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Great Expectations
One of my motivational speeches is entitled, "At
What Age Should You Stop Dreaming?" I use it to make
the point that the ability and desire to dream has
nothing to do with age. Down deep inside, everyone
has a dream. Most are attainable. History has proven
that.
Well, I believe that part of dreaming has to do with
our daily personality or attitude. Expecting the
best for yourself and your loved ones is a powerful
step in the right direction. Key word: expecting.
How many times have you heard someone start a
sentence with, "Well, with my luck..." Regardless of
what has (or hasn’t) happened to them in the past,
they are unconsciously telling themselves that they
do not deserve better. The opposite is true.
When the Texas Lottery first began, I hosted
numerous weekly televised giveaways throughout the
state with the grand prize of a cool million.
As the show began, I would interview each of seven
contestants. Keep in mind that no one would walk
away with any less than $10,000. I would always
point out that they were already big winners,
regardless of how much someone else might win.
After the on-camera interviews, we turned on the
automatic ball machine and started pulling the
numbered balls out of the bubble. By process of
elimination, each one received $10,000 to $25,000.
When there were only two left, those two would stand
in front of a safe with two doors. (Second to last
number pulled on the left and last number pulled on
the right.) With their hands on the doors, I would
lead the audience in a 10 second countdown. When the
doors were opened, one safe revealed a million
dollars and the other contained $50,000. It was very
exciting.
Here the interesting part: Of the dozens of
individuals who won the million, when I interviewed
them, they would tell me, in so many words, "I'm
going to win." Not one of them ever said, "Well,
with my luck..."
What’s the best that can happen?
Wouldn't It Be
Nice
"Wouldn’t it be
nice if we were older
Then we wouldn’t have to wait so long
And wouldn’t it be nice to live together
In the kind of world where we belong"
-From The Beach Boys, Wouldn’t It Be Nice
Talking to a
friend recently over a cup of decaf Starbucks
coffee (I feel very awkward even thinking about
ordering one of Smahtay-Latays that I hear people
rattling off while I stand in line waiting to give
instructions on my cup—“Double cupped with a
sleeve and room for cream”) recently, the
conversation came around to being appreciative of
all we have rather than dwell on what’s missing in
our lives. My feeling is that this thankful point
of view is as vivid as your memory.
Let me explain.
When we talk about
being thankful for what we have, we usually think
about loved ones, a place to live, food on our
table, etc. My appreciation is much more
childlike. In fact, that’s exactly where I’m
coming from: The corner of Nolan and Pine Streets
in San Antonio, to be exact. Behind my Dad’s
barber shop (where we lived in very small
quarters) I would take aim outdoors at a large
metal ring nailed to a homemade backboard creating
a grand scenario in my head that made every shot
of my under-inflated ball the winning basket.
Without knowing it, I was teaching myself to dream
without question. What I didn’t have compared to
others was overshadowed by what I hoped to achieve
despite my location in life.
What does this have
to do with being appreciative? Everything. You
see, when you’re a kid, you gravitate daily to
thoughts of “Wouldn’t it be nice if…” These
feelings are, perhaps, what give us the
inspiration to see them to fruition.
A grown up’s
perspective:
“Wouldn’t it be
nice if I owned a nicer car?”
An 11 year old’s
perspective:
“Wouldn’t it be
nice if I owned the coolest car in the
neighborhood?...Wouldn’t it be nice if I had
a car?…Wouldn’t it be nice if I had a driver’s
license?!”
The younger your
perspective, the greater your appreciation for the
simplest of the joys to be found in land of
grownups. If I wanted to, (and I might), I could
stop writing right now, get in my car and just
drive around. How cool is that?
Wouldn't it be nice if we grew down instead of up.
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If Nuns Ruled
The World
I
believe that nuns should rule the world because,
as far as I'm concerned, they have it down.
Every sister I have ever met has had a unique
quality based on two distinct characteristics:
faith and survival.
Take
Sister Laura, my first grade teacher. When I was
about to make my First Communion, she told me
that if I made a wish and had faith, it would
come true. I wished for a little brother. Nine
months later, my brother, Ricky, was born. I was
impressed.
In
5th grade, Sister Roberta taught English,
History, Math, and How To Be An Entrepreneur.
