Heroes Among Us

Abundance Tip: How To Get Rid of Envy

2012-02-08T05:09:00.000-08:00

Is there any envy hidden in your money closet?
Are there place where you just feel someone else doesn't deserve
the prosperity you see them enjoying?
Do you feel smarter than many of the people you know who are wealthy?
Do you feel you are a very good person who works to help make the world
better, yet other people seem to receive more abundance than you?
If any of the above statements ring true,
it's time for you to wake up financially.

You see, there is actually a very short answer to all of the above statements.
What is it?
This simple truth:
Your abundance has absolutely NOTHING to do with anyone else.
It is between you and your Creator alone.
No one but you can put prosperity thoughts in your mind.
No one but you can put poverty thoughts in your mind.
No one but you can take those thoughts out.

Other people who have created abundance in their life are to be commended,
not envied, despised or ridiculed -
unless you choose to stay away from True Abundance.
I'm assuming that's not why YOU'RE here.
You're here because you want to live a full, rich, prosperous life.
You're here because you want to experience the grandest adventure you can while on this blue abundant planet.
You want to make the world a better and wealthier place for everyone.
You are here because you are part of the answer.
You are one of the ones destined for True Abundance.
Because you came here with the intent to be of grand service.

Beneath any envy of someone else's wealth lies one of several reasons:

Self-Worth issues:
You feel "I'm not as good (smart, talented, you name it) as they are"
Answer. YES YOU ARE!

Self-Respect Issues:
You think others must be lucky or destined for success.
Answer. Yes, they are. But...so are you.

Self-Empowerment Issues:
You don't know what to do to create Abundance so you are jealous of what others have.
Answer. You have Abundant power within. Every bit as much as the wealthiest person in the world.

When you can look at the Abundance of others and realize, they created it,
and you can too...
an amazing calmness comes over you.
There can be no jealousy when you feel equally as worthy of wealth as anyone else.
There is no longer any competition.
You realize that creating wealth is not a competitive event.
It is a choice.
And with your own choice, come a deep contentment.
Now when you see the abundance of others, there will be a knowing smile on your face.
The pain of envy will be removed by the joy of knowing the truth about prosperity.

Your Abundance Affirmation:
"I am content with the abundance of others."

"5 Cheering Strategies to Help You Through the Holidays!"

2011-11-29T09:37:00.000-08:00

Here are "5 Great Cheering Strategies to Help You Through the Holidays." These strategies are all adapted from the book by Terri Marie, "Your Inner Cheerleader.".

In a nutshell, the short Christmas Rush version is:

1. Start the Season with a Big Kick-Off.
Do you really celebrate the start of the winter holiday season with a noteworthy and memorable event of any kind? Or do you just slide into it? Sliding into a holiday can be a disaster. You'll feel better if you give yourself a distinct starting point - a Christmas Game Kick off - in fact that's a great idea. Have some sort of ceremony or little ritual that sets the season in motion. Put the intent out there for what you want to experience. See that result. Whether you do this through sitting quietly with music and a candle or have a bunch of friends over to sing and dance (kind of what like the Native Americans do) - celebrate the start of Christmas. It will make the end and the whole journey there so much more precious.

2. "Negative Christmas Cheers" work just as well as positive ones but Christmas Cheerleaders don't use them.
Don't tell yourself or especially others (and spread the fear) how stressed you are, overwhelmed, frustrated, annoyed or worried about the holidays. (I am equally guilty of this my friends. Why do you think I wrote this book?) Negative thoughts are certainly going to pop up during Christmas but burst those negative cheers with an onslaught of Christmas cheer. Cheers like "Isn't it wonderful we have Christmas to celebrate?" Isn't this a beautiful time of the year?" "Look at how excited children are. How can I be more like that and spread joy?" There are a million wonderful Christmas cheer thoughts floating around. Turn your receiver on to hear them.

3. Build lots of positive energy. Here are two ideas to build more positive Christmas energy. One of the ways is the extreme mood changer of music. Of all music, I believe Christmas Music is generally the most positive, uplifting, cheery and poignant of all music. I love the Nutcracker Suite and so many other great pieces of Christmas heart touching music.

Another idea to build more positive energy is Giving. Where can you give this Christmas? Nothing with fill your heart faster than true heartfelt giving. Not obigational giving, but heart-urged giving. That is a secret of the meaning of all life.

