Finally

I am me-
I am not you
or what you think I should be.

I am a perfect piece of the Divine
just like I am.

I'm not like anyone else
and that makes me happy.
Finally.

Marianne Goldweber

Prayer to Great Spirit- Chief Yellow Lark Lakota

Before you read below- start the video.

 

Lakota Prayer

Oh, Great Spirit,
Whose voice I hear in the winds,

and whose breath gives life to all the world, 

hear me.
I am small and weak.

I need your strength and wisdom.

Let me walk in beauty 

and make my eyes ever behold 

the red and purple sunset.

Make my hands respect the things you have made

and my ears sharp to hear your voice.

Make me wise 

so that I may understand 

the things you have taught my people.

Let me learn the lessons you have hidden in every leaf and rock.

I seek strength, 

not to be superior to my brother,

but to fight my greatest enemy – 

myself.

Make me always ready to come to you

with clean hands and straight eyes,

so when life fades, 

as the fading sunset,

my spirit will come to you without shame.- 

Chief Yellow Lark, Lakota, 1887

What blocks our way...A parable......

A frightened man was running for his life.
He came upon a raging river that blocked his escape.
In his angst and fear of what he assumed followed behind,
he rushed into the raging waters.
He was swept away by the current and drowned.

There was nothing chasing the man.
Only an imaginged illusion created by his past.

The obstacle was facing the illusion that Fear created.
Fear of criticism for choices he had made,
running from those who sought to make him suffer.
Running from himself.
He was his pursuer.

But what he failed to see,
as the river barred his way;
was the threat was an illusion.

The river was not an obsticle, it was an opportunity.
An opportunity  created to allow  him time to stop and face his fear- and assess his options.
To face his past and those who criticized him.
To reach within and find Forgiveness and Courage.

And had he just stopped-
he would have seen -
just below the surface of the swift moving waters-
lie stones-
just barely visible-
creating a path for him to safely cross-
had  he chosen to cross at all.

The only person who's permission you need to seek
for happiness in this life
is the face that stares at you from the mirror.
be a friend
tell them the truth
love and encourage
be bold
be fearless
be courageous
be patient
be kind
be forgiving 
but most of all just BE.....

Marianne Goldweber

words of wisdom from my boss....

When I was nineteen , I answered an ad for a job. When I arrived, before I could fill out an application, they asked if I could start immediately. I was a little surprised and said yes.

The man took me to a large room with about 30 desks and sat me down with a large pile of computer printouts and said "Call these customers and tell them they need to pay this amount as he pointed to the past due amount on the page.  I didn't know what this business sold, or what these people owed for.

Less than 5 minutes later, before I could pick up the phone- the same man returned and got everyone's attention. He began to point at people and said- you- you-you-  you're fired- get out.
He fired everyone in the room except me and two other shocked people.
That was the first day in my 20 year career in  the collections field.

The owner of the company brought in an executive the next day as a consultant,  to help him grow his business- and groom this rag tag bunch of people into 'professionals'.His name was Harry.
I always thought he didn't know what he was getting into the first day..

Harry changed my life. Not a day goes by  that I don't remember some 'pearl' of wisdom that he used to share with me.  He taught me how to dress- how to talk- how to reason- how to take pride in a job well done.  Harry was, in hindsight, one of those angels sent here to intersect my journey.

He was tough, loving and fair. He had integrity.  He spoke his truth with love.
Even though I was a challenge- he never gave up on me and went to bat many many times when my mouth overran my better judgment. Harry was  like a Father to me.

He used to force us for an hour every day to listen to Zig Ziglar motivational tapes till we could recite all the 'Zig-isms' like seasoned pros. He taped me while I was on the phone and made me listen to. it.
He trained me to develop a 'phone voice' and a come back for every argument.
I had a delinquent client one time that said "You act like it's your money"...I told him, "It is.. I'm a stockholder and right now you are not an asset- but a liability, so what can we do about that?"

Harry told me to ask myself  two questions at the end of every day-
Did the job I do satisfy my employer?
and 
Did the job I do satisfy me.

Eventually- there was no other option that to evolve professionally to the Banking industry.
Leaving Harry was like leaving home for the first time.
From the time I started,that company went from 20 employees to a multimillion dollar organization in less than 10 years with offices nationally. All due to this amazing man.
Harry passed passed away 10 years ago, peacefully(as it should be) and I miss him greatly.

So you're asking yourself, "What does this mean to me?"

How loyal are you as an employee?


We are all technically self employed and need to develop an entrepreneurial way of thinking.

Work smarter- not harder.

If you have an idea- or money saving proposal-document it and present it to the powers at large

Your paycheck is the reward for a job well done.

A companies success is determined by attitude and loyalty to each person's success, from the CEO to the parking attendant.

The client comes first- your coworkers and other employees are also a client.