She taught the latter with her actions. To make
a little extra money, she would let us eat candy
in class...provided we bought it from her! If a
student in her morning class gave her an apple,
she would sell it to someone in her afternoon
class. On occassion, she would send me and Abe
Gonzalez on his bike to the Judson Candy
Company, about a mile away from St. Michael's
School to buy a ten dollar box of hard candy.
Upon returning, we'd stand at a table in the
back of the classroom and break up the sweets
into more pieces and assemble them onto napkins.
One by one, students would pay their nickel and
enjoy the treat while studying. Life was good.
Our
8th grade teacher was also the principal -
Sister Urban. On the first day of that year, she
announced that the Captains of the safety patrol
would be Manuel Macias and yours truly. For me,
it was a life changing promotion. (See "The
Badge" below) What I didn't realize at the time
was that Manuel and I were the shortest boys in
the class who now had the biggest responsibilty.
We could handle the job. All we needed was a
chance and someone who believed in us. Sister
Urban gave us both.
So,
if a nun ever decides to run for office, she has
my vote....and faith.
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A Circle of
Prayer
Yesterday, I witnessed a most touching site.
I'll begin
by
telling you that I am blessed to have my office
and
studio overlook the oldest cathedral in the U.S.
-
San Fernando Cathedral
located here in San Antonio,
Texas. Each day this view is a source of
inspiration
and
gratitude.
As I
glanced out yesterday afternoon, I noticed what
is
becoming a familiar site in our town which daily
welcomes visitors from around the world:
tourists on
Segways - those two wheel personal vehicles. As
the
group of about a half dozen rolled across the street, I
saw that
they were headed to the front of the Cathedral and
wondered if they would stop. They did. However
they could not very well go in and leave their
expensive
rentals outside.
That's when I was touched to see what they
decided
to
do next. Slowly, in the large sidewalk entrance
to the Cathedral, they circled these 21st
century inventions and did what people have been
doing at
San
Fernando or hundreds of years: they bowed their
heads and prayed.
To
see this
circle of prayer amid our busy downtown
area
was heartwarming, to say the least. It served as
a reminder that no matter what, and no
matter where, we can always find a way to pray.
Wherever you are in the world at this moment,
take
comfort in knowing that prayer surrounds you. It
may
very
well be what makes our world go round.
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Following The
Beat Of Your Heart
Renaldo Ojeda was born to dance. Unfortunately
there was only one problem, his handicap.
However, what would be an impossible challenge
to others, is only an inconvenience to him.
What
you are about to witness is a man limited only
by his own imagination. He is living proof that
within us all beats a heart with a mind of it's
own.
Perhaps you are at a point in your life when
every day seems like the whole world is out to
get you. It's a feeling many of us can relate
to. Be encouraged by knowing that God has a plan
for you that comes with much training. Take
heart.
Now
watch someone who listened and prayed that
someday he would dance again.
Renaldo is a living testimony to God's will and
love.
Click on the picture to
play the video.
With His help we can do
anything.
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That's Amore!
In the classic
Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis film, The Caddy,
Dino performs one of his many signature
songs, That's
Amore with Jerry. The timing is about
as perfect as
it gets.
In
listening to the words of the song,
When the moon hits your eye
Like a big pizza pie, that's amore.
When the world seems to shine
Like you've had too much wine, that's amore.
I
couldn't help but notice how these simple, yet
thoughtful, lyrics capture the essence of love.
In
this world of "edge" marketing we live in, it is
easy to lose site of the fact the "being in
love" will never go out of style. Nor will our
need and wanting to laugh.
That's why this scene is so powerful. It
encourages us to love and laugh.
Take
a moment to
click HERE to enjoy this
classic performance and may your life
be filled with a desire to share your love and
laughter to those along your path.
That's amore!
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The Ten-Way Tie
As the story
goes, at a charity walk/run held in Seattle a
few years ago, a group of youngsters taught the
crowd a lesson they will never forget.
The annual
event raised thousands for the National Down
Syndrome Society and gave children with Down
syndrome an opportunity to have a race of their
own.
As was the
custom, about 12 of these kids lined up to begin
the race and when the signal was given to start,
they took off, running as fast as their legs
would take them. That is, all but one little
girl who tripped and began to cry. Hearing her,
the others (one by one) stopped and turned
around. When one of them came back to help her,
the others followed. They comforted her, patting
her back and saying, "Don't cry. We'll help
you."
