https://youtu.be/SQuyCc1Cuac
So just what is in your
L U N C H B O X. . .
Maybe the bigger question is:
just
what
are
you
w i l l i n g
t o
s h a r e. . .
and the greatest question yet:
A R E Y O U ?
When Humility Dials a Phone
Sometimes it happens to
M E. . .
Y o u ?
Sometimes my inner and outer
Caring Catalyst
gets scabbed over
o k. . .
C A L L O U S E D
and then it gets
s o f t e n e d
with the
s i m p l e s t
the most
s i g n i f i c a n t
things:
A mere phone call. . .
I hadn’t heard from him in a long time–
y e a r s
We had been colleagues
but never close
and never social. . .
we might have seen each other across the room
at a conference or a luncheon presentation
but neither would make a move to meet
in the middle. . .
an acquaintance
nothing more
maybe even
l e s s
and then
I had heard recently after giving a presentation
at a local hospital
that he had suffered a severe stroke. . .
I think I reached out
benignly
via a FaceBook Instant Message
that I was thinking of him and wishing him the best
and then. . .
h o n e s t l y
I f o r g o t a b o u t him. . .
When the cell phone rang
I didn’t recognize the number
but I broke my rule of answering a
number I didn’t recognize
and it was him. . .
He quickly identified himself
and even before I could say
h e l l o
or ask him how he was doing
he was apologizing. . .
asking forgiveness for
not keeping in touch
talking about me behind my back
not being supportive when he knew I had been going through a particularly tough professional situation. . .
and then through broken sobs
he was asking if I and everyone I knew
could pray for his healing—
not his complete healing from the stroke,
just a partial healing that would allow him to play his music
on the piano and guitar
he often did for patients and families
and with a jazz group he would jam with
on Friday nights. . .
the scab gave loose. . .
the callous
s o f t e n d
Sometimes it happens to me. . .
y o u ?
Sometimes my inner and outer
Caring Catalyst
gets scabbed
ok. . .
C A L L O U S E D;
Has that happened to you?
When was the last time?
Me?
It happened when
Humility Dialed A Phone
and
I
a n s w e r e d
the scab gave loose
the callous–
softened. . .
Me. . . ?
h u m b l y
c h a n g e d
A Better Place
Are you in a
B E T T E R P L A C E
because of
S O M E O N E
literally
created it
and put
you
in the
heart of
T H A T
v e r y
B E T T E R P L A C E
Maybe the biggest question:
Are you the
s o l e
r e a s o n
S O M E O N E
is
in
a
b e t t e r p l a c e ?
I’ll tell the world, I’ll sing a song,
It’s a better place since you came along
Your touch is sunlight
through the trees
Your kisses are the ocean breeze
Everything’s alright when you’re with me
And I hold my favorite thing
I hold the love that you bring
But it feels like I’ve opened my eyes again
And the colors are golden and bright again
There’s a song in my heart, I feel like I belong
It’s a better place since you came along
I see the whole world in your eyes
It’s like I’ve known you all my life
We just feel so right
So I pour my heart into your hands
It’s like you really understand
You love the way I am. . .
Maybe if we were to sit across from
e a c h ‘ s
o t h e r
and do nothing
n o t o n e t h i n g
but just look
into one another’s
e y e s
we’d not just see
those we love
d i f f e r e n t l y. . .
I M A G I N E
if we were to sit
across from those
who have
hurt us
disappointed us
mocked us
disrespected us
intentionally went out of their ways
to feel each of those things
in utterly devastating ways
countless times
o v e r
would it be the same kind of
lyric
or even more
l i f e
c h a n g i n g ?
Dare to find out. . .
u n b l i n k i n g l y ?
A True VICTOR
Are you a Victim
or a
V I C T O R ?
Or just a
Chuck,
Erin,
Sam,
Henry,
Danica,
Johnny,
Joe,
an Anybody. . .
Somebody. . .
Nobody. . . ?
About once a month we get free buffets at the Horseshoe Casino
Great Dinner. . .
but the
S E R V I C E
was way beyond ordinary;
V i c t o r
He seated us
and poured out ice teas
and then gave us some complimentary bottled waters. . .
He got real excited when he announced
that he had something very special for us,
and he even more excited
when he brought some special made appetizers. . .
did I mention that this was a b u f f e t
and not some Four-Star restaurant?
