Damburger

The lady crashed through the surface of the ice. She landed in the ice water. It felt so cold. She shivered wildly. In her hopes of getting out she quickly looked around.

There he was walking across the frozen surface of the pond. Looking at him, she yelled, “Help!”

He turned and saw her. He started walking towards her.

She just kept on thrashing her arms around wildly and screaming, “Help!”

He went over to one side of her. He asked, “What are you doing?”
She jittered and shivered while she answered, “What does it look like? I fell through the ice and need help getting out.”

He leaned his head forward towards her and then said, “It’s really very simple. I see that you’re not underwater. You’re standing on top of it…

You are standing there swinging your arms around through the air. You’ve believed something that is not true.

To see what’s really going on you must stop believing the lie…”
After he told her how to get out of the situation, he kept standing there watching her, and waiting.

He told her again, “Believe what I say! You don’t have to feel the way that you do right now!”

She just kept standing on the ice, thrashing her arms around like she was cold and treading water.

He kept standing there waiting for her to believe him…

It is this way with God too. He sees the reality of where we’re at and what we’re doing. He knows our thoughts and intentions. He knows whether or not we really believe what He says over what we see or hear around us.

Very Important!
If we really listened and believed God then there wouldn’t be garbage (ice water) surrounding us!

We might be so familiar in what we think is going on around us that we’re not even listening to God. He tells us repeatedly how to have even better circumstances than we have right now!

Yes, God is incredibly patient with us. We can ask God for help getting out of the garbage (ice water) and He does it. He told us that we are to ask Him and believe that we are getting what we ask for and we do get it (Mark 11:24).

Sooner or later we have to realize the truth. God is helping us while we’re actually believing a lie and standing on top of the problem!

Make sure that you’re catching the truth by reading the word of God (your Bible) everyday! No matter how deep you think you are, you’re really not! With God all things are possible (Mark 10:27) -and He Loves You Now!!

Sharing His Love,
-Michelle Jacobson

P.S. Your chance to “Find Out the Hidden Steps to Success” is now available. Don’t miss out!

-Go to http://www.SeedMinistries.com and go to the link on the first page!

Feel free to distribute this article if it is kept as is, including the Resource Box at the bottom. Notification of online use is not required but I would appreciate it. Please contact the author at contact@seedministries.com prior to use in printed media.

Michelle Jacobson is the author and webmaster at SeedMinistries.com where you get your chance to find out the hidden steps to success! Don’t miss out!

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Everyone who is anybody has a hobby or at least entertains the idea. Hobbies range from sports to crafts to reading and even traveling. Some hobbies don’t make sense to me like collecting dead insects.

My long established hobby has earned me a membership in the POP (People Observing People) Culture. The rules specify that each member must swear not to divulge anything observed.

Being a minister, I’m not allowed to swear, so I am exempted from this rule.

I love to get a nice hot cup of coffee, a local newspaper and situate myself where I can see the most people in their natural environment. Nothing is more hilarious than observing people who don’t realize they are being watched.

Don’t get me wrong here, I love people. All sorts of people. I would never unduly make fun of anyone well almost anyone. Everybody has something about him or her interesting and worth observing.

One of my favorite authors, F. W. Boreham, made this observation: Leave your house early in the morning and the first person you meet take him or her aside and write their biography. Of course, the person will not conceive anything interesting about his or her life, and that’s the way most people are. We think everybody else is more interesting than our life.

The average person, in my opinion, leads a more interesting life than almost all celebrities, except for Elvis who is more popular dead than alive.

As an expert in the POP Culture, the most interesting thing about people can be summed up in one word: mistakes.

Mistakes are the common characteristics of all those addicted to oxygen. Other similarities exist among people, but this one thing supercedes culture, time, age and gender. Everybody at some time to some degree makes mistakes.

Two kinds of people populate our planet: those who admit their mistakes and those who don’t.

Now, a mistake is not just a mistake. There are categories and degrees of mistakes. Let me list a few categories and see which one fits into your lifestyle.

The first category would be, inaccuracies. It is easy to get something wrong when dealing with numbers, especially dialing telephone numbers. Not long ago my wife, who works as my secretary, dialed a number for me. I can’t remember now who we were trying to call, but I do remember who we really got.

My wife dialed the number and as soon as it started to ring, she handed the phone to me. When I put the receiver to my ear, I heard a sultry voice invite me to do things I had never considered before in my life.

Her words sent shockwaves down to the soles of my feet and back to the top of my head, only to repeat the procedure several times. I had heard of such things but I never heard it personally.

