Square One

Steven Rodgers once said, ~Beginnings are often scary, endings are often sad, buts its the middle that counts. You should remember that when you find yourself at the beginning.~ Without a doubt, love is the scariest and most complicated thing that a person can and will ever go through because there are certain aspects of it that one never really wants to see or experience. In some aspect, we tend to look the other way and don't acknowledge the possibility of it being taken away from us because quite frankly we can be scared of facing the truth, which one can't run away from. The truth can be a hard concept to grasp , which is that each of us will go through emotional pain and suffer extreme heartache that one doesn't want to experience but that's how life is no matter how hard you want to try to avoid it.

When it comes to love in a relationship, it can be quite scary in the beginning because you don't want to say anything that would jeopardize what could possibly be a life long partnership. Guys have that innate ability to proverbially stick our foot in our mouths and sometimes we can do it without even knowing about it. Primarily it's because women are so complicated and frustrating to figure out, BUT that is what partly makes a woman have such an attractive appeal about her. When you get right down to it, the wrong words we oftentimes tend to say seem to be the right ones which every guy has fallen victim to when in the company of a woman that we truly would like to get to know on a deeper level.

Let me ask you this question, have you ever thought to yourself when meeting someone new that he or she will never be that kind of person who would ever break my heart into a million pieces; yet, in the end that person does? Every person has had those thoughts and to be perfectly honest I think we avoid that scary and painful thought because we tend to put that person on a pedestal. For it is what we imagine that person to be that can overshadow or mask who he or she actually is once you sit down and get to know that person. Each and every person, including myself, has fallen victim to it and there comes a point where a reality check of one's heart needs to be given by those who care about us the most.

For it can be a sad situation indeed at the possible end of a relationship whether it be a breakup or divorce. It's at that point where one or both people try to recapture what each seemingly had in the beginning and middle of the relationship which was a strong loving bond for each other. Yet, when it comes to recapturing the past, one can find yourself running away from the problem rather than running to it and confronting that problematic situation. Undoubtedly, one wants something to happen so badly that it would merit a reconciliation of the relationship which he or she may not want just yet. It's just a matter of having patience and letting that person have time to himself or herself; for whatever he or she decides one just has to respect it because you love that person enough to let him or her go.

In retrospect, there are no magical buttons to push or levers to pull that can fix or solve one's love life. There are times where a person can get it right one time and one time only; but there are times where a person gets it wrong several times before he or she will get it absolutely right. No matter how scared you are of love, if you continue to move forward rather than backwards then you've already won. If only love came with an instruction manual to show us how to properly assemble each of our hearts that have fallen apart due to the wrong directions being given. In the end, it's not until we find the right directions that we will have all the pieces of our hearts in place that, like an instruction manual, we simply have to go back to square one.

The Good Ole' Days

Jeff Salz once said, ~The most exotic destinations of all is the one to be found within your own adventurous spirit--after you've put yourself to the test and found hidden reserves of creativity, resourcefulness, and perseverance.~ Working in the asylum, especially during the summer, you get to go on many road trips that not not only the kids get to look forward to, but the also the employees as well. I can safely say that on certain road trips one can have an extra kick in his or her step because quite frankly being stuck inside all day will actually make a person go absolutely mad. While on these normal as can be road trips, one finds yourself in a crazy situation somewhat like being in a National Lampoon's movie.

Personally speaking, there have been many memorable road trips that have happened over the past several summers; but one particular trip sticks out in my mind occurred a couple years ago. *Flashback sequence and before I start, keep in mind that it was an extremely hot day which will be relevant later on.* It started as a normal day, but as soon as I walked through the hallowed doors the craziness would start to unfold. Have you ever had that feeling something was going to happen but you didn't know what? For it was when I stepped through the front doors I was asked to go with another group on a road trip, which was fine with me because my group was in doors all day so I welcomed the invitation.

As we pulled off, I would unknowingly have the ride of my life, so to speak, as we set forth to our intended destination, which was a train museum. Thirty minutes into the trip we got lost and at one point made several U-turns in the middle of traffic. It was somewhat embarrassing as cars behind us and in the other lanes were looking at us seeing that there were two vans that were doing this which made it doubly embarrassing. Consequently, we stopped at three gas stations and me being a sarcastic person said, 'If we end up in Canada, drop me off at the border, so I can call a cab and then meet you there.' We eventually made our intended destination and all was thankfully well.

Now remember in the beginning I said it was extremely hot, well I wasn't really dressed for going to a road trip and after 20 minutes there, I was soaking wet from sweat. Due to the fact that I was wearing jeans and a kinda heavy shirt. Now imagine this, my jeans hiked up above my knees and my shirt sleeves rolled up kinda like The Fonz from Happy Days. So I can honestly say, I looked like a complete dork. To make matters even more discomforting the kids kept on hanging me on as myself and my fellow co-workers were trying to feel for some cool air that was flowing around the open area in the outdoor train museum. To make a long story short, I lost several pounds due to being in that sauna type environment.

The road trip ended with everybody getting ice cream which was a good ending for an unforgettable trip. Oh did I forget to mention, a possible hit and run of a public park tree that was witnessed by several people? The kids kept asking us "Are we going to get arrested?" My response was no; but I said a silent prayer just in case. Over the past 8 summers, that right there tops my list, but that could change it all depends on how this summer goes. In the end, when I take a look back at the good ole' days and consider all the road trips that I've been a part of, I realize it's not just a job; in my opinion, it's an adventure.

To Infinite and Beyond

William James once said, ~Most of us can learn to live in perfect comfort on higher levels of power. Everyone knows that on any given day there are energies slumbering in him which the incitements of that day do not call forth. Compared with what we ought to be, we are only half awake. It is evident that our organism has stored-up reserves of energy that are ordinarily not called upon — deeper and deeper strata of explosible material, ready for use by anyone who probes so deep. The human individual usually lives far within his limits.~ If you think about it, whether a person knows it or not, there's a level of achievement that one puts his or her heart and soul into which is considered a journey that begins with that first initial thought or step.

From the beginning, the things one achieves in life start off as a single positive thought. For each of us tend to focus on our vision of where we want to be and who we want to be with; and in some aspect a person will become what he or she thinks about. In other words, thinking about certain outcomes or goals that have already been achieved, but only in our minds. Yet, it can be a catch 22, when one's own thoughts can focus on the negative nature such as doubt or failure which is an end result that nobody wants. Consequently, we're human beings and despite the fact we can succumb to those negative thoughts, one will persevere as he or she doesn't give up and tries to achieve something great and/or spectacular.

