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FOLLOWCRAIG: “The King”

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It’s been a very longtime since I have written and frankly I’ve missed sharing. Tonight I watched a new movie “ELVIS”, the film was just released and is streaming on-line. What a time we live in to be able watch a first run film right at home.

Elvis Presley died way too young at the age of 42 in the year 1977. As I watched the film my own memories of that time became so vivid. You see my father died the same year as Elvis and he was also the same age, 42. The memories of this period of time, the music, the political unrest, my own life experiences back then have shaped me to the become the 70 plus year old man I am today. Like Elvis my father passed away of a heart attack and in many ways dad was a lot like Elvis, at least to me. Dad played the organ in his spare restful times, he loved music much like me. Dad was very smart and frankly very well known in his Phoenix, Arizona town where he lived and I really miss him. So you may be asking why am I sharing this stuff or perhaps you’re not but I am. I think it’s freedom, the freedom to remember and be free.

I had dreams back then, so many dreams of what I wanted to be, those dreams changed over the years as I began to experience life on life’s terms. Dreams changed, faded and many were lost over these years. I wonder what dad would have become in his later life had he lived longer and I would have grown with him. Would he and I be friends? Would he love his grand children? These questions could go on and on. Someone told me once that all of us, you and me all experience loss, love, joy, sadness and so many other emotions. We all may have traveled our own paths but the emotions of the experience’s are the same. Pain is pain and joy is joy. Memories are what we build our life upon. our experiences and how we move on from them shape our future. My own surely shaped me. How about you? Have you reached the dreams you had when you were young or have yours changed or faded as well? Have you had new dreams come true? I think that’s what’s important, the dreams we’ve had come true even if we never knew we dreamed them.

Yes, I miss my dad. I miss the Elvis’s of the world and all those who have made a difference and shaped who I am. How about you, are you the person you’re supposed to be? I enjoyed the movie tonight, I really did. I do hope to continue being around for a long time so I continue to become who I am supposed to be and hopefully more, I do hope you are becoming the person you’re supposed to be. I have learned, as we become comfortable in our own selves and know who we are, it’s then we can give ourselves to others and hopefully help them become free as well.

Thank you for reading this …

Please keep following, Craig

FollowCraig: Baby Grand

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Yes, I’m still here…

Do you enjoy listening to piano players, talented piano artists like…David Benoit, Ramsey Lewis, Jim Brickman…and others?

I sure do, I really love the relaxing sounds of a soft jazz piano concert, then of course the thundering and bold musical piece that only a piano and its pianist can perform. Closing my eyes and listening is like viewing a beautiful Picasso, Monet or even Warhol. Perhaps for you it’s Ray Charles, Floyd Cramer, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elton John, or Randy Newman. Who knows, they all have such a gift to tell us a story with keys of music.

About six months ago on a whim of sorts I bought a beautiful baby grand piano and placed it center in our living room. This was completely crazy as I have never learned to play one, not one lesson. Secretly I’ve wanted a piano for many years. You see, my father could play and play very well. He preferred playing the organ over a piano because he could create a one-man band at home. It was such a joy to listen to his music and I think of those moments often with such warmth and joy. Anyway, these last few months I’ve been practicing, learning, and ever so slowly figuring this skill out and I admit it’s frustrating at times but ever so joyful as well. It was yesterday however that brought clarity to me as to why finding a piano for me or perhaps for you some other form of an un-experienced challenge or activity is the best mind-altering escape I’ve experienced in a long, long time.

It had been a frustrating couple of days dealing with others in our HOA regarding a very irritating issue in our neighborhood. As some of you may know from experience that working with other committee members who may share a vastly differed point of view can be draining and I was profoundly drained.

Oh, what to do? My mind was a mix of emotions from disappointment to jubilation. I was all over the map and just could not mellow out. Even relentlessly repeating the “Serenity Prayer” didn’t help, I was a mucky mess for a while.