I immediately scowled at my wife and demanded, “What number did you dial?”

“I dialed the number you gave me,” she said rather flippantly.

“Okay,” I quipped, “listen to this.”

I handed the telephone back to her and watched her eyes explode and her mouth drop open. She quickly gave it back to me, but I didn’t want it either.

Inadvertently, she had dialed some phone sex number. We both went to the restroom to wash out our ears.

Another category, omission. This is where I get into a lot of trouble with my wife. It is not that I’m negligent but I do have the odd moment where certain bits of information are temporarily obscure from any immediate recall. Like when I go to the grocery store for my wife and get everything but what she sent me for in the first place.

How this happens befoggles my mind.

Misunderstanding represents another category. I really do not understand this one. I have been accused of misunderstanding some very simple instructions from You Know Who.

I sincerely miss my understanding but for now, I’ll simply overlook it.

Blunder is still another category of mistakes. In this group, the mistake is rather innocent. It might be a result of some tiny oversight. After all, nobody can see and remember everything.

If there were awards for blunders, I would have a shelf full of trophies.

The list can go on and on. However, my experience as a card-carrying member of the POP Culture brings me to the conclusion that the quintessential mistake is the faux pas. If anyone knows about mistakes, it is the French. Just saying it gives one the feeling of something tremendously special.

A faux pas is simply a mistake in a tuxedo.

A faux pas can cover any and all mistakes. A simple procedure is associated with this. When you realize that you’ve just committed a faux pas, place three fingers from your right hand, never your left and never four fingers although two will work fine, across your mouth while extending your pinky. Then giggle and say, “Oh, pardon my faux pas.” Then roll your eyes upward.

This is most useful when in heavy traffic and you’ve just cut in front of another driver. Your faux pas gesture will be immediately acknowledged by the driver in the car extending a solitary digit upwards. This is merely a friendly gesture recognizing your faux pas.

Of course, the superb response to every mistake is found in the Bible. “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” (James 5:16 KJV.)

As someone once said, “confession is good for the soul.” Do a little soul-work this week.

The Reverend James L. Snyder is an award winning author whose writings have appeared in more than eighty periodicals including GUIDEPOSTS. In Pursuit of God: The Life of A. W. Tozer, Snyder’s first book, won the Reader’s Choice Award in 1992 by Christianity Today. Snyder has authored 8 books altogether.

Rev. James L. Snyder has a knack for making fun of daily frustrations and will increase the humor aptitude of your readers so they too can discover that life is less stressful when you’re laughing. Through these essays, your readers will realize that humor and religion belong together and can keep them from taking themselves and others too seriously.

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Michael Vick can do wonders on a football field, but don’t think of him as an anomaly. He is just like you and me. Average.

How can that be? In the 2004 regular season, Vick led the Atlanta Falcons to an 11 and 5 record while passing for 2,313 yards. Perhaps most amazing of all, he ran for 902 yards with an average 7.5 yards per carry while the NFL’s leading running back, Curtis Martin, averaged 4.6 yards per carry. Nothing average about that! Truly, Michael Vick is an extraordinarily talented, gifted, and capable athlete that shines brilliantly on the football field. You and I certainly can’t compete with that.

Fortunately, we don’t have to. That’s the beauty of being average. On a scale of zero to ten, 5 is average. We’re all given a different mix of strengths and abilities. While we might be a 0 in one area (like me on a football field), we’re likely 10 in another area (like Michael Vick is on the football field). Or maybe we have two strong talents, one at an 8 and another at a 7. Zero, 8, and 7 averages out to … 5. Average.

When we see Michael Vick on the football field, we really don’t care what he can’t do. I’m not going to imagine for a moment what his zeroes are, because it really doesn’t matter. Michael has (1) discovered his key talents and (2) is applying them daily.

We, on the other hand, continually worry about “fixing” ourselves where we are below average. “I can’t diagram a sentence.” “I speak with an accent.” “I can never remember where I put my glasses.” So what? We’ll never enjoy all we can from life if we spend our time working on the weaknesses. We need to find ways to tap into our strengths, to (1) identify our 8’s, 9’s, and 10’s, and then (2) put them to work for us every day.

The Gallup pollsters have done research over decades that show top performers are not those that repair their weaknesses. Instead, top performers discover their strengths and then sharpen and polish them to make them even better. In the resulting 2001 book, Now, Discover Your Strengths, the authors Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton list 34 strengths that everyone enjoys in some combination.

