take a deep breath

Here is a fun story of Yogi Berra, the famous catcher for the New York Yankees, and Hank Aaron, who at that time was playing for the Milwaukee Braves. The teams were playing in the World Series, and the famously talkative Yogi chattered nonstop, intending to pep up his teammates and rattle the Milwaukee batters.  As Aaron came to the plate, Yogi, trying to distract him said, “Henry, you’re holding the bat wrong. You’re supposed to hold it so you can read the trademark.” Aaron responded by smacking the next pitch into the left-field bleachers.  After rounding the bases and touching home plate, Aaron looked at Yogi and said, “I didn’t come up here to read.”

A friend taught me a great lesson.  Actually, many friends do that to me.  But sometimes I don’t recognize the lessons or don’t adhere to them right away.  I just don’t get them.  I admit that.  This particular friend taught me to just enjoy the people in a group as they are (i.e. appreciate them and their way instead of trying to change them—become part of them to enjoy—just accept them for who they are.  That could be a social group, neighbors, family, business associates, church folks, etc. Now I don’t have to agree with them and surely, I don’t have to behave like them and don’t have to accept their lifestyles.  Oh no!  But I don’t have to fight them either.  Does this make any sense to you?  GeorgeTheCrook, who has a lot of vim and vigor, says—erv, I need to take a deep breath and think about that! 

BUT flip the pancake! The next train is coming down the track. I read what Tony Dungy says as I was eating my oatmeal with a half a banana on it—"The familiar line from Hamlet is an important reminder: ‘To thine own self be true.’ Not only will that advice protect us against negative peer pressure, it will also put us in position to affect others through positive peer pressure.  We can help others make better decisions simply by making decisions that are true to our own convictions. To do that, you have to know who you are.  You need to have a strong sense of your identity and your purpose.  When you do, you become an influence on others for good.” SusieQ says—There is always someone who wants to be like you, but which part do they want to be like. That is the question.  Now that will make a person want to take a deep breath!

RocketManCowboy says--“To become aware of the possibility of the search is to be onto something.” Saturday question—Do you like to search and enjoy the process?  Or are you more like the old Hosteen cow that comes in the barn and goes to the same place and does the same thing every day (i.e. not very adventurous but is very dependable)? If you are a routine person, maybe a spontaneous person could make you nervous.  Or maybe if you are an adventurous person, a routine person might be boring to you. 

I read that when a traveler took his assigned seat on an airplane, he realized he was seated next to a well-known celebrity. “I never expected to find you here,” the traveler said. “Well,” the celebrity replied, “everybody has to be somewhere!”  I might not recognize famous folks but maybe would rather sit by a JoeCommon and hear their story.  But some well-known folks are interesting toooo. Sooooo I got some postcards from CVS Drug Store recently and JaneTheClerk checked me out (i.e. she had a name tag that said that she was Jane).  I said—Jane, I see the lottery is 22 million—Jane said they say if you don’t play you can’t win—do you play it—very little—what would you do if you won 22 million—I would first buy a lift for my grandson who has a disability, then I would give a big gift to the church that made our home handicap accessible and then I would take a trip to England to see my son—you have a good heart—I try.  I just found that very interesting.  Sooooo I went to the grocery store to get a few groceries.  A lady in a big white pickup a.k.a. one big rig asked me if I wanted some grapefruit (i.e. she had all kinds of stuff in the back of her pickup).  I asked her what she is doing with all that stuff—I collect it and give to folks who have a need for stuff and have no ability to get it--you have a good heart--I try.

I question myself as to why I do things.  I think I do things for different reasons. MANY! JoeBlow says—I just did something to prove a point (i.e. the point is how great I think I am). Soooo what is my motive to do all the things I’m doing, have done or going to do?  Yes, at different times I have different motives and at different times in my life I am motivated differently but there seems to be certain motive trends that I have.  I think many of them are selfish in nature (i.e. all about me). Ouchy ouchy! MissPerfect says—erv erv, everyone wants to be seen and heard! C’mon, it’s human nature, it makes us feel important! TomSmart says--Take a deep breath MissPerfect, as sometimes we aren’t as great as we think we are.

When seeing my family in CO, I had the opportunity to go with the grandkids to their piano lessons.  They were in a strip mall in a musical studio.  I guess different teachers rent space and to teach their lessons of different instruments.  It was in the evening and when they were getting their lesson and we sat in a little room to wait.  I started looking around in the studio and looked at all the musical displays from many years of different musical tastes of different folks it appeared. In this old glass case was different musical parahelia and on the bottom was this sign.  It wasn’t on top and not showy, but it made a statement by someone at some time.  It did make a point.  Do you ever do that?  Make a point as to who you are in a sorta kinda non conspicuous way?  Some of you do I know as I know you and have seen it.  Pretty impressive. 