Oftentimes, the road to achieving something great and/or spectacular can start off with many potholes, bumps, detours or roadblocks. Thinking about it, a person is primarily getting his or her feet wet, so to speak, as one is trying to settle in a proberbial groove. its within one's early stages of accomplishing personal and/or professional achievements that a person searches for that right style, voice, or system that will eventually become somewhat of a trademark of who or what each of us are. Though it didn't have that cohesiveness in the beginning that it now does, it showed that there was potential within the mistakes that are made early on. let me ask you this question, have you made mistakes trying to achieve certain acconplishments that were undoubtedly tough?

Cal Ripken Jr., a hall of fame shortstop/third baseman for the Baltimore Orioles, achieved many great things in his 20 year career. He will always be considered an ambassador for the game of baseball. For many up and coming rookies should learn, study, and have the work ethic that he had both on and off the field. For baseball fans, such as myself, the most memorable career achievement that he accomplished was on Sept. 6, 1995 when he surpassed Lou Gehrig's unbreakable record of consecutive games played as he played in his 2,131st game. Now retired, with 2,632 consecutive games plays it is a record that that may never me matched. From his first step into the major leagues, Cal Ripken Jr. would unknowingly make history and be forever known as The Iron Man.

Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy said, ~Life isn't a matter of milestones, but of moments.~ In retrospect the milestones of my life, whether they were good, bad, or in between. have been memorable one's and it took was that first intial thought or step to experience it. On august 2, 1996, I started on a journey that prompted my first initial thought, not knowing where it will lead or take me. Though its on a semi-daily bases, I've been consistent and from what I've been told is that I am a master at making things make sense. For you see on this day, March 27th, 2005, marks the 200th Yodaism and ultimately I have to ask myself this question: How high of a number can I go to and how far can I take my thoughts? My answer......hopefully to infinite and beyond.

A Change For The Better

William James once said, ~Most of us can learn to live in perfect comfort on higher levels of power. Everyone knows that on any given day there are energies slumbering in him which the incitements of that day do not call forth. Compared with what we ought to be, we are only half awake. It is evident that our organism has stored-up reserves of energy that are ordinarily not called upon — deeper and deeper strata of explosible material, ready for use by anyone who probes so deep. The human individual usually lives far within his limits.~ If you think about it, whether a person knows it or not, there's a level of achievement that one puts his or her heart and soul into which is considered a journey that begins with that first initial thought or step.

From the beginning, the things one achieves in life start off as a single positive thought. For each of us tends to focus on our vision of where we want to be and who we want to be with; and in some aspect a person will become what he or she thinks about. In other words, thinking about certain outcomes or goals that have already been achieved, but only in our minds. Yet, it can be a catch 22, when one's own thoughts can focus on the negative nature such as doubt or failure which is an end result that nobody wants. Consequently, we're human beings and despite the fact we can succumb to those negative thoughts, one will persevere as he or she doesn't give up and tries to achieve something great and/or spectacular.

Oftentimes, the road to achieving something great and/or spectacular can start off with many potholes, bumps, detours or roadblocks. Thinking about it, a person is primarily getting his or her feet wet, so to speak, as one is trying to settle in a proverbial groove. It's within one's early stages of accomplishing personal and/or professional achievements that a person searches for that right style, voice, or system that will eventually become somewhat of a trademark of who or what each of us are. Though it didn't have that cohesiveness in the beginning that it now does, it showed that there was potential within the mistakes that are made early on. Let me ask you this question, have you made mistakes trying to achieve certain accomplishments that were undoubtedly tough?

Cal Ripken Jr., a hall of fame shortstop/third baseman for the Baltimore Orioles, achieved many great things in his 20 year career. He will always be considered an ambassador for the game of baseball. For many up and coming rookies, they should learn, study, and have the work ethic that he had both on and off the field. For baseball fans, such as myself, the most memorable career achievement that he accomplished was on Sept. 6, 1995 when he surpassed Lou Gehrig's unbreakable record of consecutive games played as he played in his 2,131st game. Now retired, with 2,632 consecutive games played it is a record that may never be matched. From his first step into the major leagues, Cal Ripken Jr. would unknowingly make history and be forever known as The Iron Man.

Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy said, ~Life isn't a matter of milestones, but of moments.~ In retrospect the milestones of my life, whether they were good, bad, or in between. have been memorable one's and it took that first initial thought or step to experience it. On August 2, 1996, I started on a journey that prompted my first initial thought, not knowing where it would lead or take me. Though it's on a semi-daily basis, I've been consistent and from what I've been told is that I am a master at making things make sense. For you see, on this day, March 27th, 2005, marks the 200th Yodaism and ultimately I have to ask myself this question: How high of a number can I go to and how far can I take my thoughts? My answer......hopefully to infinity and beyond.

A Blind Eye

Each of us have our own opinions on politics, issues of the world, as well as, what one thinks is either ethical or unethical. In this day and age of political correctness or incorrectness, there are certain issues, whether they be political or not, that a person feels strongly about. One can go through so many emotions when a particular issue affects him or her such as sadness, anger, happiness, confusion, down and out contempt, and sometimes, it can be all rolled up into one massive indescribable emotion, which may not have a name. For if one agrees or disagrees is inconsequential because he or she has the right to voice one's opinions that can oftentimes bring about heated words and worldwide debate.

A hot topic such as abortion can really bring about heated debate to the point where people go to extremes. We've all heard stories of abortion doctors being killed by an individual who took it upon himself or herself to become a sort of vigilante for the rights of unborn children. There has been this growing consensus on whether life starts at conception or does it start at birth. I don't know about you, but I truly think life starts at conception because you can't tell me that a tiny human being is made with a heart that can be heard beating. Initially, my stance is that I'm Pro-Lifer, but I do feel that a woman has the right to choose, which primarily puts me between the proverbial rock and a hard place. In other words, I'm basically neutral.

When it comes to the issue of Michael Jackson, there is a fine line between pop music legend and supposed child molestor. Michael Jackson has done a lot in his career musically with chart topping songs and revolutionary music videos such as Thriller, which is my all time favorite. As a musician, he is a genius; but as an individual his life beyond music is truly questionable when it pertains to the issue of his fondness for young boys. In my honest opinion, there is something wrong when you perceive yourself as Peter Pan who doesn't want to grow up and would rather spend time in the company of young boys. Inevitably, whether he's found guilty or innocent, he will be judged by God and his verdict is final.

