Musings 
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Musings No Comments 
“The essential meaning and purpose of life is to become the best version of yourself.” – Mathew Kelly
“You are today where your thoughts have brought you; You’ll be tomorrow where your thoughts take you.” – James Allen
Our brain is sometimes compared to a computer in that you can only take out what you put in. Our brains are infinitely more complex than a computer and are capable of creative thought, yet the comparison has some merit in that it is a strong caution to be wary of the “garbage in, garbage out” syndrome. It is up to us to put in information and concepts that will promote our well-being and success. If we do not do our own programming, someone else will do it for us.
With this in mind I work to supply my Inner Voice with supportive material for positive programming. I know that my Inner Voice, the good one that knows and wants the best for me is like a muscle—it gets stronger with exercise. I must Use it or lose it.
A question that I continually ask my Inner Voice is, “What different attitudes should I program and what actions should I take if I lived to honor the truth that integrity has more value than money, position, or ego?”
I also know that it is important to realize that my Inner Voice is separate from my Ego. Emotions like anger, resentment, pride, or embarrassment are ego-connected and cause me to be self-absorbed. Body hits like these are not signs from my Inner Voice. To hear my Inner Voice clearly, I have to get Ego out of the way.
Getting Ego out of the way is a constant challenge for me. Ego always wants to compare my actions and results to others. I work to not let my short-comings define me. I claim that I am my own authority for my self-worth. I affirm that Spirit as speaking through my Inner Voice only wants the best for me and reminds me to be generous with compassion for myself and others.
I have found that compassionate thoughts must become ingrained habits. Coloring and immersing our thoughts with the wisdom of others works to strengthen our Inner Voice. Remember, if you are not doing your own programming, someone will do it for you.
The Proverbs caution, “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.”
As the Roman Emperor and Stoic philosopher, Marcus Aurelius (121 – 180 AD) advised, “Such as they are, thy habitual thoughts, such also will be the character of your mind; for the Soul is dyed by these thoughts.”
Musings No Comments Today’s Quote for Courage and Action:
“There is a life we hope for, the one we long for, dream of and pray for. And, there is Life. The one we have today. Let’s just say that the two don’t always see eye to eye.
But what if we are invited to bring our whole heart to this moment.
The permission to embrace our vulnerability; open to human brokenness, fragile nature, of love and caring and giving a damn.”
– Rev. Terry Hershey
Today is Your Day #1!
Musings No Comments 
“Wow! Really??!”, I exclaimed.
The Viet Nam War was raging. The ‘Tet Offensive’ had just concluded. I was just back from Air Force Boot Camp in Amarillo, TX.
For endless days while training I viewed railroad flatcars rolling by loaded with battle-damaged helicopters. Too many to count. How these broken birds made it all the way from Viet Nam to Amarillo was a logistical mystery. I imagined that for every one that did, dozens didn’t. These images brought home the costs of this war as I imagined the tragic stories of the lives lost and damaged behind every broken helicopter.
My fall term at USC had just begun. It was also the beginning of my two-year Air Force ROTC studies. Thereafter I was to be commissioned as an Officer and sent to Flight School to become a pilot.
Meeting with several fraternity brothers we exchanged stories of our summer experiences. Mine detailed the physical, mental, and emotional challenges that I had endured at Boot Camp. I claimed personal pride at what I had accomplished; what I had learned about myself. With some false humility I proclaimed that I had been awarded the honor of being selected as ‘The Most Outstanding Cadet’ from the 200+ cadets.
The ‘Wow! Really??!” comes next…
One friend asked, “What did you learn?” Proudly, I proclaimed, “I learned that I would die for my country.
It was then John’s turn to advise what he had learned during his summer training to become a Peace Corps Volunteer. Proudly and energetically John declared, “I learned that I would live for my country.”
His declaration pierced my heart and opened doors of sensibilities that had been shuttered.
After serving years as a military pilot and AF Reservist, followed by decades as an international businessman, I continue to be a ‘work in progress’ striving to live up to John’s declaration – and this has made all the difference.
Musings No Comments “Yes, please fix my child!”
This was the emotional plea from Khun Lek, the young Thai mother speaking in her language.
For many weeks my team and I had sought to entreat Thai mothers of children with clefts and other facial deformities to allow Operation Smile bring their international doctors to surgically repair these birth defects. Most Thai people are practicing Buddhists. A tenet of their beliefs is that ‘where and to what circumstances’ one is born back into is a reflection of the ‘good and bad’ deeds done in previous lives. This is ‘karma’.
The damaged faces of their children often prevented healthy eating leading to under-development and other maladies. They were also many hardships and embarrassments – to child and family. Often the disfigured children were ‘hidden away’ and not allowed to go to school. As painful as this was for child and mother their beliefs suggested that the deformity was retribution for past lives’ mistakes.
Through a translator I offered another interpretation. I suggested that bringing all the international surgeons and health professionals to repair her child was evidence that past misdeeds had been erased and that a new karmic experience was being offered. The Thai mother’s eyes grew big and as tears flowed she nodded in prayerful appreciation and acknowledgement. Lek began to receive the blessings for her family and child as she imagined her child’s face repaired. The mother was overwhelmed with emotion from thoughts of her child recovering health, going to school, and leading a productive life.
In following weeks Operation Smile Thailand arranged the logistics and financial support bringing an international medical team to northern Thailand to conduct a weeklong surgical mission. During this week over 90 children had facial birth defects and other burn injuries repaired by their plastic surgeons. Khun Lek’s son was one of them.
The ‘karmic journey’ of all the Operation Smile’s volunteers, medical professionals and patrons was also proceeding ‘making miracles, one smile at a time’.
