NOT STOPPING YOU TO ASPIRE FOR GREATER THINGS

DID you read my two last posts?

I hope you did. Because this post follows on from the last two.

That should help you settle down and work hard to carve out a path for yourself, without always falling back on your people.

That is not to say, you should not get support from your people. It is more like: You should try to be the best in what you do.

(Some of our relatives will not see far down the road as we can and therefore may not support us very well to get us there. We will have to do it ourselves – or with the help of others, who can see what we see.)

I am always for helping people moving up, aspiring for something more than being satisfied with where you are.

When we long for, dream of, aspire for something, we come out of ourselves and draw out abilities, potentials, view points, etc which up until then were more-or-less latent (hidden).

As an extreme example, let me give you an example of someone who longed to be the best and became the best.

 I read a book by one of the best teachers in motivating others. He told the story about a tennis player once who was an awkward looking and talking fellow.

When the player was asked who he was he said: “I am the world’s number one tennis player!”

The one who asked looked surprised, not knowing the fellow.

The tennis player then added: “Oh, but nobody knows it yet.”

That was John McEnroe, the legendary tennis player.

He believed that he was going to become number one when nobody was talking about it.

Again, do not let anybody stop you from aspiring. Be careful how you talk. (At other times, don’t talk at all – just put your head down and work.)

Many would not understand you. Just a word of caution.   

May you all have a nice week.

WHO MUCH DOES YOUR FATHER EARN?

HOW much does your father earn?

As for me, my answer is: “I do not know.”

And that does not matter to me.

For his almost fifty years of working (up until today), I did not know how much he earns.

It was never a topic of discussion.

I had this mentality.

His pay is his pay. I have to worry about mine – that is all that matters.

I read Lee Iacocca’s story years ago. Iacocca is the former vice president of Ford Motor Company and president of Chrysler. The two are among several big-time car-manufacturing firms in the US.

There was a case where Iacocca’s chauffeur brought him home to change before taking him to another meeting.

While the driver was chatting with the two young daughters of the boss, he asked them if they knew what their father’s job was.

The younger of the two said: “I think he is a salesman of one of the second-hand car yards down the road.”

The chauffeur was surprised.

But isn’t that good?

Why should the daughters be bothered about what kind of work their father had?

Some would think, if they know, it might spoil their life growing up as ordinary American girls.

I also agree. It would help the child grow up not being “separated” from their peers.

They’ve got to live and learn like the rest … and work for their living later in life.       

THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A STUDENT AND A TEACHER/WORKER

WHEN you are conversing with, or listening to someone else speak (or read what one writes), be careful to note who is a student and who is a teacher/worker – or who is communicating as a parent.  

That I think is important if you are trying to learn.

Some things may not be meant for your ears.

It is good to learn as much as you can from people - as young as you are, or those who are older than you.

But make the difference between/among different groups.

Some are already earning their money and therefore when they talk, it would be as if everything is okay for them.

But then there are others, who are students, or still hunting for that dream job/career.

Often, when we are in a certain group and we try to talk like, act like we are already there.

And that is going to be a problem when there are ten more steps to take, and we are trying to take shortcuts.

Shortcuts are good, but they may not teach you essential lessons in life. Many people are also taking illegal shortcuts. (Do not join such groups.)

I was doing practice teaching years ago when I heard a student talking about the pay packet of his subject master receives each fortnight – as if it was common knowledge.

I was shocked.

The only person’s packet I knew was mine – and I could not remember what I saw on the pay slips of others, even if I saw something. Because, really, it did not matter.

More coming up later.       

POEM: ONCE SHE WAS HERE

ONCE SHE WAS HERE

Once all was just right

All was nice and quiet

Because she was there

The days, nights were fair

But she’s gone yonder

And we’re down under -

Anxiety and stress;

Hope and love now less

That’s the thing mum has

(A girl too, the lass)

But you can’t keep her

She’s got to go there

Remember her ways

And make your days -

Count, as best as you can

And stand like a man!

NOTE: For the men out there to remember the mum/sist/woman who made the difference. – TH, May 23, 2013 

(Posted first in Pacific Indigenous Writers in Facebook)

THE BABE VIOLINIST HAS INSPIRED THE OLD

I THINK you remember me talking about my plan to purchase a violin. Well, the plan is now urgent.

Why? Just yesterday, while searching for some stuff to write some reading exercises for children, I came across the performance of a three-year-old on the violin (on YouTube). 

 Photo: Akim Camara in concert at three. ( - From andrerieufans.com)

The picture of the boy I saw was of a baby-faced kid dressed all nice in a Tuxedo and nice shoes, standing in front of a full orchestra and an audience of 18,000.

The boy is Akim Camara and he is a prodigy. He got his first violin and took lessons when he was two.

The teacher taught him two days in a week, for 45 minutes each.

Akim was born in Berlin in 2000.

His father is African and he has a European mother.

He has been coached by Dutch violinist/conductor Andre Rieu.

Rieu has also paid for the boy’s violin and piano lessons.

Akim has played in other parts in the world and performed with other top musicians. He is now 12.

By going over Akim’s life, I remembered something I learned while teaching.

In teaching, it is not only that the students learn from the teacher, the teacher can learn from his/her students as well.

Furthermore, the old can be inspired to learn new skills from the young and, in certain cases, the very young.

I feel that Akim has indeed inspired me. Only time will show how deep that inspiration will go.

Cheers.

Have a nice weekend.