4. Remember it's Just a Game. Remember it's Just a Holiday. Put it in perspective. All moments are equally valuable in life. In a month this will all be over. And then that new, fresh, never-lived-before moment should be special.

5. After the Game - Celebrate! When Christmas is done and over, have a celebration too. Do you really celebrate all your preparation, game time and the big plays you made during the holiday games? Try it. Raise the cheer again. Look back on the season. Mark the high points, the struggles. Laugh about them. Toast the entire Game of Christmas. You are part of all the love. Never forget that!

And so in the spirit of the holiday...
Hip Hip Hooray Christmas!
Hip Hip Hooray all other Winter holidays!
Hip Hip Hooray You!
Hip Hip Hooray Everyone!
And not least of all... Hip Hip Hooray God!

WOULD YOU LIKE TO USE THIS ARTICLE ON YOUR WEBSITE OR IN YOUR EZINE?
You have permission if you include the entire article (no edits) leave the links active and
include the following byline:
Br ought to you by Terri Marie
CEO White Wing Entertainment,
www.yourinnercheerleader.com
Award-Winning Producer and Author

Strategy Session For Manifesting the "Big Vision" for your Life and Business

2011-10-08T09:08:00.000-07:00

Are You Ready to Awaken Your Special Gift?
Do you want to save years of trial and error?
Is it your time to shine bright with a clear and focused vision?
Once your vision gets really clear, doors to your special gift will open.

Do You Feel A Calling to Your Big Dream?
Whether it's getting you ready for a new book launch,
or be a star in your next radio interview,
or help determine your gift in this life,
you will finally discover what it takes to be successful in your quest.
You will inspire other people to want to work with you.
Make your Big Dream a reality with a session today!

In your 1 hr. session I will use the strategies I have used
to get meetings with famous directors, Olympic champions
and big studios executives.
You will get the strategies that have helped my clients
attract over 6 figures for their businesses.
These potent strategies also helped me produce over 30 documentaries.

Just as I make and design a film to be a visually stunning creation
that causes a change in the viewer in 90 minutes or less,
a strategizing session will empower you to set the intent
of your new venture. so your idea can go out into the
world manifesting the result you set up.

On this call, we will create the plan, the vision, the motivation,
and most importantly the action steps so you can
step across the line into your unique destiny.

Imagine how good you'll feel when you clearly see the
beliefs that have held you back. Some of these beliefs are
old and comfortable, others are uneasy and challenging,
while still other beliefs are those other people have "given" you.

What you need to understand is that all these beliefs are
something YOU control.
When you receive and use easy to implement strategies
that work specifically for you, you'll start to get the results
you've been searching for.
You can finally stop searching and really start enjoying your Big Dream.
It's time to do this!

We'll dig for the treasure in your life together.
And of course I can give you plenty of time-tested suggestions
to create a knockout winning film or video to go with your vision.
I will help guide you to discover your winning beliefs.

On this call together, we will create an enormous focus with
a clear productive plan for your success.

I encourage you to master your dream and live the life you desire
with every second filled with your true purpose. Let's get you on
track and create the right plan to help you unlock the
special power that YOU have within.
My dream is to help you get over that line of success and
reach your dreams as soon as possible.

When you are ready to get started,
email whitewingv@yahoo.com for details.

I would be thrilled to help you break through!
******************************************
Love and blessings,

Terri Marie

DEAL WITH IT

2011-10-08T08:56:00.000-07:00

Some people sweep things under the rug when things get difficult
or they don't want to deal with something unpleasant.
They think no one will notice,
but it is really hard not to trip over a bumpy rug.

Instead of trying to make a deal with what makes you uncomfortable -
just deal with it. Problems swept under the rug tend to multiply.
It seems as though time expands problems the longer those problems are avoided.

I heard a story long ago that if you need to learn something,
or a lesson in life, first life sends you a gentle whisper, a hint.
Next life send you a brick.
Then, if you still don't get it... life send you a Mack truck,

Unfortunately to say, I've had the Mack Truck.
It's not pretty but I won't do that again.
I've learned to listen to the hints and suggestions of
the universe before I get clobbered.

I've also learned that the quicker you handle things,
the quicker they are over. Gone. Ka put.

So my best advice when things get really uncomfortable
is to deal with them now.