As many of you, who watch the news on a semi-daily basis, there has been an ongoing case here in Florida involving Terri Schiavo. In summary, her husband has refused medical attention for her to the point that he has asked the feeding tube to be removed so that she can starve to death. This man, who supposedly loves her, and he's been quoted as saying that is what she would have wanted; but there is a twist to this because he stands to inherit a lump sum of money when or if she dies. From an ethics standpoint, how can he say that she is a vegetable when she is within all her faculties and responds to everybody and you want to pull the plug, its totally unethical?. Doctors say with treatment she could possibly eat and talk on her own and like many other people I'm pulling for her and her family.

In retrospect, there are many other issues out there such as gun control, same sex marriage, steroid abuse in major league baseball, and last but not least is the war on Terror. Essentially, my views on the war are neither here nor there, I'm basically supporting our troops. Each of us have friends and/or family members that we hope to come back home soon safe and sound. I have a good friend in Iraq who used to work at the asylum. He has two kids and a wife, who also used to work at the asylum as well. Both of them are considered family and we hope he comes home soon safe and sound. In the end, we can sometimes be so self involved that we can turn a blind eye to certain issues; but when it hits close to home, our eyes as well as our ears are wide open.

Dorks Rule!

Someone once said, ~Embrace the total dork in yourself and enjoy it, because well, life is too short to be cool.~ We've all met people who have this persona of being a cool or absolutely stunning person; but yet when you ask him or her about their persona, one's perception of himself or herself is totally the opposite. Every person has a tendency to reveal how dorky they are when he or she is around friends, family, and even co-workers. For it can also pertain to certain situations or events that a person can really get excited about to the point where people either look at you funny and tell you that professional help is needed immediately. Let me ask you this question, do you consider yourself a dork?

If you think about it, what makes each of us "cool" is the way one takes particular situations in stride with a sense of humor. In some aspects, a sense of humor can go a long way for a person that can somehow make life just a little bit bearable. It's either the way a person's laughs, which can be truly infectious and who among us hasn't laughed to the point where one snorted; but you didn't care who noticed because you were happy and having fun. Though, you have to admit, we're all a little strange in our own unique and dorky way and that's why people like us or at least tolerate us. In most cases, it's the people who know us best who wouldn't want us to change because they respect who each of us are as an individual.

For its not only a person's sense of humor, its also how a person reacts to certain things that can consider him or her a dork. Without question, there are certain songs that when one immediately hears it, you start to get up and dance or at least move your head in every direction possible. Personally speaking, several days ago some kids were sitting beside me on the gym stage and we were listening to the radio. At one point, a song came on where all the kids started to shake their groove thang; but my dorkish self sat on the stage, put on my sunglasses, and started to act like Stevie Wonder with the clapping hands included. I haven't had so many people stare at me since I walked in one day wearing a sombrero.

In any case, a person can consider themselves a complete and total dork when it comes to that certain guy or girl. It's that person who can not only smile but make you act like you're back in middle school. Essentially, it can't be helped because there are certain people in this world who have that innate ability to turn a calm, reserved person into a bumbling, dorky person. I can safely guess that myself and many of you have been in a particular situation like this and would gladly try to forget. But the question can be asked, does the quality of being a dorky person add or subtract to one's criteria in who one is looking for in a potential relationship? Who knows really, it's all in what he or she likes in a person.

In retrospect, a person has to take pride in his or her dorkiness. Inevitably, we're all a bunch of dorky people living in a crazy world and yet we're more alike than different. Nobody is better than anybody else and if people accept who one truly is then life gets a little less complicated. When it comes to friends and family, we just accept them for who they are and they are with us, which includes the emotional and personal baggage that is carried around. Ultimately, who cares what others think about you because if you are comfortable with yourself then that's the only opinion that matters. If you were once or are a dork, be proud and stand tall because I'm a dork and in the end Dorks Rule!

Just Feel It

Richard Bach once said, ~A soulmate is someone who has the lock to fit our keys, and the keys to fit our locks. When we feel safe enough to open the locks, our truest selves step out and we can be completely and honestly be who we are; We can be loved for who we are, and not for who we're pretending to be. Each of us unveils the best part of one another. No matter what else goes wrong around us, with that one person in our lives, we are safe in our paradise. Our soulmate is someone who shares our deepest longings. Our sense of direction. When we're two balloons and together our direction is up, chances are we've found the right person. Our soulmate is the one who makes life come to life.~

Let me ask you this question, do you believe in soulmates? Whether or not you believe in it, every person is connected to each other in some way, shape, or form, though it may or may not be a romantic connection, it's a connection nonetheless. A kindred spirit who cares about you, understands you, and what you are going through. In a way, it’s like that person can tune into the same frequency that you are in and yet others before that person have never been able to come close to getting a clear reception. It can be an exciting and somewhat scary situation when you talk with some and find out that you have the same interests as that guy or girl. For it's a rarity to find someone who you can truly connect with in mind, body and soul.

Every person has experienced talking with someone either online or face to face for the first time and when you go your separate ways, their presence haunts you. Yet, with only that one meeting it's like one has known that person forever. Let me ask you this question, have you ever had that feeling of being drawn to someone that you don't even know; but for some reason you feel absolutely comfortable talking with that person about important issues and beliefs which wouldn't normally be shared with someone so quickly. Personally speaking, I've had that feeling only once in my life and I felt excited and scared at the same time to the point where I basically asked myself, is she "the one"?

In any case, there will always be that one person who will always be there in our dreams, thoughts, and heart, even though he or she isn't in our lives personally. It's that one person that you could be open, honest and not shy with, but with anybody else it's impossible. Yet, when things in life seem dark and dreary he or she will step into it and brighten your world with either an email, phone call, or a surprise visit. In some aspects, its like meeting an old friend that you haven't seen in a very long time and both of you need to make up for lost time. Inevitably, when a person is about ready to give up on ever finding love and happiness, somehow through pure luck it will show up.

Someone once said, ~Sometimes, if you're lucky...you get close enough to a person(usually the opposite sex) to see beyond the immediate physical features and "touch" what may be the soul. Obviously, if both experience this at the same time its effort is greatly magnified. The entry point(for me) is the eyes...and although I'm trying now to put feelings into words I know that its really beyond description...beyond words...And yet maybe one word comes a little close...Love.~ In retrospect, whether or not you believe in soulmates, you have to admit love is a powerful thing which can transcend even death. Ultimately, you can't explain how a deep love between two people has such a strong connection, in the end you just feel it.