Then suddenly it was there, that beautiful Piano! The time was right to take another lesson; so I sat down, placed my iPad right up on the piano and opened the piano lesson application and began to play. The lesson of the day was the chorus of “Mr. Bojangles”. Here I was sitting at my lovely piano in the beautiful living room of our stunning home, and I just began to play. No, I was not great! I did get through it though and as I read the notes then let my hands and fingers touch the keys of music, then suddenly it happened. Not just the sound of the notes, or the feeling of the keys or the song itself. What was it? It was peace, my mind was no longer on the frustrations of the week but rather the joy of the music and the joy of learning laced with some success that I was able to play “Mr. Bojangles” (ok, sort of).

One more time, one more thing, one more action and one more gift was given to me by just taking a moment and leaving the troubles at the pedals of the piano and instead touch the keys of music. I had let go of frustration and replaced it all with a much more joyful memory. What a great way to just get out of myself.

I’m often reminded that letting others live in my head without paying rent is just not very smart. We all do it, we all listen to others and often their words just become mindless noise that turns around and around in our thoughts, even dominating our reason. When we find something different and far removed from this noise to focus on for even a short time, what a difference the outcome of your day becomes. Now when I’m thinking of this very uncomfortable HOA experience, I will also be reminded of “Mr. Bojangles and my piano”. That brings a smile.

Thanks for reading and please continue to FollowCraig…

 

 

Followcraig: “40 Years!”

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...and you’re still reading

It’s been a few months since my last post and I have been thinking that we should catch up. Hopefully your life and experiences have been good these last months? I have been busy, busy working on my business, my home and life in general. I have also been reading a lot. Learning and refreshing skills of personal development, setting goals, helping others and finding a way to become a little bit better everyday. It’s been wonderful and so inspiring to read, listen and study people like Jim Rohn, Grant Cardone, Tony Robbins, John Maxwell, Mel Robbins and so many others. These life coaches have really become a part of my daily routine. I have also been more active in Alcoholics Anonymous, joined a new church and working hard to help others in and around my life and business life. Basically, I am living one day at a time always looking forward.

It’s funny though? Sometimes when you just don’t expect it, something or someone comes along or we find ourselves in just the right place when you need it the most. Then something magical and eye opening happens. I have decided to share one of those moments with you,

Today I was attending an AA meeting. An ordinary Friday 12:00 noon meeting. One I attend most Fridays right here in Rio Vista. Today was a “Birthday Day” and those days are often a joy. However today was very special as a gentleman spoke up who has just celebrated 40 years sober “one day at a time”. Truly an accomplishment but that is not the story? He spoke of his life today, what it’s like now after all these years living a sober life. He happens to be a top selling author (5) novels, he has traveled the world and has built several successful businesses. I happen to know where he lives and he lives very well, in fact he just returned from a six month world cruise. I remember when he and his partner left for that trip a few months ago. His life is full of incredible experiences, travels and achievements. You may wonder, did this all happen because he remained sober for 40 years or was there more?

So this is what happened? About 35 years ago in an obscure meeting in Oregon a guest stood up and spoke. this man listened. This stranger said clearly that sober is good however if you wish to find happiness and peace in life you must get busy. You must begin by writing down everything you can dream of, everything you wish you could do or have. All that you have ever wanted to do or would like to accomplish! You must have a purpose and get on with it. So my neighbor wrote all this down and began carrying this list with him everyday for these last 35 years. After he finished his short story of what’s happened in his life I was blessed to see this folded up list he carries with him everyday. I took a photo of the battered list and so wanted to share what was written at the bottom with you.

I think this truly applies to all of us, so please enjoy.

“A man should conceive of a legitimate purpose in his heart and set out to accomplish it. He should make this purpose the centralizing point of his thoughts. It may take the form of a spiritual ideal, or it may be a worldly object according to his nature at the time being; but whatever it is, he should steadily focus his thought-forces upon the object which he has set before him…It is his duty!”