Here are 3 Suggestions for When You Want
to Sweep Something Under the Rug:

1. Ask "What am I avoiding?"
If you want something to go away, you are avoiding something
that you think might be painful. Just being aware of that pain
can bring relief. Just "seeing" it is no longer avoiding it.

2. Ask if this type of scenario has happened before?
What would it take to keep it from happening again?
A different decision?
A different action?
A different choice.?
A different response?
Note the word "different" has to be there to be effective.

3. Be brutally honest. Ask "What am I afraid to say, or do?"
Answer this question and you most likely will have your answer.

Having no messes "under the rugs" is a great way
to free up energy in your life.
You'll be much better able to reach your goals.
No more tripping up your life.
You'll walk on a much smoother path to success.

Get rid of the broom.
Let life itself sweep you off your feet!

Terri Marie

Hidden Treasures

2011-09-06T11:40:00.000-07:00

The world continues to astonish me.
Having traveled around the beautiful Southwest
and Coast of California in between a
huge series of business meetings,
I found myself awed, astonished and refreshed.

This beautiful photo was taken along Hwy. 101
in the fog. If my battery hadn't been used up
by all the other great shots I was taking
I would have shared a video with you.

What intrigues me is most people drive
right by this place!

Is there something in your life that you
are "Driving right by?" Our greatest treasures
are usually right under our noses.

And that is often the last place we look.

There are 3 ways to find a hidden treasure in your life.

1. You Have to Be Open to Knowing What You Love.

If you really look within, you KNOW what turns you on.

You KNOW what gives you a high on life

You KNOW what makes you special because of
how you appreciate this trait in yourself.

2. Ask for Directions.

I had to ask a forest ranger about the above site
along the road. That's why I have that beautiful
shot above of the waterfall. But to see a hidden
treasure inside you, you may have to ask yourself
what it is.

You may have to ask God, or a friend,
but ask. Ask what your gift is.
Ask what hidden treasures you are meant to see and
bring to life. When you go to a restaurant you ask
for food. When you go to the doctor you ask for treatment.
When you go for your dreams, ask the person,
or Source at the highest level you can.

3. Pay Attention.

When you ask, an answer is always given.
Sometimes it appears hidden in clues.
Sometimes it is clear directions on what to do.
But whatever it is, pay attention after you have asked,
because the answer is right there.
Staring you in the face.
And that my friend is your hidden treasure.

When you find a hidden treasure in your own life,
you too will be awed.
You will be astonished and grateful.
And that hidden treasure will refresh you beyond compare.

May you take at least one of the steps this week
and allow yourself to see that beautiful hidden
treasure inside. And then please share it.
We love to see the treasure within others.

Your friend,

Terri Marie

The Waiting Game is Over

2011-07-15T08:40:00.000-07:00

My mother is blind.
She told me the hardest thing about being blind is having to wait.
She has to wait for someone to read something to her.
She has to wait for people to take her places.
She can't just drive to the store anymore whenever she wants to go.

My mom can see just a teeny bit out of the corner of her eye
with a magnifying glass. But then my mom's magnifying glass broke.
It's not only the loss of vision then that becomes a problem.
Thinking of something that needs to be done, and being able to
immediately do something about it, is not an option for her.
My mom has to wait.

When my dad looked at my mother's magnifying glass,
he discovered it needed batteries. Now my mom had to
wait again for my dad to go to the store because of course,
my mom can't drive anymore.

Well, I take that back.
She can still drive.
She just can't see where she's going.

Look at all the lessons my mother is learning.
There are so many gifts she is building in herself.
My mother isn't very pleased with learning these
particular lessons, but I think her soul is very pleased with her.

She is learning:

Patience.

Respecting other people's time

Interdependence. (This is from a very independent woman
who packed five kids in a car and took them cross-country and back by herself.)

Faith. My mother is learning that each situation will eventually resolve itself

Resourcefulness. My mom has to do something else in the meantime.

I told mom that this goes on all the time in business.
For instance, I told her that I'll make a phone call.
Then I'll often have to wait for someone to return it.
Perhaps I need a product or a part or a service.
Now I have to wait until someone can deliver it.
If I need to do an interview and can't get it done
on my schedule, I end up waiting until it does work out.