Then and Now

George Eliot once said, ~There are various orders of beauty causing men to make fools of themselves in various styles...but there is one order of beauty which seems made to turn heads not only of men, but of all intelligent mammals, even women. It is a beauty like that of kittens, or very small down ducks making gentle ripping noises with their soft bills, or babies just beginning to toddle and to engage in conscious mischief - a beauty with which you can never be angry, but that you feel ready to crush for inability to comprehend the state of mind into which it throws you. Its truly amazing how a baby or children under the age of 4 can have such a Pavlovian effect on a person to where he or she flocks to that child. Without a doubt, women will flock at the sight of a baby, especially if he or she is a newborn. Undeniably, when a baby is seen the first thing usually uttered from her mouth is one word which is aaawwwweeeee. I can't count the number of times a parent has walked in with his or her baby and almost immediately a female co-worker has that child in her arms. Whether or not she is a mother is inconsequential because that child brings a smile on her face as he or she is rocked back and forth in her arms. Let me tell you something, you don't want to ever be in the way of a woman who sees a baby walk through the hallowed halls of the asylum. Trust me, I have the bumps, bruises, as well as scars from past experiences.

Guys, on the other hand, don't necessarily flock to a baby, but rather mosey on over there and take a gander on what all the hubbub is about. Now, for some reason from a guy's perspective we have this mentality to try to make a baby smile or at least laugh by any means possible. In some aspect, once we put our minds to something then we will not quit until that objective is met. Though we may fail the first or second time, usually the third time's the charm. It can be a comical situation when you see a group of guys try to do this and absolutely nothing happens, but it doesn't phase us as we continue to make faces and stick things up our noses to see any _expression of happiness form on his or her face.

Working in the asylum, you don't get a chance to take care of the babies, but rather their big brother(s) and/or sister(s). Initially, when they jump ship from daycare to the youth center, its a whole new ballgame with a different set of rules to play by. As a person who takes care of 6 and 7 year olds, we consistently tell them that they aren't babies anymore and they should act like big boys and big girls who don't need to be always picked up or babied. Over the years I have been able to see kids grow up, but it's a rare occasion indeed when you get the chance to see him or her grow up in front of your eyes starting as a baby, which I have been privileged enough to see happen.

A couple of months ago I found out that a guy who works at the asylum knew my brother and I when we were practically babies when he was stationed with my dad in Adak, Alaska. It's basically a surreal experience knowing that someone kinda helped raise you and knew how you acted back in the day. Whether it can be considered a good thing or a bad thing, he basically told me I've grown up to be a fine upstanding young man. In retrospect, we're all still cute babies in the eyes of our parents, but they have to see that we have grown up even though our parents don't want to see that. Looking at photos I can honestly say that my brother and I were cute and hopefully we still are, just look at these two pictures of us then and now.

A couple of a months ago I found out that a guy who works at the asylum knew my brother and I when we were practically babies when he was stationed with my dad in Adak, Alaska. Its basically a surreal experience knowing that someone kinda helped raised you and knew how you acted back in the day. Whether it can be considered a good thing or a bad thing, he basically told me I've grown up to be a fine upstanding young man. In retrospect, we're all still cute babies in the eyes of our parents, but they have to see we have grown up even though our parents don't want see that. Looking at photos I can honestly say that my brother and I were cute and hopefuly we still are, just look at these two pictures of us then and now.

*Note*Unfortunately the pics could not be loaded, I apologize but if you want to see the pics of us then and now, you can email me.

One Last Breath

Every person, whether he or she wants to admit it or not, thinks about their own mortality. You never really know how long a life one can lead as the sand in our proverbial hourglass runs out or continues to fall. Undoubtedly, death or dying changes a person to the point where one doesn't take life too seriously, but instead lives it to the fullest. Yet, it's when someone such as a friend and or a family member passes away unexpectedly that one learns to cherish the time he or she has left on this earthly plane of existence. Depending on how long each of us have left, which is unknown, a person has to go with living. Let me ask you this question, how would you spend your last days and what would be your last words?

For some people, traveling the United States, even possibly overseas and seeing the sights and/or landmarks, can give a person a sense of achievement by simply taking the initiative to pack one's bags and just see the world by either land, sea, or air. Sights and/or landmarks such as Mount Rushmore, The Grand Canyon, The Great Wall Of China, The Taj Mahal are just a plethora of attractions a person should see and experience up close and personal. It can be a truly awe-inspiring experience to just be there because you may never be able to have a chance to come back ever again. Inevitably, where there is nothing left to see, one's last words are, I've been there and done that.

Without question, we all have certain fears that one has been able to conquer. Yet, a person can't stop time from counting down, but only use it to one's advantage by facing fear eye to eye, so to speak. In a way, its like going through one's own personal fear factor; but we're not doing it for the money, we're doing it for ourselves. Doing something such as skydiving, bungee jumping, deep sea diving, climbing Mt. Everest, running with the Bulls in Spain can be scary but it can give a person such an adrenaline rush that it makes a person feel more alive and could possibly add a little more time to one's clock of life. Initially, when one's time is almost up his or her last words are. I did that and I absolutely conquered my fear.

Without a doubt, each of us would like to spend our last remaining days on God's green Earth with friends and family. If you think about it, that is the time when a person truly knows how many people care about him or her and how great of an impact/influence one has made on that particular person or persons. As embarrassing and unforgettable stories are told.shared, one will cherish it for all its worth as memories will start flooding back. Some good, some bad, some in between, but undeniably they were memories that were shared with the people who would give up their own life just to let you live. Consequently before the party is over, one's last words are, I came into the world loved and left the world loved.

Someone once said, ~Love is stronger than death even though it can't stop death from happening, but no matter how hard death tries it can't separate people from love. It can't take away memories either. In the end, life is stronger than death.~ Ultimately each of us want to spend the last remaining days with that one special person in our lives. A person who you would die a thousand deaths for and though I haven't found that one special person to spend my last days, I eventually will. In retrospect, before we are physically separated from each other my last words will be, The first time I saw you I smiled, for as I am about to breathe my one last breath and see you for the last time, I smile again because I know we will see each other again.

The Total Package

Every person, whether he or she is in a dating relationship of a single person, ultimately wants to find that one perfect person to be with and eventually marry. Yet, one can find himself or herself in relationships that don't meet a person's expectations, which he or she can find out too late in the game, in a manner of speaking. It's at that point, a person goes back to that proverbial drawing board where he or she goes through some deep re-evaluation of who one ultimately wants to happily settle down with. Inevitably, we have to ask ourselves three key questions that will hopefully determine if the qualities we are truly looking for in that so-called perfect person have matched up with certain relationships of the past.