Please keep following………..Craig

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FollowCraig: Re-Post (72 cents)

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Special Post: A few years ago while having some difficulty in my life and my marriage I wrote this particular post. Our Pastor and my friend “Rev. Lon Haack” helped me through that difficult time with this short story. I of course wrote about this experience and perhaps aired a little too much personal laundry at the time however that’s another story. The reason for this post today is that this coming Saturday January 16th, 2016 we will be attending final services for our friend Lon. He passed away in November just before Thanksgiving while on a visit with his family in Nebraska. He was taken by a cancer he did not know he had until it was discovered much to late to stop. I will miss my friend so very much and remember all the times he and I spoke of so many issues including life, theology, politics and more. He was a very well educated man who had been fortunate enough to travel the world. Lon was a long time resident of San Francisco and enjoyed the city so much. So with all that said, I say good-bye Lon and thank you for allowing me to be part of your continuing journey…..Craig

R.I.P. Rev. Lon Haack

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….and your still reading

Two quarters, two dimes and two pennies. So just what does 72 cents have to do with anything you may wonder? That was the question I asked of my Pastor just the other day when speaking about my own marriage troubles. Do you ever wonder about your own relationship? Perhaps like me, mistakes happen? You and your partner are having trouble and just wondering is the relationship worth it? Do you think you care more than your partner about the relationship? Should you or they just wash their hands of it and walk away? Do you ever ask just how much are you or your partner are willing to invest in making it all work? So when speaking with my Pastor about this very subject, he suggested we do this. Each of us to take the penny, the dime and the quarter along with an empty envelope. Go to quiet place both in mind and heart. Look at that money, think about the love between you and the life you have or want. Clearly determine how much that relationship is worth and how much you are really willing to invest in it. Take your penny, dime and quarter in your hand. Put the amount you think your relationship is worth into that envelope. There is no time limit to this or a right or wrong amount. Only your own value, your willingness and the value you place on this relationship is what matters. Share if you want or not, but you will know for certain the value you place and then decide how much more to invest if any? I know the value of mine, do you know yours?

I’m still writing, you’re still reading, so please keep following…..

Craig

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FollowCraig: “Boxes Packed”

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and you’re till reading…….

Oh my G..! It’s moving day again. What a stressful and crazy thing it is to move from one home to another. The excitement of the new place to live can certainly be a joy and yet leaving the old can be so very exhausting. I remember when I was young how often our family moved before I was even 10 years old, (it was like once a year). Then we bought a home and I didn’t move again until my late teens. Then again, it never stopped. For years to come I had lost count how many homes, apartments, rooms and such I have lived. After all these years one would think it’s easy for me to pack up and go?

Well it’s not.

I think the hardest part about moving are the memories. In my life as I have moved from place to place and many things have been lost. Most were just things that could easily be replaced and some are impossible to ever replace. Memories however remain and for me often that is all that remains, so I have learned to covet these memories. All the experiences like the kids playing or the first time they walked or talked. That first report card or the loss of someone dear. All the celebrations, all the tears and all the memories that can only go into boxes, “Mind Boxes” packed away to be opened from time to time and just for us. My mind is filled with these “Boxes Packed” full of joy, sadness, love. emotion and photographs of my life so far. Little time capsules of sorts?

As I listen and watch others who are moving from place to place, my curiosity to know what they are feeling is certainly a wonder. Yet I know like me their memories are stored away.

This all comes to my mind as this move is upon me. Almost seven years ago my life began to settle from years of moving and no longer did I feel like a gypsy wondering where I would sleep next. This has been a wondrous experience and I cherish it so much. So now as we get ready to move to our new home it occurs to me this may very well be my last move. All the “Mind Boxes” are coming and they are filled to the brim, and some are even ready to be opened for the last time. Pictures of life experiences and family will be placed on our walls so we can easily peer into those boxes of life. I am excited about this move, I truly am. An excitement of content so to speak, one of content within myself.

My dearest friend “Claude” said to me years ago that there are few better feelings than having a key to your own front door. How very true that is! I have had a key to my own front door for sometime now and I am so grateful.

I hope if you are moving or have moved that you can find a way to keep your memories close, that you too can find peace and be settled. That you can be in a place to begin opening your “Mind Boxes” and look forward to the new joys ahead.

Thanks for reading and please keep following…….

Craig