He brought us back fancy desserts
that weren’t up on the dessert tray. . .
He couldn’t be more accommodating and kind;
He got a little embarrassed
when I asked him about himself
and how long he had been working here at the casino. . .
He said he loved
w a i t i n g
on people
and that we had been great people to serve. . .
W O W
I was watching the other servers,
but no one was running around like Victor. . .
No one was giving
who they were serving
anything e x t r a. . .
I even saw a few roll their eyes
when someone had left them a less than satisfactory tip. . .
Victor was a most excellent
S E R V E R
A True Caring Catalyst
I gave him a huge tip that night. . .
He was very grateful and very surprised;
I told him that he was most excellent and he
m a d e
our night extra ordinary. . .
I have him a big tip
but he had given me a
t i p
much larger
and even more significant:
S E R V E P E O P L E
MORE THAN THE EXPECT OR DESERVE
WITHOUT ANY EXPECTATION OF ANYTHING IN RETURN
He made me ask a question
a r e a l q u e s t i o n:
Am I more of a
V i c t i m
or a
V I C T O R ?
Victor showed me that no matter what Color
No matter what your Race,
No matter what your Creed,
No matter what your Gender,
No matter what your political Persuasion,
You can still serve others by serving in the best way possible;
Victor showed me that it’s not about
doing for others as you would have them do unto you
so much as serving others as they would like
in a most perfect way. . .
Victor s h o w e d
that it’s not about giving people what they deserve,
it’s about just giving to others
j u s t b e c a u s e
Are you?
Are you more
A Victim
or
A V i c t o r?
Psssssssssssssst:
S H O W M E. . .
better still
S H O W O T H E R S
(lots of them)
o f t e n
https://youtu.be/b-xScLIevw0
LOVE HAS NO LABELS. . .
if that were
ONLY T R U E
if that were
ONLY THE NORM
and not the
n o n s t a n a r d
Love Has No Labels
is a movement to open our eyes to there unconscious bias. . .
While the vast majority of Americans
consider themselves
UNPREJUDICED
many of us unintentionally make snap judgements
about people
based on what we see–
whether it’s
race
age
gender
religion
sexuality
or disability
By becoming aware of our own
b i a s e s
WE can work to end bias
in ourselves,
our families
our friends
our communities. . .
Hmmmmmmmmm of the DAY:
WE NEED AN ORGANIZED MOVEMENT
to show us we need
LOVE WITH NO LABELS
Let’s make it this Simple:
Challenge that;
Inspire that;
Mirror that;
Share that;
B E T H A T
(not often)
A L L – W A Y S !
The Glass That Doesn’t B R E A K
Are your Endings
truly your Beginnings. . . ?
It feels like an easy answer, doesn’t it?
Maybe this is what really makes us
H U M A N ?
These ominous endings and beginnings. . .
these bend-over-laugh-till-you-throw-up-moments
and the I-can’t-stop-crying-instances;
Maybe it’s our insatiable curiosity
or our impending doom gloominess. . .
What makes us
H U M A N ?
What makes you distinctively
human?
Your laugh. . .
Your sigh. . .
Your moods. . .
Your smile. . .
Your tears. . .
Your compassion. . .
Your empathy. . .
Your eyes. . .
Your facial features. . .
Your ability to question. . .
Your ability to answer. . .
what. . .what. . .w h a t. . .
makes y o u h u m a n ?
It’s enough to shatter your pretty glass, isn’t it?
Well in a World of
u n s u r e d n e s s
here’s some fragile trustworthiness:
Your Glass may be shattered. . .but never broken
It’s your
f i l l a b i l i t y
that’ll make sure your glass is never fully empty
a n d
by the way. . .
ohhhhhh what a beautiful g l a s s
Raise it up high
y o u
are a
T o a s t
well worth being made
and
celebrated.
S A L U T E
WHY BE KIND
W H Y ?
Why be
k i n d ?
A learned Rabbi once told me
to always ask a
q u e s t i o n
with a
q u e s t i o n
So. . .
W h y b e
m e a n ?
There’s a lot of negativity out there
that we actually
A R E N O T
immune. . .
I love that filmmakers,
Jessie Aurit and Alexandra Berger
wanted to do something to
c o m b a t
all of the
s t u f f
out
t h e r e
and kids
are the perfect
v o i c e
that we may actually
l i s t e n
. . .the children discussing
k i n d n e s :
What it is. . .