The first question that has to be asked is, Does that guy or girl have the ability to truly open my eyes? Undoubtedly, each of us are physically attracted to one another, but it takes someone truly special to hold our attention to where you don't focus on that person's outer beauty at all. One attribute that can be an eye opener, so to speak, is how modest he or she is in appearance. You basically have to ask yourself, would that person still be attractive in your eyes if he or she dressed down and didn't seek to be the center of attention? It's when a person starts to genuinely see what's truly attractive about him or her, that the physical aspects are simply inconsequential.

Secondly, does that person open your mind to where he or she can make you think either intellectually all-the-while be a person who you can absolutely talk with one and one. Let me ask you this question, have you ever met or talked with someone who you were comfortable with and time just flew by because you enjoyed his or her company? Primarily, each one of us wants someone that is a balance of book smarts and streets. For it's a good combination to have because you don't want someone who is smarter than you and yet you don't want someone who is dumb as bricks either. Even though it's a rarity to find that type of person, he or she is out there and hopefully that person will step into one's life someday.

The third and final question to ask ourselves is whether or not that so-called perfect person can open our hearts and keep it open for good. We all know the pain of heartache, which shows that we are human beings with genuine human emotions. Yet, life can lead us to someone who has that hidden gift to re-awaken our hearts to reveal that one is not alone in the feelings he or she is experiencing. It's when we are truly comfortable within ourselves that we share our fears, past heartaches, as well as, our negative attitude about ourselves and others. What that means is one is stepping in the right direction for love to possibly bloom and ultimately what it comes down to is change; but only if you really want it.

Jason Jordan once said, ~True love does not come by finding that perfect person, but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly.~ Let me tell you something, each and every one of us isn't perfect; for we all make mistakes in life that become learning experiences. When it comes to finding the right person you have to stop and realize that you are the right person. For that someone special will find you and God knows who each of us will spend the rest of our lives with, its just a matter of waiting patiently for our time to come. In the end, that guy or girl, who can truly open your eyes, open your mind, open your heart and still love your imperfections is considered to be the total package.

The Hardest Thing

C.S. Lewis once said, ~Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries, avoid all entanglement. Lock it up, save it in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. Put it in that casket-safe, dark, motionless, airless- it will change. it will not be broken, it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, unredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.~ The most fragile part of the human body is a person's heart because it can easily be broken or torn apart. Initially one can be fooled so many times by love that a person considers it an illusion too good to be real.

Oftentimes, when a person checks into the proverbial heartbreak hotel, he or she tries their best to repair the remaining pieces of one's heart. If you think about it, a person can physically, as well as, mentally exhaust himself or herself trying to figure out the answer to the one question that keeps popping up which is, Why does this always happen to me? Inevitably, that reserve inner strength that a person could always count on may not always be there to comfort you. It's when one begins to put together the shattered hopes and dreams that were taken away, one tries to hold back the emotions that are starting to fester within.

During one's time of painful reflection, a person will go through a gambit of real emotions that can hit a person hard like a ton of bricks. Emotions such as confusion, sadness, yearning to be back with that guy or girl, bitterness, but most of all anger. One can feel absolutely betrayed for letting himself or herself open up one's heart only to have it close back up again either temporarily or permanently. For it’s when we share the most intimate details of your life to someone we feel comfortable around that the illusion of love becomes real and it's never easy getting over someone who meant so much to you at the time.

Let me ask you this question, who was that one person who broke your heart and truly affected you both mentally, physically, as well as, personally? It's that one person who when you start letting other guys or girls get close, you start pushing them away which can be a scary feeling for each of us. Consequently, a person can put a strong facade for friends and family, but deep down inside we are all fragile. In a way, our hearts can suffer so many cracks that it could possibly shatter into a million pieces. Yet, we risk it day in and day out as we meet that guy or girl who makes our heart skip a beat whenever you see or talk with him or her.

Someone once said, ~My heart is all black and blue from all the abuse it has been through. No more abuse, no more shame, all because my love for you isn't a game. I'm tired of all your lies, and all the crap you say. As I leave my love for you behind, my heart is screaming YAY. Yay for no more abuse, no more pain, and no more sorrow, now my heart can heal, but it won't be healed by tomorrow. How could I have been so blind to see how much loving you was hurting me? I don't care anymore because I am free from all the pain that your love has caused me.~ In the end, the hardest thing to ever protect from being hurt is our very own heart, which keeps on beating as each of us keeps moving on with life.

Off The Deep End

Jane Wagner once said, ~See, the human mind is kind of like...a pinata. When it breaks open, there's a lot of surprises inside. Once you get the pinata perspective you see that posing your mind can be a peak experience.~ Every person has experienced the feeling of losing their mind to the point where he or she isn't able to find it again. Yet, when a person is able to find it, parts of it are missing as if it went on an extended vacation and lost key pieces of luggage. Working in the asylum is a truly mind blowing experience for any new employee who doesn't expect to lose their mind on the first day, but they do. In some warped aspect, it’s like going through an initiation and if they return then next, they have passed with flying colors.

If you think about it, losing your mind isn't such a bad thing because it helps a person release pent up anger and/or frustration that has been building for quite some time. Being a youth program specialist, you lose your mind on a semi-daily basis and no matter how in control of your emotions you are, one will lose it. For it is simply unavoidable as kids will test the limits and boundaries of a person's sanity to the point where he or she enjoys seeing a counselor break under the pressure. Undoubtedly, we all have a breaking point and kids have that ability to find it, exploit it, use it to their advantage, to where we will scream out these six words which are, Have you all lost your minds!?

Working with kids, especially 6 and 7 year olds, repetition is part of my job that tends to get extremely boring and old. On any given day, words will be repeated over and over again, which usually never get heard. A person can literally tear out their own hair trying to get through to kids who sometimes don't want to listen. There are days where I just want to come to work with a tape record and just play the most repeated things that I have to say on a regular basis. Such things are stop running, get down from there or you will get hurt, tie your shoe before you crack your head open and bleed all over the place, and my personal favorite which is stop yelling when you are talking to me, I'm two feet away from you I can hear you just fine.

Let me ask you this question, have you ever been in a situation where you started to lose your mind, have lost it, or came close to losing it? Oftentimes it can involve family, friends, life, love, school, but more often than not one's own workplace can bring about craziness, as well as, madness. Every person deals with the pangs of potentially slipping into complete madness in different ways when it comes to kids. For a person like myself, I use sarcastic humor as a response to either a totally off the wall question that "my kids" ask me or something that happens that is considered funny which merits a sarcastic response. It's just a matter of keeping a sense of humor about it, when things just get too serious.

