I dont know if you have ever heard of a place called The Shop in Tampa?
The shop is a cool place I went to this morning to help and volunteer. I got there around 8am and was amazed at what I saw. The shop is a small office where anyone in Tampa who is in need can wash their clothes, use the phone, go online and receive advice for different services in Tampa.
This morning when I pulled up around 8am, there were about 50 people ready with their laundry, ready to use the phone and check their email. While I was there I met a wonderful African American gentlemen who I sat down with and asked the questions I always ask.
How did you get here? He was super nice and said he was a professional welder who had not been able to find steady work, had been doing some work but not enough to keep him going. He had been to a 2 year school, had once had a family and now is partially dependent on the county for a little help.
The bottom line is that I have really enjoyed bringing you some of the stories of the homeless and underemployed these last few months and have really loved meeting amazing Americans that give a face to what is becoming frequent in America.
Lastly, I want to say that while I was there I overheard a phone a Latina mom was making to her 2 daughters and while she cried and told them to be strong, that she loved them, she kept telling them, Mama will be home soon, Mama will be home soon.
I dont know why she cant go home but I pray she gets there.
I am greatful for the opportunity to tell you about these people in America.
What are you greatful for?
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Friday, June 17, 2011
Sassy and Fat and God?
Mary Mary, today I ran into Mary at the gym. Slightly older, tall, good looking lady who I have gotten to know a little at the gym over the years. I had not seen her for over a year.
Well, I had not seen her because I wasnt there. She was, I wasnt. As she strolled in for her early morning weights and stretch class, she came over in her deep southern drawl and said hello and smiled and stopped to shoot the breeze. I told Mary that she looked great and she said she was fat and sassy. Of course she is like 5'9 and 120lbs, definitely not fat. But in her deep fried chicken drawl way she was being disarming and charming as usual.
Mary is also a deeply religious woman and as she was stopping to chat with me for 2 minutes. I was reminded of just how amazing it can be, when someone just comes over, says hello, asks how you are, where you have been and really means it. You see, fat and sassy and deeply religious all go together. Mary never has a bad word to say about anyone and she always smiles. I wonder how she got this way. But actually I dont, I know how. She has faith, she believes and she cares. Mary, should be all of us.
So today I vow to be little nicer and kinder, fatter and sassier and go up to someone and ask how they are, stop and listen and care. I am greatful for Mary.
What are you greatful for?
Well, I had not seen her because I wasnt there. She was, I wasnt. As she strolled in for her early morning weights and stretch class, she came over in her deep southern drawl and said hello and smiled and stopped to shoot the breeze. I told Mary that she looked great and she said she was fat and sassy. Of course she is like 5'9 and 120lbs, definitely not fat. But in her deep fried chicken drawl way she was being disarming and charming as usual.
Mary is also a deeply religious woman and as she was stopping to chat with me for 2 minutes. I was reminded of just how amazing it can be, when someone just comes over, says hello, asks how you are, where you have been and really means it. You see, fat and sassy and deeply religious all go together. Mary never has a bad word to say about anyone and she always smiles. I wonder how she got this way. But actually I dont, I know how. She has faith, she believes and she cares. Mary, should be all of us.
So today I vow to be little nicer and kinder, fatter and sassier and go up to someone and ask how they are, stop and listen and care. I am greatful for Mary.
What are you greatful for?
Monday, June 13, 2011
Dreams
Do you still remember dreams you had when you were 18/20/25 years old?
I remember I was gonna conquer the the world, be the President, run a company, solve world
hunger. Well, that didnt happen. But I did try to be all those things and failed, but as
I look back, I am glad I tried.
Today, this Monday morning I vow to not give up on my dreams and try to make at least one of them a reality. No matter how many people tell you, you cant or it wont happen I believe that you need to dream to have hope. I also think that if you are still able to dream that
you will keep in touch with a part of your youth and not become bitter and jaded.
So today. Dream a bigger dream for yourself!
Love you!
I remember I was gonna conquer the the world, be the President, run a company, solve world
hunger. Well, that didnt happen. But I did try to be all those things and failed, but as
I look back, I am glad I tried.
Today, this Monday morning I vow to not give up on my dreams and try to make at least one of them a reality. No matter how many people tell you, you cant or it wont happen I believe that you need to dream to have hope. I also think that if you are still able to dream that
you will keep in touch with a part of your youth and not become bitter and jaded.
So today. Dream a bigger dream for yourself!
Love you!
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Are You a YES Person?
Has this happened to you?
As I sit around whatever happened to certain ppl. I got to thinking about all the people and clients I used to have in my life. The more I thought about it, I understand that I was always a person that said yes.
Yes, I will work 2 jobs, yes I will train 7 days a week and teach 7 days. Yes I will go out Friday and Saturday night, teach Sat and Sun morn and get no sleep. All these times I never felt I could say no to anyone.
Now I look back and realize that I never said yes to myself. I never saved enough money or built my business or culitvated my friendships. I never had the time. I was always doing things I should have politely said no to. And even though this concept of NO still sounds selfish to me. I now see that since I never ever made time for just a few imporant things or people, when you look around, I am a man standing in a room on my own.
So, no time to look back. Today I say NO, I just cant do this or take that job or make that committment. I just cant. Today I wanna work on me and I have to be a little selfish.
I am greatful to say NO.
What are you greatful for?
As I sit around whatever happened to certain ppl. I got to thinking about all the people and clients I used to have in my life. The more I thought about it, I understand that I was always a person that said yes.