Then these 11
precious souls did something that those in
attendance will never forget.
Together, they
locked arms with their little friend in the
middle and together they walked to and across
the finish line.
Perhaps the
race to our daily finish line can benefit from
this story. Someone once said, "When you help
others to get where they are going, you help
yourself to get where you want to go."
Success can be
even more exciting when everyone has a
reason to celebrate.
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The Smell of
Opportunity
I was about 9 years old
when my dad taught me to shine shoes at his
small two seat barber shop. From the brushing,
to the saddle soap, to the final buffing, I had
it down and was ready for my first customer.
I did my best and will never forget receiving my
first payment: a shiny new quarter – fifteen
cents for the shine and a ten cent tip. Life was
good.
Saturday’s were especially busy and I noticed
that faster I worked, the more shoes I could
handle. However, I never made the customer feel
rushed. My father always believed in making the
client feel special. “Give them your best work,”
he’d say.
From him I also learned to look beyond for
opportunity. My dad noticed that there were no
dry cleaners in the area and turned his barber
shop into a drop off point for the nearest
cleaner about 5 miles away which also happened
to be along the route he’d take when he drove me
to school.
So without using any extra gas, he had created
another service for his customers by giving them
“2 Day Dry Cleaning.” This was not to mention
the paperback books he sold and traded.
Without realizing it, father was generating
“multiple streams of income.” Every one of
these streams was based on two things: a need
and an opportunity to serve. His customers often
got more than they expected as he would throw in
an extra book, round off the amount owed, or
give shave on the house.
And, my dad taught me something even more
important: unselfishness. You see, after every
haircut or other transaction, he would usually
send me to the corner drug store to get change
and then he would distribute the quarters in
various cigar boxes. Each one represented a
fund: groceries, rent, clothing, and his son’s
education. Before he paid himself, he paid his
family.
A lesson well learned.
To this day, the smell of shoe polish brings
back my first memories of opportunity and my
father’s simple wisdom.
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Making A
Difference
As a writer, my challenge
has always been to share stories, observations,
and good news that will hopefully make the
reader feel better about being alive. Awhile
back, I wrote a piece for the San Antonio
Express-News that has resulted in response
beyond my wildest expectations.
Countless readers from all
walks of life have made a point to tell me how
much the article touched them and many have
mentioned that they actually carry it with them
and read it often.
Several years ago, I was
handed a small card and offered God’s blessing
by a gentleman in Alamo Plaza and, thinking it
was an advertisement, I stuck it my pocket
expecting to later throw it away. When I finally
read the printing, I realized what a treasure of
wisdom I held in my hand. Here are the exact
words:
Make A Difference – Six
Rules
Rule One
- Take responsibility for your life. Stop making
excuses. Make yourself responsible for your
thoughts, words, and actions.
Rule Two
- Be a majority of one. Do what is right and
good. Don't worry about being popular.
Rule Three
- Don't let the fact that you can't do all you
want to do, stop you from doing what you can do.
Do something.
Rule Four
- Don't hate people who use violence. Evil only
begets evil. Love those who don't agree with
you.
Rule Five
- Always be involved in helping someone. Use
your life to enrich those around you. Be a
nourisher.
Rule Six
- You can make a difference if you fill your
life with love and service. Our true wealth and
greatness is the good we do.
The kind soul who took it
upon himself to print his advice to the world
and hand-deliver it to one fellow human being at
a time is not a member of the media. He doesn’t
have a radio show or a newspaper column. And
yet, his action has made a difference.
If you believe, as I do, that God sends us His
message when we need to hear it most, perhaps it
is no accident that you chose to read this blog..
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At Your Service
I am a big fan of
service that goes above and beyond what a
customer might expect. A few years ago, on my
way to the station, I stopped at a local drive
thru to pick up some breakfast. It was 4:15 AM.
The voice at the other end of the speaker said
politely and clearly, "Good morning and welcome!
How may I serve you?" I thought it was a dream.
Surely this was not what I was used to,
especially at this time of the morning.