In retrospect, we've all met people that are either one chicken mcnuggets short of a happy meal or their lights are on but nobody's home. Ultimately, the world is one big insane asylum in which we have to figure out who is out of their mind or who doesn't have a mind to lose. Personally speaking, I'm about 75% insane and you know what I'm enjoying the experience of being the counselor that is considered kooky. Hey, I embrace my kookiness because it shows that the kids like me even though I lose my cool sometimes. In the end, every person has the right to go off the deep end every once and awhile; it's just a matter of not staying in the pool of insanity too long or you will be lost in it forever.

Unforgettable

Someone once said, ~There are certain words which are nearer and dearer to a man than any other. And it often happens that in some remote corner of the country, in domed deserted spots, you unexpectedly meet a man whose warming words make you forget yourself and the impassibility of the roads of the noisy contemporary world, and the deceitfulness of the illusions that lead mankind astray. And an evening spent in that way will be forever imprinted on your mind and your memory will retain everything: who was present and who sat in what place and what was in his hands-the walk, the corners, and every trifle in the room.~ Let me ask you this question, have you ever felt moved by the words that you either read or heard by someone you know or don't know?

Without question musicians(group singers/solo artists) have that innate ability to move a person simply by singing words that were either written by that person or by other people. Yet, it is merely words at first, but when it is sung with meaning, heart, and passion behind it you will most definitely get a song that means something special to many people. It's when one listens to those written words in musical form that we can feel several different emotions such as love, sadness, anger, frustration, happiness, heartbreak, etc. Whether a person is married, single, or divorced, if the words to a song speaks to you and moves you to the point where you start crying then it has done its job.

Oftentimes, a person can be moved without even a word being said. Two people, either married or in a dating relationship who absolutely know each other for a said period of time, can communicate emotions and feelings without saying a word to each other. For it's all in how he or she looks at that person that reveals a kind of hidden communication that only two people who truly know each other can share. Let me tell you something, just from an observational standpoint I've witnessed guys and girls use more non-verbal than verbal to communicate to one's potential or significant other. Initially, it's just a matter of interpreting those non-verbal words, which guys figure out...most of the time.

In any case, we all communicate our feelings in different ways, but it's the way we say those particular words to people or that one person that can redefine its meaning. We've all said I love you before to friends and family members; but when it comes to saying it to someone that one truly and deeply cares about, it takes on a whole new meaning. It's basically three little words that can make an enormous impact on a person that may or may not share the same sentiments as you do. For most people, it's a statement of affection or adoration that is freely given back to that particular person. Yet, for some it's just three words that one doesn't believe in saying unless he or she is absolutely sure that the person standing in front of him or her is worth saying it to.

In retrospect, there are certain people you meet along your journey that have a way with words. It's a God given talent that creates emotional word pictures in which a person sees/imagines what is being said or read. Several months ago, a friend of mine told me that I've been causing him to have a lot of headaches. The reason...well the Yodaisms that I've sent to him cause him to feel, as well as, think more and he blamed me for it. To be quite honest I didn't know whether to take it as a compliment or as an insult; but in the end, he gave me mad props for bringing to life words that capture a person both intellectually and emotionally, which to him was an experience that he simply described as unforgettable.

Rough Seas Ahead

Edmond, from The Count of Monte Cristo said, ~Life is a storm, my young friend. You will bask in the sunlight one moment, be shattered in the rocks the next. What makes you a man is what you do when that storm comes.~ Life, for each and every one of us, is never smooth sailing as we pull up anchor and set sail on our own personal journey through the high seas. As one looks across the open waters he or she contemplates all the possible destinations where one can drift away to. For we all have that metaphorical map set in front of us as we chart the rest of our lives. Yet, it is sometimes not used at all as one simply relies on where the winds of fate will take him or her

In some aspect, each of us is in a small boat trying to explore a very big ocean. An ocean that swallows people whole both in a literal and metaphorical sense, which can change a person. For it is when we get farther and farther from shore the waters of life start to get treacherous. The bright beautiful blue skies have now been replaced by the dark ominous clouds, which is never a good sign. Whether one is prepared for it or not, it can make any person scared to be out there as you find yourself experiencing the calm before the storm. It can be a truly uneasy feeling as you look around your surroundings and think to yourself why is this happening to me of all people.

Oftentimes, we may feel like we're up a creek without a paddle, in a manner of speaking. Initially, there comes a point in one's life where he or she thinks is gaining mileage but is actually not going anywhere at all. It can be a frustrating situation for any person to be in as the waves toss and turn you in every different direction, which can alter course of one's destination and become absolutely lost. It's at that point, we try to figure out whether or not the journey that one set on was actually worth traveling in the first place. It's just a matter of conquering the forces of nature by looking in the one place that has a fighting spirit to keep on going when the mind wants to give up and that place is in your heart.

If you think about it, it's that way when it comes to love and relationships as well. Each of us, at one time or another, has experienced the somewhat disorienting effects of being thrown in every different direction but in the direction one wants to go. One can go through a whirlwind of emotions as a person's mind, body, and soul can undergo a so-called perfect storm that no human alive would ever survive from. Let me ask you a question, have you ever felt lost in the sense that by seeking out that beacon of light he or she will somehow rescue our heart from sinking into that deepest, darkest depths of the ocean where wreckage of past relationships and heartbreak now reside.

In retrospect, we have to learn to not be afraid of what is in store for each of us as we go through our own particular storms. Yet, it's within these storms that a person grows, learns, receives blessings from it and in turn gives thanks for them. For it is within that non-fearful attitude that we see the beauty of all things that were created and start to appreciate what life has to offer. Undoubtedly, there will be times where we want to jump ship because certain aspects of our lives are simply overwhelming but that is to be expected from time to time. In the end, there will be undoubtedly rough seas ahead for each of us, which can't be avoided; but if we keep our faith in God, then He will help see us through life's most difficult storms.

Step By Step

Salvatore Satta once said, ~The birth of thought in the depths of the spirit, the shaping and ordering of it in periods, the translation into signs, and above all the transference of it from one spirit to another, the communication of that is, if only for an instant, the meeting of two beings, with the unforeseeable consequences that such a meeting always causes, is in fact a miracle; except that the moment one stops to think about it one can't even write a letter.~ People often ask me how I come up with these thought provoking Yodaisms that can somehow dig deep into a person's soul which can relate his or her life. For its within these Yodaisms that I go through a process which I'm going to be sharing with you today.

