I see them sometimes, old friends and neighborhood friends. I see people from my past life whom I miss and appreciate their appearance. I also see people who I’ve spent time and shared intimate moments with but yet, now we just pass each other like strangers on the street now. I think about the different phases of my life. In each phase, I was always searching, always trying to find my way, and always looking to fit and find my place in the circle.
I see these phases like chapters in a book with a plot that keeps changing. I suppose one could call this our different phases of maturity. Then again, one could just call this life, in which case, all things do and must change.
8 Thoughts For A Young Man
- And then one day, you were free.
You were away for a while though.
Or, you were away long enough
to not have the withdrawal symptoms.
You were in the clear (So to speak)
You had an out, if you wanted one.
There was something holding you back.
It seems this is the case for a lot of people we know.
There was something that kept you from reaching out.
But there was something there.
I know there was
Or maybe this is me being me
Maybe this is just wishful thinking
But—
I watched you interact
I saw you smile, and sure, you already had your mind made up.
Personal Efficiency and Wellness In The Workplace
Each morning, my alarm clock sounds. I am usually up before this; however, I still have the alarm set because as soon as I hear the sound, I know this means it’s go time.
I am an early riser. I always have been.
I wake up early and I move into my usual routine. I keep an eye on the time because I have a schedule to keep. I have a bus to catch and people to see.
I work a lot. Then again, we all work a lot because work is unavoidable.
When Looking For Help . . .
I learned the hard way at a young age.
I learned that anyone who represents himself in a court of law has a fool for a client. I learned this while sitting on a hardwood bench and listening to jailhouse lawyers discuss cases of other detainees. I call them jailhouse lawyers; only, they never went to college. They just did a lot of time. That’s all.
About Inspiration
One thing I know is we pay into a system.
We pay for our benefits. We pay for healthcare.
We pay for car insurance. We pay for gas and oil and electricity.
Brief Thought
And ah, here it comes.
Someplace I’ve never seen before
but only heard of
or maybe dreamed about at some point . . .
San Diego California, the sunrise, the beach,
the fact that I earned this trip on my own steam
and on my own merit.
The West Coast is what happens
when I keep my plans together
and set my distractions to the side.
This Is My Why
I am a firm believer in self-assessment. This is not to say I believe in being overly critical. We beat us up enough; however, I need to understand my personal inventory if I plan to achieve my personal goals.
I started a podcast a few months back with my producer and co-host Jay. Together, Jay and I discuss life changes and recovery. We talk about our involvement with The Recovery Spot on 18th and Irving Plaza.
PSA: Sorry Folks, But This Needs To Be Said
I am writing this because this has been a topic of conversation over the last few days. This has been brought up by different people for different reasons by all circumstances still relate on one specific way.
And I’m glad for this. Not that I like the topic but I would rather someone reach out and speak out than suffer in silence and carry out their plans to say goodbye.
So, essentially, this is for you.
And you know who you are.
The Thought Machine
My morning is simple. . .
I wake up, which is always a good thing. I get myself to the kitchen to push the magic blue button on my coffee machine. Then I head back upstairs to my loft. I go through my usual morning routine. I write a little. I think a little. I plan my day, finish my coffee and then clean myself, brush my teeth, get dressed, head downstairs, put on my shoes, and then I head to the bus. I park in the same spot, unless someone beats me to it.
I cross the street to wait on a line with others who stand and wait for the same bus every day, seemingly mindless, lost in thought during the early morning sunrise, and still sleepy, but hey, bills are bills and work is work.
Seven Thoughts For Father’s Day 6/16/19
1)
I think of you now and I am young. I am a boy again, like I was on the piers in Shinecock canal in November, cold as ever, and bundled up in a big blue coat with mittens and a pull-over hat that was knitted by my Grandmother. The sky was gray and the docks were quiet. I sat there shivering from the cold but I did not complain. I watched the end of my fishing rod, (just like you told me to) and hoped a fish would swim along and take my bait.
I could have sat that way for hours and not caught a thing and the day would still be perfect. I could have lived there in fact, exactly as it was, cold and gray and quiet, shivering.