When I reached
the window, a delightful lady named Ruby
introduced herself and in a very mom-like way
announced, "We're making some fresh bacon for
you, so it will be a second. Now, you said you
wanted two sugars?" All the while, she was
actually putting the cream and sugar in the cup,
stirring, and even pulling back the opening on
the lid. (Mind you, this is not exactly
Starbucks.)
I couldn't wait
to get on the air to share the experience with
my listeners and write a letter to the
president of the company she worked for.
Every morning
thereafter she would have my order waiting. Then
one morning, Ruby did something that taught me a
lesson I will never forget.
Since we give
away so many prizes on the radio, it is not
unusual for listeners on the street to stop us
and ask for a CD, etc. After handing over my
order, Ruby asked, "Sonny, I was wondering
whether or not you had tickets for tonight's
(San Antonio) Spurs game?"
I thought to
myself that if anyone had a right to ask, it was
Ruby. I shook my head and replied, "No, Ruby I'm
afraid I don't." She then reached into her
pocket and said, "Good! Because, I would like
you to have mine. You see I was chosen Employee
of the Month and given theses tickets. And,
since I can't use them, I would like you
to have them. After all, you are my best
customer.
As you can well
imagine, Ruby did not last long in that
position. She now has daytime hours as a manager
for our local City Public Service. Cream rises.
The opportunity
to deliver surprisingly great service is
available to all of us, especially in radio. We
are in the people business and can learn from
other industries how to make a listener for
life.
Imagine calling
back a listener who checked in on one of your
talk shows and asking if they found the producer
to be courteous, similar to the calls major car
manufacturers make after a client has brought
their car in for servicing.
To this day, I
make it a point to stop everything when a
listener calls asking for the title of a song
"that was played sometime last week and has the
word love in it." I especially enjoy
getting their address, purchasing the song (if
we don't have it), and mailing it to them.
Ridiculous?
Outrageous? Yes, but that's what "At Your
Service" is all about.
 Inspirational
quotations are like fast food for the soul. I enjoy
reading several at one sitting to get a quick charge
of motivation.
Here are some my favorites and what they mean as I
convert them into energy and achievement:
“Whatever you are, be a good one.” – Abraham Lincoln
Whatever you endeavor to accomplish, concentrate on
it’s success and only it’s success for as long as
you are committed to making it happen. Your skills
are greatly improved when you are singular in your
achievement.
“The work will show you how.” – Chinese proverb.
Many people put off following up on an inspiration
by resigning themselves to the fact that they
“wouldn’t know where to start.” Truth is, most
people who set out and realize their ideas often
don’t have clue when it comes to beginning a
project. This does not stop them. They ask
questions, try what doesn’t work, and eventually,
figure it out. Finding out how can be as
simple as asking just that.
“The true measure of a man is how he treats those who can do
absolutely nothing for him.” –Samuel Johnson
This is one of my all-time favorites and reminds me
that in life we are rewarded by how we treat our
fellow human beings. All too often, people believe
that it is important to treat those who are
important with greater respect than those who may
seem to be of little benefit. This couldn’t be
farther from the truth. It is life that pays
you back, not people.
“It’s never too late to be what you might
have been.” –George Elliott
A few years ago, I hosted the opening ceremonies of
the International Senior Olympic Games and met a man
named Harry whose sport was golf.
When I asked him how he got interested in the game,
he explained that while his friends had always
played, he was happy to ride along in the cart. One
day, he picked up a club, hit a few balls and hadn’t
stopped since. Then, I asked how long ago that was.
“Twenty-two years ago.”
I wondered how old he was at the time.
“Eighty.”
That’s right, Harry was 102 years old and still
playing. His love for the game had started long
after others would have never given a thought to
starting such a sport. Shooting his age was no big
deal.
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Perhaps the greatest compliment I can pay him is to share a quote that was given me by one of the many friends attending the retirement luncheon in his honor this week:
friend, Nacho Estrada likes to point out that the word enthusiasm comes from the Greek word enthousiasmos meaning "to have God within". Maybe that's why children are so enthusiastic about all that fills them with joy.
My first promotion as a member of the Safety Patrol at St. Michael's School was from Patrolman to Sergeant. I still remember taking the colorless patrolman badge off my safety belt and replacing it with the new green sergeant's badge. Life was good and within a few months I made it to Lieutenant and a very cool red badge.
