BELIEVE. . .

First of all . . .may I just express my thrill.

Because of a readers comments, I tried doing this through Firefox and SUCCESS!

I was able to upload a photo. 

Whew! One less thing to stress over. LOL

The statement in this piece is near and dear to my heart.

A little walk down memory lane . . .

My dad was in sales for as long as I can remember.

He was self-employed for many of his working years.

Tried his hand at a few businesses - all related to his area of specialty, which was insurance and financial planning. 

Some of the businesses failed.- some didn't.

But he was a hard worker and tenacious.

And in the end - he was successful.

He took care of his family and his wife and still does to this day.

He instilled an incredibly strong work ethic in each of his children.

We all were expected to do chores with no allowance - or payback was a warm, wonderful home to grow up in and no lack of food to eat. 

He taught us that being a member of a family was a group effort and he would pay us the day that he got paid for his chores around the house.

He kept our yard beautiful.

We had a huge garden that fed us and my summers were spent canning with my parents.

He loved and still does love my mother with all of his heart. 

He taught us, his children, to follow our dreams.

He taught us that we had the power to learn and work at anything that we were passionate and to never give up on it.

I remember, being College age. I had been a musical theatre major.

I knew it was not the smartest option for College - but it was what I was passionate about. 

One day I decided to change. I was going to go into physical therapy. 

How's that for a total directional change.

I enrolled in science and medical classes - 

I was excited - but I stopped sleeping and starting having bad dreams.

He sat me down and told me to stop trying to be someone I wasn't meant to be. 

Follow your heart, he said.

I stopped pursuing physical therapy - and then the nightmares stopped and I began to feel better.

He is my hero.

Because of the line of work he was in, he was often involved in sales conferences and seminars.

I remember several times - from about age 12 on through high school,

that he would take me to these with him.

Why?

Because the nature of his work was sales - these conferences were often geared towards methods for making more money in the industry.

But the talks were not about knocking on more doors or being a salesman . . .

They were about using the power of positive thought to accomplish great things.

The power of positive thinking.

He told me he wanted me to be able to do whatever I wanted - and that understanding this concept was a key element to that.

Growing up - 

there have been many different approaches to this concept - 

but in the end, and in it's simplest form - 

it all comes down to this:

We are what we believe we are.

Think you are happy? . . .then you are.

Think you are miserable? . . .then you are.

Think you are strong and courageous? . . .then you are.

Think you are fabulous? . . .then you are.

I learned this concept at a very young age.

But I didn't begin really applying it until adulthood.

OK - moment of truth - 

I still struggle with this concept.

I struggle with it each and every day.

My own self-defeating gremlins and demons get in the way sometime.

But regardless of the struggle . . .I also know that it is true.

Believe what you are and what you want to do in this life.

Believe in the possibility.

Believe in the power of yourself.

This next week, my father is going in for a major surgery. 

He is 81.

I know that he will be ok - in fact, he will emerge better than he is.

But my heart is still hurting for him and my mom and, quite frankly, for myself.

And in his honor - I am going to believe that he will be more than fine - he will be amazing!

Thanks, Daddy. I love you and I appreciate the lessons that you shared with me.