Yes, I will work 2 jobs, yes I will train 7 days a week and teach 7 days. Yes I will go out Friday and Saturday night, teach Sat and Sun morn and get no sleep. All these times I never felt I could say no to anyone.
Now I look back and realize that I never said yes to myself. I never saved enough money or built my business or culitvated my friendships. I never had the time. I was always doing things I should have politely said no to. And even though this concept of NO still sounds selfish to me. I now see that since I never ever made time for just a few imporant things or people, when you look around, I am a man standing in a room on my own.
So, no time to look back. Today I say NO, I just cant do this or take that job or make that committment. I just cant. Today I wanna work on me and I have to be a little selfish.
I am greatful to say NO.
What are you greatful for?
Friday, June 3, 2011
The Lady At McDonalds...
Well it is true, I wound up at Mcdonalds late yesterday. It was great as usual.
As I was sitting down at Mcdonalds I noticed this weird or bad smell and I looked around and I saw this lady sitting by herself with her chin in chest looking down, her bags next to her and she looked like a woman who had not slept, showered or had a meal in days. She also looked like she didnt have a friend.
As I was about to sit and eat, I got antsy, I couldn't sit, I started playing with my change in my pocket and I counted what I had, at this point I was pacing back and forth. The cash I had left was $3.78. Then I realized that I was pacing and I wondered what the hell was wrong with me. The I went over to her and she looked up, sad about 45 or 25 or 55 years old and half out of it. She was sun beaten and life beaten and she had those free cups of water that McDonalds gives you in front of her. I tapped her on her shoulder and she looked up, I gave her my $3.78 and grabbed her shoulder and told her, Im in this place, Ive seen it, Ive lived it, take this, I know you are hungry.
She looked at me and very quietly said thank you. I walked back to my table and realized why I was pacing before, I was pacing because I know ppl judge us who give to the homeless, people dont want you to simply give. Then I woke up and said, I dont care, this is my life. I dont know or care how she got here. Tonight this is what I feel like doing. She lives in the 24 hour Mcdonalds but today she is going to eat.
I do not write this with the desire for you to say to me, how this was nice of me. It was nice, but more importantly, it was just me. I have done the bad to people, the ugly, the good and the ignored. But Ive lived it and someone gave me a cup of coffee and I still remember that person as the person who stopped in a sea of people and said, this is who I am.
This is who I am, greatful to meet and pray for the lady at Mcdonalds. I dont know how she got there, I just hope she leaves to a better place.
What are you greatful for?
PS-What did I eat at McD's? Parfait and fruit salad with yogurt, it was the best.
As I was sitting down at Mcdonalds I noticed this weird or bad smell and I looked around and I saw this lady sitting by herself with her chin in chest looking down, her bags next to her and she looked like a woman who had not slept, showered or had a meal in days. She also looked like she didnt have a friend.
As I was about to sit and eat, I got antsy, I couldn't sit, I started playing with my change in my pocket and I counted what I had, at this point I was pacing back and forth. The cash I had left was $3.78. Then I realized that I was pacing and I wondered what the hell was wrong with me. The I went over to her and she looked up, sad about 45 or 25 or 55 years old and half out of it. She was sun beaten and life beaten and she had those free cups of water that McDonalds gives you in front of her. I tapped her on her shoulder and she looked up, I gave her my $3.78 and grabbed her shoulder and told her, Im in this place, Ive seen it, Ive lived it, take this, I know you are hungry.
She looked at me and very quietly said thank you. I walked back to my table and realized why I was pacing before, I was pacing because I know ppl judge us who give to the homeless, people dont want you to simply give. Then I woke up and said, I dont care, this is my life. I dont know or care how she got here. Tonight this is what I feel like doing. She lives in the 24 hour Mcdonalds but today she is going to eat.
I do not write this with the desire for you to say to me, how this was nice of me. It was nice, but more importantly, it was just me. I have done the bad to people, the ugly, the good and the ignored. But Ive lived it and someone gave me a cup of coffee and I still remember that person as the person who stopped in a sea of people and said, this is who I am.
This is who I am, greatful to meet and pray for the lady at Mcdonalds. I dont know how she got there, I just hope she leaves to a better place.
What are you greatful for?
PS-What did I eat at McD's? Parfait and fruit salad with yogurt, it was the best.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Foregiveness
Well you have to forgive me.
I sometimes feel like we are punished over and over again for the mistakes we make.
I think we are often quick to judge and very slow to offer someone a helping hand. There are many people in the world who make mistakes who are good people. They
dont know how to handle the mistakes they made and they make it worse.
I think we should look at people and see them as the children they once were and wonder how did they get here? How did this happen to them? I think before we judge, we should say what can I do to offer a small bit of help.
I say tell them to forgive themselves and that you wish them well. That you are praying for them. I wish that in my tough times someone would have just said, let me buy you a cup of coffee. I would have been greatful for a cup of coffee.
What are you greatful for?
I sometimes feel like we are punished over and over again for the mistakes we make.
I think we are often quick to judge and very slow to offer someone a helping hand. There are many people in the world who make mistakes who are good people. They
dont know how to handle the mistakes they made and they make it worse.
I think we should look at people and see them as the children they once were and wonder how did they get here? How did this happen to them? I think before we judge, we should say what can I do to offer a small bit of help.
I say tell them to forgive themselves and that you wish them well. That you are praying for them. I wish that in my tough times someone would have just said, let me buy you a cup of coffee. I would have been greatful for a cup of coffee.
What are you greatful for?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)