Each Of Us Is Unique and Valuable

Apologies for being absent for a month of so. It's been a challenging time...maybe for all of us!! Nevertheless, I have a though to share.

Recently, I was told "you are so like your father" and then "you act just like your mother." What does that mean??? At the time, I replied, albeit angrily, "I am NOT my father and I am NOT my father. I am ME!"  Think about that. I AM myself. While I may have some traits of my dear Father and Mother, I am a unique individual. After all, that's what "individual" means...right!? Unique, one of a kind. 

So many of us give up our individuality to fit in, conform or be what someone else wants us to be. In essence that is giving AWAY our own precious value. In my book I'm working on called "A Value-Driven Life", I talk about our personal "value bucket". In our value bucket, we carry the "fluid" of our value. I talk about how important it is to protect our value. To not let anyone take it from us or even to not give it away without purpose. When someone tries to tell you that you are like someone else, they are taking away you value from your value bucket. Do you want to just GIVE that away? I think, probably NOT!! Take a moment to sit back and say, "hey, I'm ME, not anyone else, not who you want me to be." Explain that you are a unique, special and valuable INDIVIDUAL....just like they are. The reality is that each of us is unique and that's what helps make our world so special as well. We each need to embrace our value...and uniqueness and celebrate it...within ourselves and with each other.

Think about how much better all of us would feel and how much better our world would be.

As always, I welcome your comments!!

So...What Now?

So, what now? Is that a question you ask yourself often? I guess I have had that experience in the past few days or weeks. Last week, I had a complicated ear surgery, which the outcome is still in doubt. Will I hear again in my ear? Will I look different with my ear sewn on? So..what now?

Well, when I take a moment to reflect, the answer is clear. You just get up and move onward. Life deals all of us with a lot of challenges. Big and small and everything in between comes at us each day. Many challenges we just take on without thinking about, while others are so large as to weigh us down and push us over. 

The secret to moving on is to look for every possible opportunity within the challenge. Think about it. If someone has been told they a have life-threatening disease, the challenge is immense, yet they can look at the opportunities to connect deeper with family, take on something they thought they could never do, or embark on a spiritual journey. The opportunities are really endless. For me, well...so what if I look a little different, I can embrace my new-found look, laugh about it and know that it helps make me even more unique than I am. As for my hearing, well, I can always hear from one side, and I can always take the opportunity to see what technology is available to give me more hearing ability with what I have. Point is that nothing is lost, and all can be gained. How about that I can use the challenge to refocus my senses and talents on my other senses, visual and creative. I can move away from self-doubt and move into self-discovery. How exciting is that!!

Late today, an amazing friend of mine, Jim Bowers, sent me the following message that is timely and relevant in so many ways. Jim and I are artists, creators. He is also a dreamer, inspirational and authentic. We are both "perfectly imperfect", as he says. Here's what he had to say:

“Every single human being on this planet (NO EXCEPTIONS) has something BRILLIANT to offer mankind, whether they know it, believe it, or not. It may be obvious, or it may be hidden, deep within an insecurity. Self-doubt renders that BRILLIANT YOU undiscovered, unrecognized, and unappreciated. 

Given time, trust, and commitment, I WILL discover, reveal and then include that uniquely BRILLIANT contribution as an equally integral part of my/our Art. 

Above all else, this is what brings me true joy and my greatest sense of genuine accomplishment.” 

- Jim Bowers, Artist

These are words to live by. So, look at the brilliant YOU and discover your own Art, and say, "What now?"  I think you'll know the answer!!!

Comments please!!

Moments in Time...That's Life!

 As we go through each day, most of us never think about the 1,440 minutes that make up each day or the 525,600 minutes in a year. But in reality, our lives are these minutes - moments in time. So, what do you do to make each of these minutes special and precious moments? Do we do our best to value each minute? Do we do something positive - even in small ways - for each of those minutes? Think about it! In his book, "Today Matters", John C. Maxwell talks about making each day one of value - special and positive. What he is saying is that if we hold each day - and each minute in that day - beautiful and special for ourselves, then our lives will be built upon moments of good and positive actions.

Using the analogy of building a house...each moment is a block upon which the next block is to be laid. To be solid, each block must be solid and well made. One block upon the other, one block at a time, we can build a solid, well made, life of value into a mansion of our own lives. 

That's a life that can be beautiful!!

Here's a poem I wrote originally in 2012 and revised in 2014. It is called, appropriately, "One Moment In Time."

One Moment In Time

In the dark there is a light

In the light a darkness rises

Yet, there is just one night now

Just this moment in time

Just one moment in time

My eyes have turned from blue

To the steely coldness of grey

Yet, in the light my darkness rises

Just this moment in time

Just one moment in time

Across the land a pale light rises

A new day comes brightly onward

Yet, soon the silent night is overcome

Just this moment in time

Just one moment in time

I thought the darkness never ending

Surrounding me ever into infinity 

Yet, in it all there is light outward

Just this moment in time

Just one moment in time

Now all of the dark has faded

The blue and black into gold and white

Yet, the light I know now is me

Just this moment in time

Just a moment in time

Just one moment in time

Just my moment in time.

"One Moment In Time"  Copyright, Larry Eiring, 2012/2023

Will you step out of the dark and bring your light into each of your many moments in time? Do that every minute you can and you'll see what a beautiful life you can have!!