Life isn't totally a Burger King, have-it-your-way Day.
The ride of life is sometimes smooth. But sometimes life
appears to be on a siesta break. Don't worry about it.
JUST WAIT A MINUTE

Waiting in the line of life can be fun.
You get to do other things than what you planned.
Maybe those things are even better than what you had planned.
Maybe life is telling you that you are working too hard.
Do something else. Your turn will come again.
Things usually come even quicker that way.

I have found that when you get a "waiting" signal there
is a great gift, "waiting" for you, just like when you had to
wait for your Christmas gifts on Christmas morning.
Once you get the message of the "wait", life usually picks up and flows again.

Let me give you an example.
Things are going along fine in life.
Then life stops. No matter what you do, or try,
life doesn't seem to want to go in that direction.
It appears to be stalled.

You've Got 2 Choices

1. Life doesn't WANT you to go in that direction. Of course you could try anyway.
I, however, having tried doing that - fighting life's natural direction and guidance -
found it does not work very well. I would NOT recommend it.

2. You wait until life gets all the things it's working on in place.
Then you can go ahead and get green lights all the way.

The trouble with waiting is that you don't know how long you'll have to wait.
When you first start waiting, the waiting doesn't appear to have an end.
But I guess if waiting had a time limit, it wouldn't be waiting;
it would be a schedule. If you knew someone was going to call
you back on Thursday at 3:00PM, you'd go about life and
not worry about it. I'd say, knowing that it's all being orchestrated,
just go about life anyway.

Don't wait. Live full now.
When the time is right, the "awaited" thing arrives as it should.

TO WAIT TO WAIT
IT SEEMS TO BE LATE
I'D RATHER HAVE IT NOW!

BUT GOD'S PLANNED TIME
IS RIGHT ON THE DIME
IT'S DELIVERED WITH A WOW!

Terri Marie

"It's All About Men"

2011-06-11T09:37:00.000-07:00

No, I'm not talking about all the publicity with "Two and a Half Men"
but the millions of men we should be thanking this month.

I'd say June is Men's Month. Fathers everywhere finally get a
chance to be thanked and celebrated. It's high time.

Men's role as provider is often being changed to protector, encourager
and partner as we move forth in recreating the social world.
But one thing I've found out about men -
They LOVE to be appreciated.
There seems to be a huge lack of appreciation vibes
going around to all the guys in this world.

I say it's time to get that started again.
Thank the men in your life.
Care about them.
Appreciate them.
Then watch them glow like that knight in shining armor
I just happened to find above.

Here are Some Ways to Show Appreciation to the Men You Care About.
1. Watch a movie they like.
2. Compliment them on something you admire about them.
3. Whenever they do something nice - be sure to tell them. THANK them.
4. Smile at them.
5. Hug them.
6. Calm down around them. They pick up your energy more than you think.
7. Let them go off and have some guy fun without complaining.
8. Remind them of some fun times you had with them.
They love to reminisce more than you think.

And of course there are a few other ways too. :)

Need to send someone a Father's Day Card?
This will perk up the day for all the special men in your life.
Father's Day Movie Card
*Fre-e to send to all the dads you love and cherish.
http://youtu.be/cYDzY70Iu1A

The Hero and the Cheerleader

2011-03-18T13:36:00.000-07:00

How to Create a Winning Combination
in Your Game
Part 1.

Which came first the hero or the cheerleader? I talk about both the hero and the cheerleader in my book Be the Hero of Your Own Game.

Unlike the chicken and the egg, I believe the cheerleader comes first, And I will tell you why. This game of life is getting VERY intense right now. And it will become even more so - like the game musical chairs where it becomes faster and faster and it's harder to get a seat.

As the game speeds up, a cheerleader will help keep you focused, keep reminding the subconscious that you are there to win the game and exactly what steps to do to win it with each cheer that is cheered. The hero takes the action.

The MA Formula

You need both Motivation and Action to succeed.
M+A=Success.
MA creates massive success.
If MA ain't happy nobody wins!

I think an even better description of Hero is the word itself.
Hero is both "He" and "Her".
It is a marriage of the male and the female.
Heroes need to be a bit bigger than life to win.
And every one of you is much bigger than the game of life.

