’t make you love me
If you don’t.
You can’t make your heart feel
Something it won’t.
Here in the dark
In these final hours,
I will lay down my heart
And I’ll feel the power;
But you won’t.
No, you won’t.
‘Cuz I can’t make you love me
If you don’t.

I’ll close my eyes,
Then I won’t see
The love you don’t feel
When you’re holding me.

Morning will come,
And I’ll do what’s right;
Just give me till then
To give up this fight.

And I will give up this fight.

[Chorus]

Originally Performed by Bonnie Raitt
Writer(s): Michael Reid, Shamblin James Allen

The park, one of those places where reflection sometimes comes easier,

Kids everywhere playing, cool easy breeze, sun sinking low,

Transitions…always thinking about them, task to task, project to project at work, at home, with co-workers, with family, with kids, moving from on thing to the next, adapting, adjusting focus,

Progression, always thinking about progressing, task to task, project to project, at work, at home, with co-workers, family, kids, going forward, making progress toward your objective, goal, positively exercising your intent, toward completion,

Learning these lessons early…trying to teach my kids the same, reminding myself of the same,

Lessons at the park, sink in deep, meld my mind, fuse, learn the lessons of time, timeless,

GOOD.

When I have moments of being proud of my kids, I consciously work to shift my mindset to happiness for them instead.

I choose to think of their successes, their progress in life, not as reflections of me, but rather a reflection of their grow, their good fortune.

Why do I choose this way of thinking?

Consider the definition of each word.

Pride: “pleasure or satisfaction taken in something done by or belonging to oneself or believed to reflect credit upon oneself;”

Happiness: “characterized by or indicative of pleasure, contentment, or joy.”

Pride seems ego-centric; happiness seems more ego-less. I frequently find myself experiencing joy and happiness when good things happen to my friends, co-workers, friends. “Good for them”, it’s an oft whispered phrase.

Silly thinking? Maybe, but it’s where I’m at, who I am. And it works for me.

I choose happiness.

I’ve known of this poem a long time, I’ve read it a few times,

But now I realize, this might be me…

Hmm…true for me anyway…

“

The Road Not Taken BY ROBERT FROST

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could,

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.”

Scribbled down,

Basics from meditations, Meditations, planned journal become public declarations of belief,

By no less than an emperor,

Marcus Aurelius, the last of the so-called “The Five Good Emperors”…

PRIME basics, words, ideas to live by,

1/ Courage

2/ Self-Disciple

3/ Justice

4/ Wisdom

GOOD.

This term is used pretty widely by professional cyclists. Full Gas. It means going all out speed, not sprinting, but otherwise as fast as you can go, as in,

During an interview after a race a cyclist might say of the pace and effort, “…oh man, it was quite a race, you could tell it was going to be tough, the guys were just full gas from the start, not messing around, full gas all day…”

So on the bike, the race starts, and get after it, or you’ll be left behind. this isn’t a leisurely coffee jaunt.

I like this term. Full Gas. Be fully engaged. Make your best effort. Don’t dottle. Go go GO.

FULL GAS.

GOOD.

These two amazing humans, Nichelle Nichols (Lt. Uhura of Star Trek fame), and Bill Russell (of NBA fame as player, coach, mentor), two giants in their chosen fields,

Two trailblazers who both achieved greatness, then inspired so many to greatness as well,

These two people who didn’t accept the status quo, who were driven to strive, to remain steadfast, and ultimately achieve so much,

These two who were not only powerful in their work, but then in their civil rights activism to help others,

Both passing on the same day, off to the stars, to continue shining bright,

May their work and inspiration burn bright for eternity, may they rest in power, may they rest in peace.