 

Coming Back Is Possible

Many times in our lives we can feel lost. Lost to ourselves, Lost to others, Lost even in the places where we are. Yet, the reality is that we don't have to stay lost. We have the power within ourselves to "find" all that we need. Each of us holds so much more value than we recognize, so much more power of life and hope than we realize. What it takes is courage and having the dignity of risk to honestly look inward. It's not that difficult really. The key action is honesty. To be able to have the courage to find your own value means that you must be 100% honest with yourself first. You must discover and accept the good, the bad, and the uglies about yourself and realize that all of that is who you are. And then, take the risk - with dignity and grace - to find who you are and chart an exciting course forward. Once you start moving forward, you will not be lost. You have a direction and will be on a journey of value and light.

In 2017, I wrote several poems about being lost myself, desperate in a dark place, and looking for someone, something, in my own life. This is one of those poems.

Back Where I Belong

These days are getting so much longer
Longer than I could ever imagine
The closer I get to there now
It seems like I'll never figure out
All of the ways I can get back
I've not always been the best man
And not the best friend for you
But it's been you and your love
That's helped me make it through
You always gave me another chance
To be the person I could be
Now all I want is to get back
To that place where I belong
Now all I want is to know
There's someone like you out there
Waiting with a smile on their face
To say to me, "Welcome back"
Back to where I belong
I was always running from my life
Running from all those places
From all the pain I once made
I wrapped it around me so tight
Turned all my days into night
But now I am running to the light
This is my hope bold and bright
Right now I want it all
Right now I want to see me
Right now I want to see you
Right now I want to come back
To the place where I belong.

"Back Where I Belong"   Copyright, Larry Eiring, 2017

Are you still running? Are you still looking for yourself? Are you still missing a friend or a loved one? Know this: With honesty, courage, dignity, and hope....you will get back to the place you belong.

As always, I'd love your comments and thoughts!

A Thought Of Colors and Words and Life

 Here is another poem of mine. This one was written as I thought of how people see me, and I see them...and how we all see each other. Think about yourself and the colors of our world...and the beauty within.

Paint Me With Words

Paint me with words

What colors will you see

How about bright yellow

Shining just like the sun

Maybe a bit of cool blue

Is that for the mood I'm in

Or orange bold and forceful

A color full of my energy.

Paint me with words

What colors do you see

Did you consider clean white

Pure and simple and bright

There's green like new life

Renewal and rebirth seep out

Or pure red flowing and warm

The love and hope in my heart.

Paint me with words

What colors do I see

As I look outward at you

Funny how I don't see 

Any colors at all now

Black and white and in between

Blend all together into one

Beauty in all and everything.

Paint me with words

What colors do we see

Should we see any at all

Paint me with words

Laughter and tears

Smiles and fears

What colors do I see

I see them all and more

Painting words of love

Painting words of life.

    "Paint Me With Words"  Larry Eiring, Copyright, 2018

So, think about it! What colors do YOU see? I'd enjoy your comments!!! Let's discuss!

A Poem For The Journey

In the years 2012 through 2018, I was wonderfully moved to create several poems/songs that reflected my life and my feelings. Last week, I was thinking that here would be a good place to brings several of these to you in the hope that maybe my words can help you reflect and find hope and value in your life. So, over the next few weeks, I'm going to post these and will welcome your comments!!

The Journey Is Life

The journey is life
Without the journey
There is no beginning and no end

There is no birth and no death

There are no ups and no downs.

Without the journey 

There is no sun and no rain

There is no joy and no sorrow

There are no failures and no successes.

Without the journey

There is no here and no there

There is no light and no dark

There are no challenges and no opportunities.

Without the journey

There is no hope.

Without the journey

There is no you and no me.

The journey is all we have

The journey is us

The journey is life.

  -- "The Journey is Life" Copyright Larry Eiring, 2017 

Yes, our lives are a journey. But what a wonderful journey it can be if we only look at the value within ourselves and in the journey itself!!

Enjoy!

                         

What Did You Do Today...?

Ok, here's the question: What did you do today to create value?  

Think about that for a moment. Are you wondering what I mean? Are you asking, "what value?" OK, fair enough. Let me make this a little clearer. First, think about what you did today to create value in yourself. Did you look in the mirror and smile at yourself, thinking "I am going to make this a great day?" or did you create something positive for yourself? In creating and building a value-driven life, it is important to take some time each day for yourself. This means that you can do a positive activity, like working out at the gym, or writing something, or even do something artistic. These positive activities - things you want and like to do - will help you build your self-value. The more your build your own self-value, the better you will feel about yourself and your ability to meet the challenges that you will face each day.

Now, how about sharing some of your value with others! Maybe you simply opened a door for someone in the store. Maybe you thanked someone for their help, or maybe you called a friend and listened to them as they related an issue to you. By sharing your value, you are giving of yourself and helping to build someone's own value-driven life. And, just as importantly, you are helping to build your own self-value. 

See! Simple things you do today mean a lot to you and someone else. Each day, by doing something to create value, you are continuing to build on your own life of value. So, the question is...what are you going to do today...and tomorrow??

Please share what you do (and have done) to create value for yourself and others. You just may help someone on their journey towards a value-driven life!!  Comments???