Why it is important . . .
The consequences of being unkind. . .
Why kindness is vital for our future. . .
Your Favorite ?
Mine:
“IF YOU BE NICE IT GIVES YOU A MAGICAL LIFE”
y e a h. . .
a m a g i c a l life:
L E T ‘ S
let’s
K I N D N E S S
It’s the main ingredient
of being a Caring Catalyst
and here’s the not-s0-big-secret:
It’s in all of us
and there’s always ever just one thing that keeps it from coming
o u t. . .
y o u. . . .
TABLE’D U P
https://youtu.be/vDuA9OPyp6I
A R E Y O U H U N G R Y ?
For what?
Steak?
Potatoes?
Salad?
Broccoli?
Corn?
Mashed Potatoes?
Spanish Rice?
Shrimp and Grits?
Ribs?
Eggs, Bacon and Homefries?
A Grande Breve Latte?
Cake?
Pie?
Sherbert?
Rootbeer Float?
Milkshake?
Cookies?
Candy Bars?
Tic Tac’s?
Gum?
Popcorn?
Well. . .
that which feeds you,
r e a l l y
r e a l l y
feeds you. . .
E A T Y O U R F I L L
Feed the Beast
and Feed it often
until you’re slothingly
F U L L
and. . .
don’t go hungry
ever again. . .
and more. . .
f e e d a n o t h e r
and really take care
of the
hunger problem!
Maybe what the world needs now
is just a huge table full of
hungry people
willing to share
t h e i r b e s t s
to the left
and right of them
and not being ashamed
to go for the
s e c o n d s
or
t h i r d s. . .
T a b l e U P
Bon appetit
The H A N D
I’ve got to
H A N D I T
to you. . .
no pun intended!
Really. . .
It’s never the Hand
you’ve been dealt. . .
Go ahead. . .
finish the cliche. . .
it’s the way you play it!
W R O N G !
When I do my presentation:
DID YOU HEAR WHAT I DIDN’T SAY,
I always H A N D
everyone a card as they walk in
and then I let them choose one on their own. . .
Most ask,
“Am I allowed to look ?” or
“What’s this for ?”
Then I forget about it. . .
almost until the middle to end of my talk;
I tell them to take their cards and ask:
“W H O W O N ?”
It’s amazing to me how many people
tell me that they have won and why. . .
. . .Say’s Who ?
“Why did you win?”
I ask,
don’t we know what game we’re playing and more. . .
here’s the clincher:
W H A T A R E T H E R U L E S ?
We play
U N A N N O U N C E D
G a m e s
e v e r y d a y
and as if that’s bad enough,
what’s worse,
we’re trying to F I G U R E
out the rules
let alone being willing to play by them;
Each person,
friend,
family,
stranger
deals up a set of cards for us
and the Game is O N !
The most important Language you’ll ever Speak
or Hear
is the one you’ll never utter or detect by sound,
but begging to be understood. . .
Pssssssssst of the Day:
It’s never the Hand you’ve been dealt,
or the Hand you’ve had
or are currently holding right now. . .
It’s Not the Hand you’re playing—
It’s the Hand you are Extending. . .
the hand you are Sharing. . .
the Hand you’re Giving. . .
and yes, most importantly,
the Hand you’re holding
(THAT’S ATTACHED TO ANOTHER ARM)!
NEVER let the hand you’re dealt
interfere with the
H a n d y o u E x t e n d. . .
C L A U S ‘E D
Sometimes. . .
it’s really less about the
p r o d u c t
and more about the
c o m m e r c i a l
When’s the last time you’ve been
Mrs. Claus’ed?
Maybe the better question:
When was the last time you have been
Mrs. Claus
to someone else. . . ?
You know it’s really not that hard. . .
See
Hear
Feel
Learn
of a need
and
M E E T I T
It just might be one of your
greatest secrets
you can share
without
having to
w h i s p e r
H O W
. . .Get Claus’ed
and then make sure you
C L A U S
away
without
C L A U S E. . .
because the best way to
Celebrate
D e c e m b e r 26
is simply to treat it like
D E C E M B E R 2 5
(f o r e v e r)
Psssssssssssst of the Day:
That’s the biggest not-so-confidential
s e c r e t
you’ll never quite be able to
hide
or
ever need to. . . .