Traits of Heroes

*Heroes know the value of time

*Heroes keep going

*Heroes surround themselves with players better than they are

*Heroes step up to the plate

Traits of Cheerleaders

*They have lots of positive energy

*They promote their teams

*They do only one cheer at a time

*They Motivate and encourage others

*Take risks

*They wow the crowd

When you give strong positive message in an upbeat manner the way a cheerleader does your subconscious mind which spurs the hero to action will find a way to bring the ball of opportunity to you.
YOU WILL WIN MORE.

Terri Marie

Stein Eriksen, The Legend

2011-02-19T09:53:00.000-08:00

Reagan Song Re-Surfaces After 7 Years

2011-02-09T08:40:00.000-08:00

Here is a link to a story I did about the Song I wrote for Former President Ronald Reagan a few days after he died.
I performed the song at the Richard Nixon Library at their tribute to Reagan that Sunday, June 13th.

The song is especially about the bond Reagan shared with his wife Nancy.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/7701844/reagan_song_resurfaces_after_7_years.html

Reagan's Ride....

Irvin Kershner: Tribute to a Legendary Director

2011-01-29T15:28:00.000-08:00

"Do, or do not.
There is no 'try."
-- Yoda
Directed by Irvin Kershner

My last meeting with friend and mentor, Irvin Kershner

There are few people who can come into this world and affect as many people as much as this dear man did. Kershner was the Director of 'Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back" and many other films. He got his start like I did, doing lots of documentaries.

In one of my speeches I remember telling about my first meeting with Kersh. I told the audience, "He walked into the room like he owned the air."You could "feel" him. Kersh was a tall man with a giant presence, but also full of curiosity and a deep desire to live life his way.

The first time I went to his home in Hollywood, I was an hour late because of traffic. This horrified me because I hate to be late. My phone calls to Kersh telling him I was on the way but stuck in traffic were met by a sweet man who told me not to worry. Take my time and be safe. (I'm sure he had a million things to do rather than wait for me). It was all the more frustrating to me because Kersh himself was making me lunch. Yikes.

But it was this first real "meeting" that set the tone for one of my most treasures friendships. I went to his home to get his help with producing and directing. I knew he was the one I wanted to teach me. Kersh had a way with emotions and actors that few had.
(I think Yoda must have chosen Kersh to direct him.)

At Kersh's tribute "party" (He did not want a funeral. He liked a good party) Frank Oz was telling about Kersh's directing Yoda. Frank Oz was the Voice of Yoda. Kersh got so involved with Yoda that he was yelling the directions to Yoda rather than giving them to Frank who was under the platform where Frank couldn't hear Kersh. But Kersh was so immersed in the performance that he had "brought Yoda to life."

That was Kersh's great ability to dive into moments and come out with treasures. I was sitting in a restaurant with Kersh the last time he came to see me in San Clemente. We got talking about deep things (he loved to discuss the bigger aspects of life) and all of a sudden he yelled out, "That's not the secret of life. The purpose of life is..." You would think there would be a hush quieter than ever before. All the people in Tratatoria's that evening were treated to the best wisdom of an uncommon man.
Few I think even noticed.

Many more actors, directors and producers spoke that evening, expanding the stories of a man we all loved.

There is so much more I could tell you about Kersh. He loved my poetry and music. It's one of the things that started our friendship. Little things like that, creating a bond that I know will last far beyond this world are the gifts of our true friends.

We have still incredible genuises like Kersh here with us today. If you are ever lucky enough to get to know one of them, cherish each moment.

Kersh, you were the star. Keep shining!

I miss you!

Terri Marie

The Gift of the Magi

2010-12-13T10:19:00.000-08:00

(or...Do Gifts Need to be Sacrifices?)

The Gift of the Magi is the bittersweet story of a young man whose greatest treasure was his pocket watch given to him by his grandfather and a his wife whose greatest treasure was her beautiful long hair. The story shows their all-encompassing love for each other,

In order to give gifts to each other at Christmas and sorely lacking any funds to do so, the man gave his wife a beautiful comb for her lovely hair by selling his prized pocket watch. She gave her husband a chain for his pocket watch by cutting her hair and selling it.

The story tells of their great love for each other. So much so that they would sacrifice their most treasured possessions to enhance the most prized possession of each other. Unwittingly neither can use the physical gift.

(All right her hair could grow back eventually).

But what is the moral? You have to give away the most treasured thing you have for love?