While you're at work- be at work.

Stay away from gossip and gossipers- if they are talking to you- they are talking about you.

Someone is always observing you whether you know it or not.

Take your lunch away from your desk. You need to walk away for that time.


Touch it once- finish it now. It will come back to haunt you at the worst possible time.

Don't pass the buck- if it lands on you- do your best to resolve it.

If you can't, communicate it to the person you pass it to.

Get to know people in other areas of the business. Networking is vital.
Build business relationships.

Don't be a problem finder- be a solution finder.

Leave work at work- leave home at home.

When you finish with a client- they should think you are the nicest person they met today.

You attract more bees with honey than vinegar. 

If you don't know- find out- 'I didn't know' is the worst excuse in the world.

Be a self starter.

Having a job is a blessing- show your gratitude.

If you help enough people get what they want- you can't help but get what you want.

Have an amazing day!

I've got that feeling.......the Christmas Feeling........

Today I was renewed by a classic- It's a Wonderful Life..

We have all  had moments when we feel that we have put off our dreams because of the demands of daily life....that no matter how hard we work it's never enough. We  have all had thoughts of how our existence is insignificant....

At one point in my journey- like George- it seemed  no matter how hard I tried- the Mr Potters of the world were out to sabotage my efforts- and  I reached a point of despair that changed my life forever... it was like the scene when George was in Martini's bar; George prayed for God to show him the way because he was out of options.....and God sent an angel...not to just save his life- but to help George redeem his faith in himself and renew his faith in the purpose he served to a damaged world....
In addition Clarence the angel reminding him that no matter how bad it seemed- it wasn't the material things that mattered- it is about the people who's lives we touch, who touch ours, and how truely blessed we are..

My favorite revelation is;   when we ask for Divine help and our prayers are answered- it doesn't always come in the package we expect.

My favorite part of the movie is when all the people George helped, came in his hour of need, anxious to  give to the man who gave them so much...That outpouring of love gets me every time....

It is indeed a Wonderful Life......

Unconditional love..

There is no greater love that you can received than the love from a child.
I just want to say that I am the most blessed woman in the world.
I'm not sure what I have done to get such an amazing son-
but today  I just want to let him know how much he is appreciated and loved.
He  is what is right in this world.
 
My Son

Peaceful warrior
courageous and patient
wise and knowing
Thank you for allowing me to mother you on this journey.
Your love has healed me in ways you will never know.


Thank you for your support and encouragement when doubt clouds my way.
You have believed in me when many have not-
and for that I am grateful.

As you grow and mature I see a glimpse of the great man your will be.
It is a bittersweet vision...

It was not long ago that you would put your hand in mine
and look up at me with trusting, loving eyes eyes.

I look up at you now,
with the same love and admiration.

Thank you for all that you do
and all that you are.

You are a gift,
not only to me,
but to this world.

Changes.....

I guess the definition of insanity is doing things over and over expecting different results...
What I've come to realize is that we don't want to change.
Change means admitting we don't have the answers, that we are not in control- we really don't know where we're headed.But like the emperor who had no clothes, we are the only ones who are caught in the illusion. Others, see who we really are and the lie that we are telling them and ourselves. However, they don't want to be the ones who disrupt our 'illusion'..and be subject to our outburst of denial when we tell them they are wrong...

But..the true day of awakening is the one were change is forced.

The day when our pain, angst and fear overcomes us and we realize we've run out of options and we have no other choice than to look for another way...a better way..and in most cases it is the Divine that we turn to in that moment of surrender.

The only constant is change, and being resistant to it is the Achilles heal of the human being...
See the mighty oak- it has evolved to know to bend with the wind, staying rigid means certain death. It surrenders dead branches- letting things go- things that no longer serve the whole- or they will make it diseased.

So in this time of Winter- lets reflect on what illusion we've created- be brave and ask for a better way- change is wonderful.. I promise..



I still don't know what I was waiting for
And my time was running wild
A million dead-end streets
Every time I thought I'd got it made
It seemed the taste was not so sweet
So I turned myself to face me
But I've never caught a glimpse
Of how the others must see the faker
I'm much too fast to take that test

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Don't want to be a richer man
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Just gonna have to be a different man
Time may change me
But I can't trace time

I watch the ripples change their size
But never leave the stream
Of warm impermanence and
So the days float through my eyes
But still the days seem the same
And these children that you spit on
As they try to change their worlds
Are immune to your consultations
They're quite aware of what they're going through

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Don't tell t hem to grow up and out of it
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Where's your shame
You've left us up to our necks in it
Time may change me
But you can't trace time

Strange fascination, fascinating me
Changes are taking the pace I'm going through

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Oh, look out you rock 'n rollers
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Pretty soon you're gonna get a little older
Time may change me
But I can't trace time
I said that time may change me
But I can't trace time