There was a time in my former career when I had the opportunity to interact with many people and many had to be advised of their rights before continuing our conversation. During one interview I was questioning a suspect about his drug trafficking. I had spent considerable time gaining his confidence and in response to a very difficult question he responded by saying, "Hey, how do I know that you are telling me the truth.....for all I know you could be Joe Shit the Rag Man".

We communicate via images in our mind and I developed an image of Joe Shit the Rag Man. I came to believe I was JOE. I prided myself in the image creation and this creation became my set of eyes as I examined the world around me. This "Joe" became who most of us are. Just a regular ol' guy (or gal) trying to cope, accept life and attempting somehow, along the way, to make a difference or a better life for ourselves, our families and others.

That is how Joe Shit the Rag Man came to have the breath of life.


Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Resiliency Equals Strength



If I were a boxer in a ring and life's obstacles my opponent I would surely have spent much of my time on the mat. Just as surely as having spent time on the mat I have spent equal time ensuring my getting up from the mat. I hate losing. If it is inevitable I try to accept it with grace, consider it as temporary and move on but I try to avoid the prospect of losing at all costs. If I were to be knocked down it would be just as certain that I would rise to continue the fight. When life knocks us down and has given us its best punch it is imperative that we stand and fight again. We learn through our struggles and obstacles to become stronger and to rapidly adapt to our circumstances at the moment. It is our resiliency, our ability to bounce back, that creates our greatest strengths in life's arena. With each negative experience in life we learn something of tremendous value and it is that which makes us smarter and better in the next of life's rounds. The challenge then internalizes and one begins enabling oneself to continue the struggle. Determination is borne of struggle as is resiliency and all three notions feed on one another. Struggle is the real life's experience and the elements of determination and resiliency are of the mind and spirit. Those elements of determination and resiliency cannot be seen, felt or heard but are mighty in their net result.

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