Journey

I've heard and read some fairly awesome stories lately about "Triumph over seemingly "Insurmountable Odds" [tm], by people who had no fame or influence. One became the author of the best-seller "Dances With Wolves" which also propelled the careers of several others. The author's story was as compelling as the movie.

He was homeless for a year and unemployed, then got a job washing dishes while shopping the book around. The book was repeatedly rejected, and when a publisher was finally found, the book was marketed as a romance novel; a vision the author did not share. The back story of trying to make the movie could be a movie itself.

The other story was of a shoemaker who had a shop in the ground floor at 1 World Trade Center on 9/11. He came back from the loss of his business and being 400K in debt, in part by temporarily taking on a dishwashing job. Got to love that dishwashing.

In October I saw a documentary called "Sing Your Song" which coincided with the publication of Harry Belafonte's autobiography "My Song". Of the many powerful statements in that documentary, his closing comment of envisioning a life of luxury and ease after his many hardworking years that changed because "there is too much that has to be done" struck particularly close. Not because I had a similar vision, but because of the same conclusion.

There is much to cope with in life, not the least or easiest is the realization that the simplistic reasoning of hard work alone may not accomplish our goals. Or that the path to success is not necessarily a linear one.

I am now also a tutor for the Bell Foundation. In a sense it aligns with my plans. I will give my message of entrepreneurship to the youth.

Perhaps they will listen.

1 Comment

  1. Sharleen LovingoodMay 10, 2013

    Blog project is fine, and you have cracking posts as well. I hope the website can be useful for you too.

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