The title often plays a big part in much of the thoughts which are good starting off points to being from. When a certain thought comes to mind the first thing that has to be worked out is the title. Every Yodaism that has been written and sent has had several different working titles which are changed sometimes at the last minute. Undoubtedly, it is what peaks your interest, as well as, grabs your attention to where you are naturally curious to read what has been thought about in the course of a couple days. Inevitably, when it comes to the title a person will always find it in the ending of the thought rather than the beginning, because it usually ties together what I have been trying to say.

Quotes are regularly used to aide in what is being said and all it takes is someone to say or read something interesting that the proverbial gears in my mind start to turn. Finding the right quote is key because it has to convey or at least parallel the thought that is going to be written. There have been times where a particular quote was chosen and it didn't quite come together when the thought was finished. It can be a frustrating situation when you're searching for that so-called perfect quote that may or may not be able to be used and because of that many unfinished thoughts are either scrapped or never completed. In any case, whether it be from Ralph Waldo Emerson or from a total stranger, if it's interesting it might or will be used.

The key ingredient of many of the thoughts that are sent out is the mood, which can affect a person emotionally. Let me ask you this question, what emotions, if any, have you experienced reading a particular thought that made a kind of lasting impression within your heart, soul, or mind? Moods such as happiness, sadness, loneliness, frustration, anger, etc. are what every person goes through and in some ways, you can see yourself in that exact position that you are either in now or in the past. For it can be a tough situation not to reveal too much in what I'm feeling at the time, such as loneliness, because if I completely let go of my emotions, then I lose control of who I am and that absolutely scares me.

In retrospect, every potential thought that comes to mind is like a jumbled up jigsaw puzzle. For I have all the pieces in front of me and the next logical step is figuring out which piece goes where which can be a difficult thing at times. There are also times when certain pieces don't exactly fit and will have to be reshaped in order for it to fit properly. Let me tell you something, it can be mentally draining to think of the words that I want to say. Sometimes it comes to the surface without really thinking about it and other times I have to metaphorically dig deep until the words are finally found. In the end, it's a systematic step by step process that I go through, and so far it's a system that has been an absolute success for me.

Unsolved Mysteries

How do you know when you are really in love? That is the sixty four million dollar question that every person has trouble answering. To be quite honest, I don't think nobody knows for sure including myself because, in a way, it's like trying to solve a mystery that concerns one's own heart for that particular guy or girl. Every potential relationship starts off as a friendship but determining whether or not you actually love that person is in that proverbial gray area called love limbo. In some aspect, each of us can be considered amateur detectives as one searches for that all important answer. It's just a matter of asking questions and looking for clues that will hopefully blow the case wide open, so to speak.

Undoubtedly, love is a powerful feeling as the emotions can be intense to the point where you feel scared and excited at the same time. Yet, is it really love one is feeling or just mere infatuation because the only thing that is affected is a person's emotions which is based solely on the outward appearance. During one's investigation, a person has to question if he or she can be totally real around that person. Little by little the time spent around him or her will bring down one's own wall to the point where personal information is shared. Information such as long term goals, family, and career in great detail that one wouldn;t necessarily share with someone else if he or she felt there was absolute trust.

Someone once said, ~Spiteful words hurt your feelings, but silence breaks your heart.~ Let me ask you this question, have you ever hurt or been hurt by someone, not physically but verbally? Words do hurt and whether it is intentional or just in a joking manner, a person can be offended to the point where he or she is affected emotionally. We all say things we tend to regret and when it involves someone that you're probably in love with, the relationship will either be severed completely or temporarily depending on how harsh the words were. Consequently, one just has to admit being in the wrong by giving that sworn statement/(apology) in which he or she swallows one's pride and says, I'm sorry.

One can truly have a better understanding when you interview parents and grandparents as they share their experiences of how as soon as he or she saw that person, one absolutely knew it was love and both of them were going to get married. But the question is how does one truly know? As far as knowing whether or not you are really in love it comes down to putting the needs of that guy or girl before yours. Giving encouraging words, lifting that person up, respecting one's feelings and emotions, as well as being that person who takes great joy in making you smile and laugh. In other words, putting one's own happiness aside means that person is the center of your world rather than the world centered on you.

In retrospect, it’s when a person says I love you that he or she has to find out if it is the love that the person wants to give you rather than the love that has a hidden agenda behind it. It's that kind of love that just wants you physically and nothing else. Women hear those three little words so often they really don't know whether to believe what a guy is telling her is actually true. If only love came with a lie detector to find out the truth, but it doesn't. Ultimately, when it comes to knowing if you're really in love it can be an absolute mystery. In the end, no matter how many answers a person comes up with, it's a question that will always be considered one of those unsolved mysteries that one may or may not be able to figure out.

A Chip Off The Old Block

For those that are living the single life, there comes a point where one ponders what it would be like to have kids of his or her own. Women, more so than men, have that proverbial biological clock that can oftentimes have them yearning for an offspring to call one;s own. Yet, in today's ever changing world countless stories can be told of kids, who without question, disregard a parent's authority and the parent's response is simply to throw his or her hands in the air. In some ways, witnessing it or hearing about it can make a person rethink the possibility of having kids or wanting kids one day. But one can't base his or her decision on that; it's just a matter of having a style all your own that balances meanness and coolness. Up until now, I've never really thought about what it would be like to have a son but I technically have over 30 of them at work who I consider absolute daredevils. When it comes to boys, a person in profession tends to keep repeating this same sentence, "If he jumped off a bridge would you jump off as well?" Let me tell you something, on any given day working in an asylum you will find at least one of "my boys" trying to do some kind of crazy stunt that involves jumping off something high. It usually ends up with me standing over him and lecturing about why that wasn't a very good idea. Hey, boys will be boys, but like my dad told me when I got hurt I now tell them which is, just shake it off.

Undoubtedly, nothing will prepare a guy more than having a daughter because there are several things that go through our minds. All these things involve her starting to get interested in boys and boys getting interested in her. I can already tell that my daughter will have me wrapped around her finger because "my girls" in the asylum have me wrapped around theirs. Thinking about it, I feel more protective of them than the boys because I know what boys are thinking because I used to think the same way. For it's my job, any obligation to scare away the boys and tell each of "my girls" not to date until they are 35 years old. Though they aren't my daughters, I will and always be a father figure to them.

Someone once asked me several years ago if I would ever take a bullet for "my kids" and without hesitation I said yes. Though I am not a parent, the parental instincts are in me, as well, as in each of you. Let me ask you this question, if someone harmed or was trying to harm your child would you stop at nothing to get your hands on him or her? Hopefully your response would be a definite yes because the safety of your child is all that matters to a parent. Over the past 8 years I have seen a number of kids grow up before my eyes. Even though most of the kids have outgrown the asylum, there is a side of me that still sees them as that little boy or girl who thought cooties were contagious.