Michael Vick has found at least one of his strengths, and it’s a thrill for the rest of us to see him apply it. Whether he’s unloading a bullet of a pass, executing a draw play, or dancing his way past an army of defenders, we’re excited to watch. But what about us? We’re meant to be more than just spectators in the game of life.

You are really great at something; have you found it yet? Alan Opdyke of Snellville, Georgia wins awards for breeding guppies. Bill Porter of Portland, Oregon became a top salesman despite his cerebral palsy. Michael Vick is lucky because he found — with the help of coaches and friends — something he is good at while relatively young. Yet late bloomers are all around us. Charles Hurme won the USTA National Senior Hard Court Tennis Championship when he was 90. Just because you haven’t found your 10 yet doesn’t mean you don’t have it in you.

If you’re still thinking I must be writing about someone besides you, that you have no talents and abilities above a 5, you’re wrong. You’re not inadequate, you’re just chicken.

Maybe you’re reluctant to try new things. Maybe you’re afraid to get hurt, physically or emotionally. Maybe you’re terrified to discover another thing you’re not good at. What if Edison had chickened out after his 999th try at discovering how to make a light bulb?

Accept the fact that you’re average and do something positive with it. Stop wasting time working on abilities at which you’ll never be exceptional. Shift your efforts to trying things that interest you. Act on your curiosity and desire. Pay attention when people pay you a “Wow” compliment. Take a chance on yourself. Challenge yourself to find the excellence within you. Don’t ever let anyone imply that you are “just” average. Find your strengths, and then have the courage to apply, hone, and polish them. Stand Out. Excel.

It’s unlikely that we’ll ever join Michael Vick in the huddle, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have a ball every day. We may all be average, but in some way we’re also extraordinary as well. Find and apply your “extra.”

© 2005 Paul Johnson. All rights reserved.

Note: This article is available for reprint at no charge. We only ask that you include our copyright notice in your reprint, along with the About the Author (byline) information we provide at the end of the article.

Paul Johnson of Panache and Systems LLC consults and speaks on business strategy for systematically boosting sales performance using Shortcuts to Yes. Check out more salesforce development tips at http://panache-yes.com/tips.html

Call Paul direct in Atlanta, Georgia, USA at (770) 271-7719.

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“We shall draw from the heart of suffering itself the means of inspiration and survival.”
~ Winston Churchill

I remember reading some time ago about a study of longevity in humans. There has been a large body of scientific research into the reasons why some people are long-lived but of course while various diets, health regimes, and regional or ethnic differences are often linked to living long it is a very difficult cause and effect relationship to determine because there are so many other variables involved. However the study I remember didn’t spend as much time on health and diet as many others. The researchers spent time observing and interviewing a number of people who are living long lives to determine what common factors these very diverse people shared.

Do you know what the single largest factor they all shared — the trait that the researchers determined played the largest role in their long lives? It wasn’t a specific food or faith or daily activity. It was simply the way these folks dealt with adversity.

The ways that these folks dealt with adversity did vary. Some had great religious faith, others had an unquenchable zest for life, and others had a great determination that they could and would overcome and difficulty.

If you think about it then this does seem to make sense. After all, the longer you live then the more adversity you must overcome. Human life is fraught with adversity — both physical and emotional — although each person’s experience varies greatly. In order to survive adversity, to overcome loss and difficulty, and to succeed in life a person must have inner resources to draw from.

As Oliver Wendell Holmes says: “If I had a formula for bypassing trouble, I would not pass it round. Trouble creates a capacity to handle it. I don’t embrace trouble; that’s as bad as treating it as an enemy. But I do say meet it as a friend, for you’ll see a lot of it and had better be on speaking terms with it.”

Most of us have seen the evidence of this even if we have never formulated a scientific theory about it. We have seen the cancer patient diagnosed and then does not even live out the time doctors predicted. We have seen the heart patient diagnosed who far outlives expectations — by months and then years. What makes the difference between these two groups of people? I believe it has to be a will to live, some inner resource, that one group possesses and the other does not.

A few weeks ago my Uncle Carl’s left hand was amputated after being injured in an accident with a log splitter. It was devastating to those who love him and certainly no one would have blamed him for becoming depressed and grieving.

But Carl hasn’t chosen that path. Instead he is focused on what he can do, not on what he can’t. And if he discovers something that he can’t do one-handed then he puts his considerable problem-solving abilities to work on a solution. He isn’t simply reacting to a tragic accident but proactively seeking solutions.

