today’s Musing written and published from
Morning walk: -7C/18F, early dark, overcast; rabbit romping drew Gusta’s attention while I just wanted to keep moving, to get back to warm, get back for hot coffee, get back so I could write this column before sprinting downtown to the TLI (a Toastmasters 1 day education event) …. then home for sleep later.
Do you believe?
That’s our theme, borrowed from the 2010 Winter Olympics advertising campaign; intended to inspire and capture imagination. Do you believe in yourself, do you believe in this process, do you believe you can learn something, do you believe in the collective WE?
Listen to this music . . you cannot help be but inspired! This year, 2010, the winter Olympics will be hosted by the City of
Why do we do things?
In a few hours we’ll be saying DO YOU BELIEVE we did it? Happy, exhausted, satisfied – with short term forgetfulness about the fatigue … we will believe.
I’m sure, when Ralph Smedley founded Toastmasters 85 years ago he didn’t imagine my crew of helpers and I would all get up this early, on a wintry morning, for such a purpose. I’m so glad he did his part. Now – we can all do ours. Like, planning for months so we can get up early on a weekend morning, to go spend a day with 200+ people; somewhat like ‘why prepare a banquet for a group when the eating will all be over so quickly?’, in that so many hours of planning and organizing, many meetings and calls, endless emails?
… and then, poof, it will be over before I know it.
There is much to criticize in the organization side of any voluntary not-for-profit organization; I’m not shy about my views on things that range from mildly hypocritical to mind-boggling stupid . . unless of course the mistakes were my own, then I am much more forgiving.
Seriously, the best way to see things work is to get involved as a member of a team, or to lead that team, and suddenly the appreciation for voluntary hard work overwhelms any disdain for those who give slower, give less or give-out along the way. I’m proud of my team who are in action already today; just like me, they are up earlier than usual, gathering materials, picking up food, driving people, and checking their check-lists so we all come together for that first workshop at 7:30 …. and we’ll be euphoric at 3:30 this afternoon when that notion we first shared around a table last September comes to a happy ending.
Mark Kolke
324,916
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RESPONSES/COMMENTS ALWAYS WELCOME; send to musing@maxcomm.ca
January 29 Responses
January 29 – SOMEONE I LEFT BEHIND – Reason, season, lifetime thinking today? “People come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. When you figure out which it is, you know exactly what to do....” Author Unknown, JW-Cochrane/Calgary, AB
January 29 – SOMEONE I LEFT BEHIND - Everyone's accomplishments are vast when viewed on a timeline since birth. Some, like you, are more accomplished than others. Where we now stand can be viewed as nowhere if that is all we see. Introspectively, when compared to someone great, we are not much at all. Outwardly, and from my perspective, you have touched the hearts of men and women and have most likely helped thousands. Perhaps millions in forwards. Who among us can say the same? Doubt is the single most destructive thought the mind can muster...and you sure can muster, mister. Believing is the creator, LP, Wailuku, HI
January 29 – SOMEONE I LEFT BEHIND - Mark, isn't life a continual process of leaving someone, or something behind? As hopeful dreamers, we see a butterfly inside the caterpillar, knowing that beauty is waiting to be born, even though it hasn't appeared as of yet. Those who try to convince us that the best we can expect in love and life, is in the safety of a cocoon, have never taken the risk to break free and fly with wings of tropical hues, SW, Coeur d'Alene, ID
January 29 – SOMEONE I LEFT BEHIND - You sound almost ready to burst with excitement -I'm happy for you!, GR,
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