This I Believe and Wish For You

Quote of the Day:
It's not who you are that holds you back,
It's who you think you're not...
~Anonymous

Current Local Forecast:
Streams of excitement falling in droves
from the spring/summer/winter-like weather due to
impending retreats.

Currently on my iPod:
Wishes
Serene Renegade by Rene Marie
(If you haven't heard this song...listen. NOW. I gave you the link,
no excuse. Besides, this blog is best read with this song as it's soundtrack...)

Hey guys!

I've been meaning to blog about this for a while now and this weekend prompted me to do so. At the Pikes Peak Writer's Conference on Sunday afternoon a wonderful woman, Barbara Samuel, spoke about believing. Yes, I cried. You would have too. I believe ALL of us were, even Bret Wright. She made a great point. You can't stop, especially when the worst of it is bleeding you dry, believing in who you are and what you stand for. What do you believe in? Who do you believe in? Why do you believe in these things? NPR has a WONDERFUL program titled, This I Believe. Essays about the human condition, the beliefs of people from all walks of life come together on this show and in the voices of the people who wrote them which is why it's one of my particular favorites...

What stood out about Barbara? Well, the fact that I'm usually and unusually biased AGAINST romance writers is the first thing. I was judging her before I set foot in the luncheon. I thought, great, what does a romance writer have to say? What ON EARTH could she say that would speak to me. I don't know what I was thinking she would say, maybe, this is how you write a love scene and make it steamy? How to plague readers with mediocre dialogue revolving around love that doesn't exist in real life? In reality, I haven't read a single romance book since about 1990. So, why should I judge? Why should I believe something to be true when it's probably not and I should just let it roll off of my chipped, cracked, jaded and sometimes rotten shoulders. Right? Yep. So, Cicily is not going to bitch about Romance books anymore. Next year, Chris, I'll be happy to help coach them on pitching. What the hell is wrong with me?

I'm going to just spell it out, my beliefs, so I know myself. Why not take this beautiful and genuine look from one woman and create an exercise into personal insight. I think we could all stand to do this from time to time, keep ourselves in check with what we believe and make sure we're really STANDING TALL with our beliefs and not falling down against them.


I believe in the power of positive thinking. Sometimes when you think you're going to die, you might just die mentally. It's amazing how those that are ACTUALLY dying begin to think that they're not dying and living in the total contrary of what others expect of them and they perk up. That pale skin falls away and a light begins to shine. So why should I not think positively?

I believe in the power of a woman. Women are grossly underestimated, yes, yes, they are....even today. I have seen it in every way, shape and form. I even believed it myself and about myself. I no longer believe in the lies, I believe in the truth. We are beautiful, each one of us, and if we start to believe it's not true, then it will become that way for you.

I believe in the brute force and power of friends. When was the last time I cried? uh, yeah, yesterday. Hmmm...When was the last time I cried and a good friend couldn't get me out of it or at least give me his/her shoulder to dampen that damn sobbing wreckage of a soul? Why live your life without them? Friends...the Deb Courtney's, Travis Erwin's, Chris Mandeville's, Sue Mitchell's, Jene Jackson's, Rene Marie's, Henry Hey's, Doug Wamble's, Ned Radinsky's, Gary Heidt's and Carrie Morris's of the world can save your life...and have in my case. If you don't have any then by-god go get you some. Or get back in touch with the ones you did have! Get over what's between you two and realize that they might just be the one person who is left when all is said and done.

I believe I can accomplish anything I want to. Marathons? Uh, yeah, Probably not. But I haven't REALLY tried for it. So until I have tried and miserably failed over and over and over again, I can't say that I can't do it! So for now, probable nots are better than definite nots.

I believe love really does conquer all. All fears, all loss, all pain, all excitement, all ego, all things wrong and right. Call me what you want, but this is a very powerful belief.

I believe a wish can take you to places you've never been. Holding onto that hope, that wish, that chance you take with your conscience everytime you believe a wish could come true, you've taken a chance and a step towards making that happen for yourself. Blow out your candles every single day.

I believe there is someone greater than all of us out there. He's watching out and guiding the path for me and you and everyone I know.

I believe there is a time in which all of my friends, family and strangers of which I have yet to call friend will be successful in whatever they call success. Defining success is not something that's particularly easy to do. Right now, most of us, if you take monetary means as a definition of success are failing. Or at least most of the people I know are. But true success is, at least in my mind, the fact that in two days my girlfriend Cheryl, who happens to be a brilliant writer, is going to join me in Albuquerque and we're going to pick up a bunch of folks who are generously giving their time to perpetuate careers in the arts all at my coordination. Success is also the fact that I'm sitting here with a roof, a bed, a full (too full) belly and water to drink at my side without the want for anything else.

So here's my wish for you, I wish you would write down your beliefs. Write them down so you too can read them outloud, see them in print or on the screen and then maybe, just maybe you'll start to believe them too. For just thinking that you're believing something just isn't good enough. KNOWING you're believing something is what it's all about. Comment if you like. I always want to hear what you have to say.

Yours in beliefs, brushing the world with your dreams and bar tabs that have been paid and paid for.

Cicily

PS: I'm leaving you with a poem/song lyrics/sweet loveliness of one of the women I believe in the most. The song you MUST buy, Wishes, (link up at the top of the blog) is below. Believe in yourself and let those wishes go from your mind and spirit and soul to the page. You might just start believing that those wishes are no longer intangible truths...instead are your reality.

Wishes
by: Rene Marie


Sitting in a cafe, amidst the smoke and perfume,
My coffee cups my ashtray and I'm way past my bloom.
The last lonely woman's wishes are still on my glass
and I'm just another in a long line...moving fast.

I wish you would touch me
I wish you'd leave me the hell alone.

And all how I wish this crutch didn't leave
such an imprint in my bones.

All these half-assed wishes stretched across the
stars lead to angry men in cocktail bars.

And if wishes were horses, beggars would ride,
if Wishes were lovers, I'd have a 1000 at my side
if wishes were happiness, I'd be smiling right now
and if wishes were answers....

Sometimes I wish, I was still young,
wish I could turn this spotlight
into the morning sun.

Yes, I wish I may and I wish I might,
have all these wishes I wish tonight...

If wishes were horses, beggars would ride,
if wishes were lovers, I'd have 10,000 at my side
if wishes were happiness, I'd be laughing out loud.
If wishes were answers....
I'd know the truth by now...