He is not a saint. He complains about the pain and discomfort of the healing process and is sometimes frustrated by the trial-and-error process of his problem-solving, but he is not wasting time feeling sorry for himself. He knows he has been given many gifts and those gifts include the ability to solve problems and overcome adversity.

I can only hope when my time comes to face adversity that I can meet it with as much energy, determination, and confidence.

You can enjoy more inspirational articles by Deanna Mascle at adviceforlife.net, bestinspirationonline.com, and daily-quote.net.

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Random Acts of Kindness -
Get Supercharged with Kindness Motivation Tips

Are you looking for ideas or motivation tips to make a difference in your life or for someone else’s life? Are you like most everyone and just don’t have much time? Can you perform random acts of kindness every day?

Honestly, it doesn’t take much time to brighten someone’s life. A few minutes a day can make a difference to a person or a family. Just some kindness and the evidence that someone cares about them can turn their world around.

These five motivation tips from the E-book, “101 Ways to Change the World”, don’t take much time, so begin to make a difference today! You’ll feel better — and so will the recipient of your kindness.

1. Send at least one e-mail a day telling someone:

how much they are appreciated

thanking them for something they did for you

telling them something you like about them

You can also send beautiful, encouraging e-cards, by visiting http://www.togetherwecanchangetheworld.com

You’ll find the right e-card for every occasion - these are not your usual, everyday e-cards!

2. Send a note of appreciation to your local police department or Fire Station to encourage the people who make a difference in everyone’s lives. This doesn’t happen nearly enough for these people who put their lives on the line for all of us every day.

3. Put a Thank You note and a cookie in the box for your Paper Delivery person. Can you imagine the last time they were shown a kindness for doing their job?

4. Have everyone in your family (even if it’s just you) drop all their loose change in a large glass jar you keep on the counter.

Every six months decide where to send it

Make a family ritual out of the event and make a difference in someone’s life almost effortlessly.

5. Buy a few extra items at your grocery store and drop them by your local homeless shelter or food bank. You’ll make huge a difference, simply by adding a handful of extra items and a few minutes to your shopping.

I hope these five kindness motivation tips help you realize together we CAN change the world - one kindness at a time! At http://www.101WaysSeries.com, you can download the E-book, “101 Ways to Change the World”, for more easy motivation tips on how you can make a difference.

Author Ginny Dye shares practical acts of kindness that will make a difference in our world. To receive additional tips on how YOU can make a difference, go to www.101WaysSeries.com and request “101 Ways to Change the World”.

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I am the type of person who used to have a very negative attitude to most aspects of life. I am not alone in thinking this way as most of the people I meet seem to be constantly moaning about different things and basically feeling sorry for themselves. This article looks at the reasons and benefits of having a more positive outlook on life.

About ten years ago I decided that I needed to have a change of approach. I wanted to be a happy and care-free person and was fed up of always being stressed and worrying about the future. To achieve this I started to read many self-help, confidence type books and websites.

There was a regular message which came from this literature which was to think more positive and to believe in your ability to succeed in whatever you attempt to do.

This is easy to write or say, but in reality it is difficult to implement in practice. Of course I tried but in truth I did not really believe in the whole practice. I would go into a task thinking, I can do this, but it would still end up in failure.

I could not understand what was going wrong so I therefore went back to the books to try to learn more. There was a new and even more important message which I had missed the first time around. What I had to do was to take a positive out of whatever happens to me, even if this is learning from my failings.

As an example of taking a positive from whatever happens in life, is something which happened in my family recently. My nan has recently passed away, she was eighty-eight. I used to visit her at least once a week at the flat where she lived. She was a very honest person and always talked very openly to me. Around two months before she died she told me that she was very tired and that she no longer wanted to be on this planet.

I was quite shocked by her admission and asked her what was wrong. She stated that she had nothing to look forward to and that she did not want to reach a point where she could no longer bath herself etc. She continued that she hoped that I would not grieve for to long when she did die and that she wanted me to be happy for her.

This was quite upsetting for me to hear but at least she was being honest of course. Two months later my dad phoned me and told me that my nan had passed away in the night.

I was obviously upset and the thought of never being able to see her again hit me hard. I then thought about what she had said and looked up to the sky and gave my nan a smile and a message, I love you.

I thought positive about the whole event and was actually happy for her. I hope that one day we will meet again.

Stephen Hill helps to promote a number of websites including:

help for phobias

hgh advice

stuttering information

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Be a “M O D E L”.

You can become like anyone that you admire just by modeling
what they did to be successful.

Can you do what they did and get what they have?

