The Sunday Morning Church of ATTENTION

Ketchup. The condiment, called by radio personality Garrison (formerly Gary) Keller) a mellowing agent. I like metaphors and ketchup is my new  metaphor for reconnecting.

On Sep 1, I went on the road with Practical Resources, the real estate training specialist. Our objective to educate Realtorsâ so they could attain REO properties as listing agents. We provide the knowledge in the seminar and with Back Of Room material. I act as emcee,  warming  up the audience. And learned a valuable lesson in delivering a humorous story, the Meaningful Pause that lasts long enough to allow everyone to laugh, catches the lingering laughers and even an extra wave of laughter. It was a new to me type of attention.

Friday the 11^th I raced from Fresno to Dublin where I met my wife, switched cars, suitcases and identities continued the race to the airport and flew to Portland Oregon with the intent of vaulting my son’s new ranch style home. Carpenter tools, old clothes I was Grandpa Gary, carpenter-engineer. We cut away trusses, added rafters and transform a flat 8’ ceiling and into a 14’ vault. I worked with my son, and best friend and in 50 hours complete a 36’ x 36’ living dining, and kitchens.  I left 10 pounds there and don’t want them to send them back.

Upon returning I found a story about Itzak Perlman the great violinist who had polio. It was a struggle to come to sit on stage, then remove the braces. This time he  began to play and one of the four strings broke. The conductor stopped the piece; Perlman examined the string, placed the violin back under his chin, nodded to the conductor and began to play. And play he did, more magnificent than usual. Upon finishing the concert, and the applause died done he said to the audience -“Sometimes you must find out how much you can make with what you have left.” In the vaulting the ceiling I saw and felt how much I have left as Grandpa Gary, carpenter, and it was a lot.

What do you have left?  What have you done, or could do, that would make a difference in your life and those around you?                       

Namaste Gary