Maybe sometimes. In the right spirit, you see the gift of love as the most important thing of all. Each spouse lost something valuable in order to show love. While this was a beautiful tale of love, the story also involves sacrifice. The sacrifice was of a material nature, not a soul nature. I don't believe you have to give away the best part of yourself to have great love. Nothing in either of the couple's spirit was diminished by their gift, only enhanced. I think that is the point of the writer.

I gave up my last vestige of my former life when I sold my last home. I felt like God had taken everything from me - health, my marriage, money, my work. All I had left was my house. Now I was being asked to give that up too. It was a nice house. Although it wasn't a house I LOVED, it was mine. So I didn't exactly give up something like the true love couple did in the Magi story.

There was enormous struggle and challenge with my decision to move, mostly of my own making, but everything that God "took away" was brought back even more glorious. The morning glories that I loved outside my kitchen window were replaced by a whole hillside of them. It brought tears to my eyes the first time I saw them. My broken-down gazebo was replaced by a solid beautiful Tuscan style one with an ocean view. Everything was so much better when I let go of the old energy.

New energy is here.

It is waiting to gift itself to you.

Accept and open yourself to this glorious present.
And the Gift of the Magi, the most beautiful treasure you can imagine, will be yours.

Blessings to you this Christmas season,

Terri Marie

Facebook is a Garden

2010-08-24T11:23:00.000-07:00

It's Time to Bloom!

With 500 million users now on Facebook, you probably are too. Facebook's phenomenal rise shows us how hungry we are for connections. When I started tracking Facebook's rise in The White Wing Report two years ago, Facebook was barely beating Myspace at around 200 million users. Last year Facebook had almost 300 million users. Now Facebook has left Myspace in the dust as far as numbers go, (although Myspace is still great for user like musicians.)

What I see is that Facebook is like a garden, a place where people can bloom. We can see acres of individuals all posting on the things most important to them. We can connect with people we wouldn't otherwise meet and appreciate the beauty of each other. We can learn about things we wouldn't otherwise know about and grow faster. We can start groups and bloom together. It's all exciting and makes for a very colorful garden.

Like any garden though, it will need tending to bear good fruit. You can't water one day, then neglect the garden for weeks. The beautiful seeds you planted will die. If you post a great thought then go away, people move on to admire other flowers. And once the plant starts sprouting up, you need to protect it from weeds and bugs. That just means being diligent. Sometimes people post some inappropriate things on my page. All I have to do is pull them out, but I need to do this quickly before they choke out the new growth. And I'm always careful to not open messages with a YOU GOTTA SEE THIS! or even a risque sort of headline. It's usually spam.

All in all, I love walking around the garden that Facebook has created around the world. Friends from everywhere can congregate anytime and share their thoughts, feelings, photos and inspiration with me. And I am the richer.

Here are Three Powerful Lessons from Facebook.

1. You have the Power to Influence Millions. Wouldn't it be wonderful to have an idea as powerful and far-reaching as Facebook? You do. Whenever you use the power of Love, you lift up your life. But what you might not realize is that every bit of love you add to the planet, helps all of us. The more love you create, the better life is for EVERYBODY. I'd say that is immeasurably more powerful than even Facebook.

2. What You Say Gets Around. That's a pretty good reason to spread the things you want people to remember about you or assocIate with you. Things you post on Facebook are there in digital space "forever." And people will notice both a good post and a mean or negative one. So when my great-great-grandchildren look up things about my life, I want to have them find something that shows some good character and will be helpful to them, not embarassing.

3. People are Hungry for the Real You. People join Facebook to look for those people or groups that can add to their lives. Some people want to add more friends. Some want to talk about hobbies. Some want to spread the word about their passions. All these are great reasons to get on the Facebook bandwagon. But what really connects people to you and your message is when you share who you are. Your real friends like you for that very reason. They get to see the real you. The real you shines and blooms. It's something we all want to look at. You can only bloom into the fruit that you are.

When you plant the seed of who you are and nurture it, that beautiful seed has no choice but to bloom. Look at life around you as a lesson from Facebook. Bloom magnificently my friend!

And I would love to have you join me in the garden. If you'd like some hero tips. I post them on my like page daily. Just hit the Like Button under my photo at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Terri-Marie/172305228839

I also post them weekly on my website http://www.heroenergy.com

Spread your blossoms dear one. We need you!