Oh fudge! You ever say, Woe is me?  That humorous statement says basically I think, I feel sorry for myself; everything goes wrong for me.  Poor me!   RickyRick says—"Think of the greatest dream for your life, and God will top it. He can beat your dream with one that’s bigger than you could ever think up! But he doesn’t give you your dream by pushing you around. In fact, he draws you to him and works in you with great gentleness and care.” Take a deep breath and think through that folks.  Such is life.

WildWilly a.k.a. easy money says--Folks who have imagination seem to see things that others do not.  They just do. You might be right WildWilly; I know I'm right! I might say—Where in the world did they come up with that idea?  They are very creative. JoeExcitement, who we might seem to be way out in right field, stretches his world to increase his imagination by traveling and reading (i.e. anything to see the world differently).  Of course, I can get bored quit easily at times and others just love to do the same things for ever.  Do we think we imagine ourselves differently than others see us?  Do we ever imagine ourselves way better than the way others see us?  Could be!  Flip the pancake, maybe others imagine us way better than we imagine ourselves.  Could be.  Take a deep breath and think through that.

“Forbear to judge, for we are sinners all.” William Shakespeare WorldClassLarry says--Don’t be offended by the actions a.k.a. sins of others. You can’t say, “Go clean up your life, and then I will accept you.” No—mercy is unconditional! If you’re going to show mercy to people, you can’t be offended by them. You can’t minister to people if you’re looking down on them. WhoWhatMe! I have learned from a friend recently that some things are engrained into people by their childhood (i.e. past environment) and they are very hard to get un-grained.  Saturday question—What good or bad things are engrained in you?  Really!

Number of you on a given week say that “lt’s Saturday” didn’t come (i.e. where is it at?).  Well, I have been known to screw up (i.e. erv’s error). Some of you have your security set more sensitive and Gmail won’t accept it.  I have toooooo then send the failures by iCloud server and then it works.  It’s for your protection (i.e. and some of you need protection haha). BUT you should try to reboot your device first.  Also, you can bookmark the link and use that method or just goggle erv mellema blog and it can be found that way tooooo.  Mass Bcc mailings have challenges for me.  Soooo far with the help of some “geniuses and wizards” I have been able to fool Microsoft! Sometimes I need to take a deep breath as they change the method maybe twice a year (i.e. again for your protection—they don’t want me to corrupt you).

One of the last nights I was at our park, in AZ I went on my nightly visit to the pool/hot tub about 8 or soooo. I met a guy on the patio who I play pickleball and ping pong with.  erv, where have you been, I haven’t seen you much lately—oh I have been doing other hobbies I guess; I have many hobbies—we miss you; come and join us—well, I have been working on my life being alone as my wife died a couple of years ago and I’m still adjusting—I don’t know what that is exactly like but I was divorced 4 years ago soooo I have some idea; next year I encourage you to get more active—I probably will.  What is interesting about this is that I now have a way different attitude about him.  Way better. I thought he was arrogant and indifferent to me. I think he seems to care about me. Such is life.

Soooooo in the hot tub another guy starts talking to me.  He was a retired North American Baptist minister from BC.  He was retired for 4 days.  He asked me a lot of questions about adjusting to retirement.  We really got along great.  He told me that the church he retired from worshiped about 500 before the virus and now about 360.  One of the things his wife suggested they do was to call on all the seniors during the virus.  She made a list of 167 and called them if he could stop by their house and talk to them by standing outside through their door six feet away.  He said almost all agreed and majority invited him in.  They were very eager to visit.  It was a great opportunity for the church.  Huh, interesting (i.e. innovative and creative). Beats sitting on the couch eating chips and complaining. I was told by medical personnel the other day that the information of getting the virus from touching something was not accurate.  They also told me that it appears that the low-quality masks we wore were about useless.  Is that true? How in the world does ervie know what to believe? Did we miss the boat but took the boat to China? Take a deep breath folks!

I like this little story related to the pastor and his wife above.  I think it is soooo applicable.  It’s my opinion of course.  For Henry Ford, developing the first car wasn’t accomplished without challenges, not least of which was convincing people they needed it.  It wasn’t in their wildest imaginations.  As Henry Ford was heard to have said, “If I’d asked people what they wanted, they would have said a faster horse.” Now Henry was being proactive and creative, I guess I would say. SatisfiedJoe says--It appears most folks would rather kick the same can down the same street and call it good (i.e. play it safe)! Surely it’s the easiest way! Unless if they can make more money, which changes everything! The world is all about the money it seems a.k.a. a great motivator. I read it in the paper soooo it must be right! LuckieEddie says--Remember folks, it's just a game!

Have a FUN day my friends unless you have other plans. (-:

erv

MyFriendJean said—There are some things you learn best in calm and some in storm.