Someone once said, ~Any man can be a father, but it takes a special person to be a dad.~ I don't know what it is about me that kids gravitate to. Doing some research, I have learned they like me because I'm sarcastic, weird, funny, strange, altogether kooky, but most of all I found that they like me because I talk with them on their level. For most of the kids, they don't just see me as their counselor, they see me as their friend who he or she can absolutely feel comfortable to be around and talk to one on one. In retrospect, someday I will have children of my own and they will inherit certain personality traits, which is a scary thought indeed; but in the end, he or she will be a chip off the old block.

Someone once asked me several years ago of would ever take a bullet for "my kids" and without hesitation I said yes. Though I am not a parent, the parental instincts are in me, as well, as in each of you. Let me ask you this question, if someone harmed or was trying to harm your child would you stop at nothing to get your hands on him or her? Hopefully your response would be a definite yes because the safety of your child is all that matters to a parent. Over the past 8 years I have seen a number of kids grow up before my very eyes. Even though most the kids have outgrown the asylum, there is a side of me that stills sees them as that little boy or girl who thought cooties were contagious.

Feel The Heat

Martial arts legend Bruce Lee once said, ~Love is like a friendship caught on fire. In the beginning a flame, very pretty, often hot and fierce, but still only light and flickering. As love grows older, our hearts mature and our love becomes as coals, deep burning and unquenchable.~ Men and women, who want to seek a potential relationship with each other, should start as friends. It can truly be a dicey situation when two people fall in love too quickly and yet do not know who each other are. It's a sad situation indeed when hearts are broken and the emotions that come along with it take its toll and burn people out. In some ways, love can be compared to three things: a match, a candle, and a piece of coal.

Every person at some point has used matches to light something, hopefully within legal reasons. Anyways, a match can be very unpredictable because you never know how many times it will take to get the spark one actually wants. If you think about it, that is how love usually is as a person can try to continually create a spark with someone of interest and absolutely nothing happens. It's a situation that each of us has been in, whether one wants to admit it or not. What one ends up doing is throwing away match after match until he or she has wasted so many that a person is left with one. Initially, the harder one tries to get a spark going, more often than not he or she will end up with a match that will never light up.

Consequently, it can be at times like a candle burning into the night. Let me ask you this question, have you ever played with a flame that is burning on a candle? By playing, I mean running your hand through it or keeping your hand above it until it gets too hot and painful to keep it there. There is a saying that goes, if you play with fire you get burned and when it comes to having your heart played with, it is absolutely true. In some aspect our heart, as well as, our emotions can be played with and inevitably one will get burned by that person's false flames of love. Like a candle, love can burn brightly but there are times when it can be easily blown out without a single thought or care in the world.

For it's a proven fact that after being exposed to pressure and heat over time, a piece of coal becomes a diamond. In some aspect, the same goes for two people who are truly in a loving relationship. For it takes a lot of heat and pressure(work) to make something that will turn out absolutely beautiful in the end. As each of us grow older and hopefully a little wiser, each of us seek someone that will have that burning desire to be the person who one always wanted in his or her life. It's that one person, that even though the scorching hot flames have gone away, his or her warm feelings of love will never die. Ultimately, it's within our proverbial inner fireplace that love continually burns for that person and that fireplace is in our own heart.

Bradley Trevor Grieve said, ~Love, in all its fragile forms, is the one powerful, enduring force that brings real meaning to our everyday lives...but the love I mean is the fire that burns inside all of us, the inner warmth that prevents our soul from freezing in the winters of despair.~ Each of us, who are single, feel absolutely cold within our souls and no matter how warm we can feel on the outside, we can still feel cold on the inside. It's just a matter of rekindling a flame that was unfortunately extinguished but hopefully can be lighted again from someone truly special who does exist. In retrospect, a person will feel the heat of love again; it's just a matter of getting back the spark which ignites an eternal flame that will last a lifetime.

Cool, Calm, and Collected

Someone once said, ~There is no doubt - we face trying times at work, at home, and with those who are tested by factors beyond their control. Some days it's hard to get out of bed, much less "leap tall buildings with a single bound!" Yet, there are also the times to discover what "stuff" we are made of and to fulfill a purpose that is often bigger than ourselves.~ Working in a place that is nicknamed the insane asylum, there are days that I love coming to work, there are days I don't, and some days it's in between. Over the past 8 years, I've been involved or associated with situations that are either expected or unexpected, and it's within those particular situations that are considered the good, the bad, and the ugly.

The Good - Every person has been in a situation where as soon as you walk through the doors of your workplace a certain energy is felt from within. For it's not only the energy that one is giving off, it's the people around you as well that makes it a fun and/or memorable experience. During my tenure in the insane asylum, I have had some fun and wild times to the point where I tend to forget that I'm in a position of authority and rather than helping to squash the mischief; I'm actually contributing to it. A person can't help but feel like a kid again due to being surrounded by so many kids that have endless amounts of energy, which can rub off on adults who need the energy during a hectic day.

The Bad - Let me ask you this question, have you ever walked through the doors of your workplace and felt the tension within? A type of tension so thick that you can cut it with a knife and if one pushes the right button or buttons armageddon will ensue to the point where words or fists will fly. Every person has their limits when it comes to pushing his or her buttons; the consequences can either be expressed outwardly or not at all. It's all in how one deals with the particular situation at hand. From personal experience, I've had my buttons pushed many times but one time in particular had my fellow co-workers see a side of me that they had never seen before, which in reality needed to come out and I'm glad it did.

The Ugly - With kids they go through the usual bumps and bruises, which are dealt with the proverbial tender loving care. Yet, nothing can prepare a person when a child breaks a particular body part, such as an arm, or gets one's head busted open doing something totally foolish. I've witnessed both of these and much more than one could possibly imagine as one minute they are fine and the next minute they are down for the count, in a manner of speaking. For that's when our training kicks in and we respond with professionalism...most of the time. In a way, it's like being in a real life emergency room because at any given time a child, as well as an adult, will need emergency assistance.

In retrospect, you can't prepare for what life will throw at you, so to speak, each and every day. You simply have to adjust for whatever comes your way whether it's planned or unplanned. In some aspects, going through the experiences that I have gone through has somewhat prepared me for when I become a father one day. In a way, life is like a small child, you never know what he or she might do to either embarrass you, make you angry, make you laugh, make you cry, make you smile, or make you absolutely proud to be where you are. In the end, when you have days that are considered good, bad, and ugly, a person needs to keep a level head and just stay cool, calm, and collected.