Terri Marie

Unfurl Your Sails

2010-07-25T18:47:00.000-07:00

Anchors away is a good thing when you want to move!

Spending a lot of time in the desert these days makes my
soul and body long for the ocean. Days of drifting on open seas
with cool winds to push me along and heal a parched spirit.

Since I love dolphins, whales and most sea creatures,
I find the blue depths of ocean waters most alluring don't you?
When it seems as though your wings have dried up, or curled
themselves tight around a self that is shrinking not growing,
Unfurl your sails.

Those sails of your soul are waiting, ready to rush forward exuberantly
into the seas of life when you let them go.
Your soul can sail as fast as light when you trust it to lead the way.

Ask your soul these 3 unfurling questions:

1. Where do I need to let go?
What activity, thing or person am I letting myself keep me
from opening the sails and letting go?

2. What is calling me?
Where do you feel the winds blowing in your life?
There is a direction they are coming from.
Notice your soul winds and start to open the sails.
If you are going in the right direction, things in your life will start to fly.

3. Can I put myself in the right environment?
It's much easier to sail when you are on a sea.
It is much easier to ski when you are on a mountain.
It is much easier to meet people when you are at a
seminar or convention.

When your soul is calling you
to unfurl itself, take your boat to the place where you can
let it ride the best waves.
Then unfurl those beautiful sails of yours.

Sail away, sail away, sail away!

Terri Marie

Complimentary Teleconference for HealthCoach Business

2010-07-21T17:41:00.000-07:00

Hope you are having a fabulous late July day. Following is some
information on an incredible opportunity that I am sure could
really help some of you career wise and financially.

************************************

I am pleased to inform you that I have arranged for
you to attend a special complimentary HealthCoach Business
teleconference offered by Hilton Johnson Productions.

The event will take place on:

Wednesday, July 28th at 2:00 pm ET (New York Time)

http://www.globalteleclass.com/specialhc189k

In this 90-minute call, they will demonstrate (with a volunteer)
one of their company's health coaching models to show you how easily
health coaching gets results. You will also see, on your computer screen, a
unique web-based platform that allows health coaches to manage and
professionally coach hundreds of clients at the same time.

HealthCoaching is the fastest growing niche market of all coaching and
presents multiple opportunities for contributing to some of the proposed
improvements being discussed today in health care reform. Coaches are
also paid very well. They earn an average of over $190 per hour coaching
individual clients and some coaches who are conducting group
coaching sessions are earning far more than that.

During this call, they will explain how you might meet the requirements
for being trained and certified as a HealthCoach and start earning coaching
fees in as little as 90-days.

If you would like to attend this timely and important event, you will need to
be on your telephone and your computer at the same time as this is a
teleconference and webinar presentation.

To register for this teleconference/webinar event, click on the link below
or copy and paste the link into your browser. Be sure and complete the
entire process so you can receive the e-mail conformation and instructions for
calling in to the call and connecting to the webinar portion of the call.

http://www.globalteleclass.com/specialhc189k

To your health and success,

Terri Marie

Retreating Yourself

2010-07-08T18:10:00.000-07:00

Once in awhile it is a good thing to
just drop everything, yes everything, and get away.
If you're like me, you probably work too
long and don't take nearly enough vacations.

That's why once a year I like to get away to
Sedona Mago Gardens, called "The Hometown for the Soul."
This place allows me to reminisce about who I am and
take time to reacquaint myself with the higher part of my being.

My soul rewards me with insight clarity and direction.

I admit it was hard to leave without a computer and
pack only a few things and a journal. But without
all the earth weight, my soul comes to life.
A new lightness lifts me out of a world of what
can become just heavy routines without it.

Do you find time for serenading your precious soul?
Don't let your soul take a backseat in your life journey.
You sweet soul can help you with every area of your life
if you keep the connection strong.

For a healthy soul I recommend the following mini retreats.

1. Daily take some time for just breathing.
When I get really stressed I notice I'm almost holding
my breath in a very ineffective effort to accomplish
the 50 million and a 1/2 things I want to tackle.
When I breath, things flow. My shoulders relax and
I can actually work longer at a more efficient rate -
which allows me to quit earlier.