Yes, is the easy answer, but will you?

Do you want to be like Oprah Winfrey, Wally Amos,
Rev. Walter Thomas, Les Brown, Mike Litman, John Di Lemme, Thomas Edison and other famous people?

You can by following the steps that they did
to get where they are.

But, Is that who you really want to be?

Let me tell you a story.

When I started playing the drums at the age of 13 or so,
I wanted to be like my friend who also played the drums.
I modeled what he did and I became as good as he was.
I then looked to better myself and found that I liked the
sound and style of Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich, Joe Morello and
the rhythm and melody of Lionel Hampton. I started to model
the things that I liked about what they played. I learned
from the masters. I developed my own very personal and
individual style.

When I played, people would say, “I have never heard that
beat before”. Some would say,” You sound a little like Joe Morello but different”.

You see, I developed into myself.

I developed my GOD given gift’s into the real me not
someone else. Without the help and wisdom of the
“MODEL’s”, I would still be struggling.

When I first heard Mike Litman and John Di Lemme at
SuccessMania, I wanted to be Mike,
than I wanted to be like John.

In the past, I wanted to be Anthony Robbins at the “Unleash The Power” weekend and FireWalk in Somerset, New Jersey. I also want to be more like my Creator, everyday. I take the best of my “MODELS” and practice that wisdom. Guess what happens?

You become the real, “YOU”.

There is no other person just like you. Your Creator only
made one of you and you were given your special Gift’s to
develop and give to the World.

You need a MODEL or Mentor to help you get started, to help you
speed your learning, to save you time and money, to keep
you going and to be an inspiration. You need that Mentor.

You can do it alone, make mistakes, spend more money and
suffer the pain of wasted time or you can make a decision.
You need to choose a Mentor and “MODEL” them to rush your
Dreams and Goals to a speedy and successful outcome.

Get a MODEL and become a MODEL to someone slse.

M O D E L

M = Mentor, Find someone that you want to model and
MENTOR with them.
O = Ordain yourself to train with the MASTERS to
gain their Wisdom.
D = Decide to Take Action to be all that you can be.
E = Excitement and enthusiasm to create new experience’s
L = Live the life of your Dreams by being YOU.

Become the YOU that you were Created to be. Develop your
Gift’s and talents.

Be a “MODEL” of your mentor.

Frank Gasiorowski, PhD, Philosophy/Humanities is an Author, Speaker, Radio and TV Guest for http://www.90DayGoals.com and Voice-Over narrator on the new BIBLEMIX CD. Frank is one of the founders of the “Total Self Mastery University” http://www.TotalSelfMastery.com with Dr. Mike Davison. Frank is the Director of F.A.I.T.H. Ministry. http://www.FindAnswersInTheHEART.com

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Recently my dad visited me in Victoria, BC. He is THE most appreciative person I know!

While we were out shopping one day, I insisted upon stopping at one place and then another and another–intensly searching for a specific item. Finally, I found it at Staples–it’s a metal counter. You know, one of those metal things that you can ‘click’ to help you keep track of the number of items you are counting. People counting stock in a store often use them.

When we got into the car, my dad looked quite bewildered and asked, “What are you EVER going to do with that?”

To which I replied, “Do you remember that double rainbow we saw this morning? Well, [click, click].”

“And do you remember how the sun was shining while it rained and the rain looked like silver tinsle? Well, [click, click]!”

My dad caught on right away! And for the rest of his visit one of us would appreciate something and say, “You’d better give that a ‘click’.”

Each time we gave something a click we would laugh or smile and joke about how many ‘clicks’ we had gathered that day. People watching us may have thought we were drunk–we were drunk with joy!

One afternoon, my dad began to talk about an unpleasant memory. As I began to enter into his vibration he stopped me and said, “We’d better drop this subject or we’ll loose two ‘clicks’!” Oh, we laughed as we realized how a simple little object could raise our vibration so wonderfully that we DARED not loose a single ‘click’.

Dad has gone back to Dallas, Texas now. And he is telling all his friends about the “AC”–not air conditioning–the Appreciation Counter.
This is something you must experience to fully appreciate!=. It’s the best $12.00 I’ve spent in a long time.

Do you have a secret dream, desire or hope?

Contact Rebecca to learn how YOU can live your dream!

