“You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.”
Mahatma Gandhi
There are so many people in our ocean. Not everyone has the best idea or even the right motivation. It’s our job to use our wisdom and insure that the few don’t spoil it for the many.
What do you think?
Beginning with Mom and Dad, then a big brother or sister or even a great friend, most of us have people that influence our lives. Besides family, Zig Ziglar was my first. He’s the first person that I ever paid real (hard earned) money to see in person. It was life changing for me. He had written a book back in the mid ’70s called, “See you at the top.” Click here to get this book.
The quote in the picture above is something I’ve said to others and to my children for as long as I can remember. The other is, “How can I be helpful?” Both of these quotes are from men I admire and each, in their own way, have influenced some aspect of my life.
This morning, I found an advertisement for yet another publication from Zig. He’s the author of 26 books. Life changing books. In an age where sound bites are what most people use to convey a message, perhaps we could restart the tradition of using quotes. They can illustrate principles, values, emotions and certainly motivate others. Here’s Zig’s newest effort. Click here to see it.
My purpose here is NOT to sell books. My purpose is to let you know that DR Rawson is the result of learning many things in life. A life dedicated to helping others.
Thanks Zig.
A dear friend of mine named Catherine sent this to me this morning. I’d like to now share it with you because just reading it will give you a break from the pressures that we’re all feeling today and everyday. Please, enjoy:
As a bagpiper, I play many gigs. Recently I was asked by a funeral director to play at a graveside service for a homeless man. He had no family or friends, so the service was to be at a pauper’s cemetery in the Kentucky back country.
As I was not familiar with the backwoods, I got lost and, being a typical man, I didn’t stop for directions. I finally arrived an hour late and saw the funeral guy had evidently left and the hearse was nowhere in sight. There were only the diggers and crew remaining and they were eating lunch. I felt badly and apologized to the men for being late.
I went to the side of the grave and looked down and the vault lid was already in place. I didn’t know what else to do, so I started to play. The workers put down their lunches and began to gather around. I played out my heart and soul for this man with no family and friends. I played like I’ve never played before for this homeless man.
And as I played “Amazing Grace,” the workers began to weep. They wept. I wept. We all wept together. When I finished I packed up my bagpipes and started for my car. Though my head hung low, my heart was full.
As I opened the door to my car, I heard one of the workers say, “I never seen nothin’ like that before and I’ve been putting in septic tanks for twenty years.”
Apparently I’m still lost. It’s a man thing.
When I was 19 I heard a man on the radio with one of the most engaging voices and the delivery of interesting news. Common sense news. Paul’s gone now but he left a lasting impression upon millions of people. Here is something he may have written, it certainly sounds like him. At the end is a riddle, see if you can guess the answer. If not, it’s available when you hit more . . .
Paul Harvey Writes:
We tried so hard to make things better for our kids that we made them worse. For my grandchildren, I’d like better.
I’d really like for them to know about hand me down clothes and homemade ice cream and leftover meat loaf sandwiches. I really would.
I hope you learn humility by being humiliated, and that you learn honesty by being cheated.
I hope you learn to make your own bed and mow the lawn and wash the car.
And I really hope nobody gives you a brand new car when you are sixteen.
It will be good if at least one time you can see puppies born and your old dog put to sleep.
I hope you get a black eye fighting for something you believe in.
I hope you have to share a bedroom with your younger brother/sister.. And it’s all right if you have to draw a line down the middle of the room, but when he wants to crawl under the covers with you because he’s scared, I hope you let him.
When you want to see a movie and your little brother/sister wants to tag along, I hope you’ll let him/her.
I hope you have to walk uphill to school with your friends and that you live in a town where you can do it safely.
On rainy days when you have to catch a ride, I hope you don’t ask your driver to drop you two blocks away so you won’t be seen riding with someone as uncool as your Mom.
If you want a slingshot, I hope your Dad teaches you how to make one instead of buying one.
I hope you learn to dig in the dirt and read books.
When you learn to use computers, I hope you also learn to add and subtract in your head…..
I hope you get teased by your friends when you have your first crush on a boy/girl, and when you talk back to your mother that you learn what ivory soap tastes like.
May you skin your knee climbing a mountain, burn your hand on a stove and stick your tongue on a frozen flagpole.
I don’t care if you try a beer once, but I hope you don’t like it.. And if a friend offers you dope or a joint, I hope you realize he is not your friend.
I sure hope you make time to sit on a porch with your Grandma/Grandpa and go fishing with your Uncle.
May you feel sorrow at a funeral and joy during the holidays.
I hope your mother punishes you when you throw a baseball through your neighbor’s window and that she hugs you and kisses you at Hannukah/Christmas time when you give her a plaster mold of your hand.
These things I wish for you – tough times and disappointment, hard work and happiness. To me, it’s the only way to appreciate life.
Written with a pen. Sealed with a kiss. I’m here for you. And if I die before you do, I’ll go to heaven and wait for you.
As a Father and a Grandfather, I’d like my children and their children to experience these things. For me, the mere mention of them brings back wonderful memories.
The Paul Harvey RIDDLE:
When asked this riddle, 80% of kindergarten kids got the answer, compared to 17% of Stanford University seniors.
What is greater than God, More evil than the devil, The poor have it, The rich need it, And if you eat it, you’ll die? (more…)
Husband, Father, Grandfather, Son, Brother, Uncle, 32 Degree, K.C.C.H. Mason, Serial Entrepreneur, Possibilist, Chairman & CEO, Leader, Speaker, Philanthropist, Veteran, and Friend.
A successful entrepreneur with 23 companies to his credit, Mr. Rawson is focused on solutions that provide sustainable answers to domestic and global issues. 
