Prevent and Heal Sexual Abuse

Please do your part to prevent and heal sexual abuse by sharing the link to my gripping new memoir, "Roller Coaster to Hell and Back: A True Story of Sexual Abuse and New Hope":

https://www.amazon.com/Roller-Coaster-Hell-Back-Sexual/dp/1546388257/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1494958849&sr=8-1&keywords=Roller+coaster+to+hell+and+back

The Wisdom of Imperfections

Let's face it: We are all imperfect. Should we count this against ourselves?

We could rag on ourselves for our unwise choices and mistakes. But who deserves more credit: A robot who does its job perfectly every time - or those of us who fail at times, who must scratch and claw for our accomplishments?

Don't we prove ourselves daily by working around or overcoming at least some of our character defects?

What does it say about us that we try - imperfectly - to overcome our fears? What does it say about us that we often choose to push through our desire to give up? Don't we deserve credit for functioning - sometimes even thriving - in spite of our weaknesses?

Perhaps there is wisdom in our flawed designs. After all, our imperfections provide opportunities for personal growth. Our occasional cavings into harmful temptations highlight how we are the kind of people who usually make tough choices to do the right thing.

Are you giving yourself the credit you deserve for overcoming many of your limitations?

Non Excellence?

"The sad truth is that excellence makes people nervous." - Shana Alexander

     Why are many of us so afraid of other people's virtue, great accomplishments, and success?

     The easy answer is that we envy the greats; that we don't like how we look when compared to them. We resent people who can do what we cannot do ourselves.

     But could it be that, on the contrary, we do see a little of ourselves in great people? Perhaps what bugs us is that we know we could do great things too, but haven't?

     When you get right down to it, there is no reason hundreds of thousands of people can publish their mediocre books, but you cannot write and publish your good one ... except that they believe in themselves and have put in the work.

     There is no reason a refugee from Syria can come to the U.S. with nothing but the clothes on her back and little to no English and build a business empire, but you cannot ... except she believes in herself and has put in the work.

     There is no reason a college dropout can invent a toilet cheap and efficient enough to enable dirt-poor third world people to stop defecating and urinating in their drinking water supplies ... saving millions of lives ... but you cannot ... except he believes in himself and has put in the work ...

    ... And you don't believe in yourself, or haven't put in the work, or both.

     Yet you do have reason to believe in yourself. You have survived in a brutal world for many years. When you needed to, you found inner strength you didn't know you had. You have never, ever, given yourself enough credit for this. None of us have.

     That ideal you have ... that dream ... Yes, that one. It is within your reach.

     Believe in yourself. And put in the work.

     You can.

The Meaning of Life

     What is the meaning of life?

     Perhaps the meaning of life is this:

Life.

     Does life get in the way?

     Is life a bitch?

     Is life a bowl of cherries?

Or can life be something else?

     What does life mean to you?

A Journal Entry The Day Before A Terrifying Zip Line Outing

I just wrote this journal entry, when pondering how I and others would react and respond were I to fall and die tomorrow when I go zip lining with my friend Shawn. I have not edited this:

3-17-17

     It's not a matter of "What would I do without God" - There would BE no me w/o Him. My choosing center, the essential "I" that senses and wills, is entirely God's creation. THAT'S why He knows my heart. It's all just Him. Love. Energy. Suchness.
     I don't belong to me. I am the property of my Creator whether I know it or not. THAT'S why I need to do His work as I understand it. He could snuff me out in an instant. I and my plans proceed only with His permission.
     So it goes beyond "I have no choice but to trust in something." It's "All there is is God. Choose Him or choose oblivion."
     It's so obvious and that's why I haven't been able to see it. I've been choosing oblivion - darkness. I now choose THIS. Now I can see because I'm looking.
     Yet again God has told me I'm complete. My life is enough. It has been enough. Thank you My Lord. You have given me all I really need. I can die without regrets. I trust you will tell those who remain that it's O.K. Don't mourn me. Live your lives. They are gifts from your maker. There is nothing to be afraid of. No reason to mourn that one who was satisfied with his life. Who saw God for a brief moment and that moment is Eternal.
     There is no need to commit suicide and rob God of the joy of seeing His toy - me - his offspring, play a while longer. But there is also no need to cling blindly to a life that isn't mine.
     These are just urges. God - and we - are so much more than that. Infinitely more. An instinct for survival is just one of God's tools.

All That Matters

"All anybody needs to know about prizes is that Mozart never won one." - Henry Mitchell

I'd say all anybody needs to know about their own behavior is whether

1) Their goals are

• Important right now
• Achievable
• Worthy of them 

2) The methods they are using to pursue their goals are

• Effective
• Efficient
• Humane

If we meet the above six criteria, we should be doing the right things the right ways.