Rebecca Hanson, Master LOA Coach-Rebecca Hanson has been out of the workforce for 30 years, raising a large family, when she discovered the Law of Attraction. At an age when most people are thinking about retirement, Rebecca was just getting started. In five short years, she leveraged this powerful law to turn her life around and start seven successful businesses. Rebecca teaches others how to harness the Law of Attraction so they, too, can have careers that are profitable, exciting and rewarding.

http://www.LawOfAttractionResources.com

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I have always thought that grandparents were the icons of wisdom, the “go to” person with he answers, the epitome of patience.

When I was young, I often thought, “When I grow up, I want to be like Grandpa”. I looked forward with anxious anticipation to the time when I would have all the answers and all the sage advice.

All of our parents are gone, now, and I have discovered, as I suppose they discovered, that all I have really done is gotten older.

I have learned that being a wise parent and grandparent is not so much what I know, but what I do. And the greatest truth I have learned is that one does not need to grow old to grow wise. The reality is that everyone grows older. What matters is what we keep and/or lose in the process.

We need to keep a sense of humor, but lose the mindless silliness of adolescence. We need to somehow keep our internal youthfulness but lose the irresponsibleness of adolescence. We need to retain our integrity while acknowledging the reality of shades of truth. We must struggle to maintain our health without the obsession of the fitness of youth. We need to encourage sympathy and empathy, while shunning the devastation of “attitude”. We learn to put aside the “me first” approach in favor of a sincere desire to share beyond ourselves and out families.

Being an adult simply means that we now know what we should be doing and we move ahead without supervision and do it, even when we really may not feel much like doing it at the time. And so it is and should be in all aspects and areas of our life.

Bob Curtis has been writing articles, short fiction, and poetry for over 30 years. He has been a lay consultant for families and individuals for a number of years. He is currently the managing director of people4people.blogspot.com and is the president of Nexus Publishing, nexus4u.blogspot.com, in Midvale, Utah.

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It’s funny how an acquaintance from the past just pops into your head
sometimes. Usually the flashback is brought on by a phrase someone
says, or a thought you have. Today my particular flashback was induced
by the words “this guy,” which were uttered by one of the custodians
where I work, as we passed in the hall.

I’ll tell you how that phrase came to be…

Some time ago, in my multi-faceted career — I call it that to avoid the
more accurate yet less honorable “all those jobs I had.” — I was working
as a graphic artist at a print shop in Fairfield, New Jersey. They had a
bindery department where all the cutting, collating, punching and
stapling was done.

When I first started my job, the boss was showing me around the place
and introducing me to all the people. We came to the bindery
department and he said “We have children working in the bindery.” I
thought that was strange, and maybe a little illegal. I also wondered
what he was talking about because I saw no children in there, but I let it
pass.

I didn’t find out what he meant until I became acquainted with one fellow
who worked in the bindery, and who was there at the time my boss was
showing me around. This was Children, Children Avena.

Children was from Haiti, and had moved to the U.S. with his father and
brother. He spoke Haitian Creole and perfect English with all it’s slang
wonderfully affected by his colorful accent. I would often overhear him
speaking Creole with a fellow employee in the bindery, also from Haiti.
The conversations eluded me completely, but they were fun to listen to.

Children was lean and physically fit with a mop of dreadlocks that would
flop around when he walked. Aside from his exotic origins Children
intrigued me with his comical personality, his genuine, sincere
character, and an uncanny talent to do impressive standing
somersaults. Sometimes he would somersault from a stair rail right to
the ground, landing perfectly on his feet.

Sometimes he would make fun of me, and “bust my chops” as my father
would say. I would tell Children a dumb joke and most times he would
shake his head and say, “dis guy, man!” Rolling his eyes and tipping his
head in my direction.

“Dis guy, man.”

That became one of my favorite phrases and Children and I would
frequently mutter it in passing as we went about our daily tasks at the
print shop.

Most days passed without instance, but sometimes Children would be in
a bad mood, and it showed. I would let him be when I saw that he was
having a bad day, but on occasion I would step into the bindery, roll my
eyes and say “dis guy, man!” That would usually get a smile, if not a
grumbling response of “dis guy,” in agreement with mine, and
collectively directed at whatever was bothering him that day.

I had great times working with Children, and could write a lot more.
Maybe in a future observation I’ll mention him again. Indirectly, he had
an effect on my life. I became friends, for a time, with a person from
another culture, another place. I won’t ever forget Children, and I wonder
from time to time if he remembers me.

Sometimes, when things aren’t going my way, I catch myself muttering:
“Dis guy, man.”

Here’s to knowing someone else.

Drew Vics, an artist, writer & musician from New Jersey, writes for
http://www.Myeyez.net, and for other websites online.

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