2. Get up every hour.
Don't sit doing any project,
no matter how involved you are, or how focused for
more than 1 hour if you can help it. Get up. Move.
Breathe. And you'll prevent those nasty chair marks
on your butt and legs from getting too deep. :)

3. Shut your eyes.
Sometimes just shutting your
eyes and taking a few deep breaths can do more for
you than an hour of mindless trying to get away from
it all television. Closing your eyes and breathing
reconnects you to your whole soul. When the soul
takes over, more of what you really want to accomplish
in life can flow clearly again.
NOTE: Do not do this while driving etc.

When all else is not enough, retreat yourself into a
soul vacation. Even if you don't get yourself to a
retreat center (my first choice) do a mini retreat,
- a cup of tea, go for a walk at sunset, sit in a park
and read for an hour, give the dog an unexpected walk
or some playtime. Your soul will love you for
re-establishing and remembering the connection.

Your soul loves you deeply after all.

Wishing you wonderful fulfilling summer retreats.

Terri Marie

The Great Coach: John R. Wooden

2010-06-08T10:47:00.000-07:00

A Great Leader has passed.

Coach John R. Wooden was beloved around the world
for his wonderful principles not only on playing
the best game, but living the best life.

While I never got to meet this great man in person,
he was kind enough to allow me the use of several
of his quotes in my first published book,
"Be the Hero of Your Own Game."
I'd like to share those with you in honor of The Coach.

In "BEFORE THE GAME" is one of John Wooden''s most famous quotes.

"Failure to prepare is preparing to fail"
--John R. Wooden UCLA

In "WHAT CHEERLEADERS KNOW" is. "When you add others you add strength"
--Coach John Wooden

In "WHAT CHEERLEADERS LEARN FROM THE GAME" His the opening quote followed by paragraph from the book.

TAKE THE BIG PLAY
"Competitive greatness is the enjoyment of a difficult challenge. Not being afraid to risk it all."
--John R. Wooden

Coach John Wooden said that many guys are afraid to take the "Big Shot" when it comes. Even professional athletes sometimes avoid the "Big Play." Wooden says sometimes only one team member is willing to take the "Big Play" and risk failure. If that "Big Play" comes to you, will you take it? Coach Wooden says that you will, if you have "competitive greatness" and that involves two things. One, the enjoyment of a difficult challenge and two, being your best when your best is needed.

A leader has to conquer fear. An Inner Cheerleader has to be willing to risk making the "Big Play" when it comes.

Coach John Wooden mentored business executive, professional coach and trainer, Lynn Guerin. I was fortunate enough to be able to take this training course on Wooden's Principles Guerin said, "Coach Wooden is the most consistent person I know." because John Wooden followed the same principles in his personal life as in the game."

May we be the ones now to inspire others to win in the Big Game as a tribute to the Master Encourager, John R, Wooden - the Great Coach.

Live like a hero!
Terri Marie

P.S. I have another story about John Wooden's Miracle basketball but I will share that another time...

Spiritual Book of the Month: "Eat Pray Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert

2010-05-31T13:00:00.000-07:00

I always thought life was about learning, studying, seeking and growing and yes, a good part of life contains these things.

But until you really learn to enjoy life, I believe all that searching really doesn't serve you as well. I got to God quicker by diving directly into the rawness of my feelings than by any other means. That's why I think there is an order to this, at least for me.

That's also why I think Elizabeth Gilbert's masterpiece, "Eat. Pray. Love" is such a huge success. In addition to spectacular writing, Elizabeth got the order right. She dove into pleasure. Then filled herself with devotion and love. It might not have worked as well the other way around.

It's like crawling before walking.

That's also why "Eat, Pray, Love" is Spiritual Arena's Spiritual Book of the Month.

Not only do I think this book is great but so does Hollywood. They are making a movie of the book due out in August starring Julia Roberts. I can't wait to see it! You can see the trailer for the movie below.

Here is the Eat Pray Love Movie Trailer with Julia Roberts

Dancing on the Rocks

2010-04-15T15:14:00.000-07:00

Humbled by the Majesty of Sedona's Rocks

Whenever I can, especially before it gets hot,
I like to get out and hike these magnificent
trails across Sedona. What makes them
especially delightful is that all the snow
that paralyzed Flagstaff and shut down the
Interstate quite a few times this year,
is now rushing down in melted raging rivers
throughout the Verde Valley. This can make
normally dry trails become un-navigable
until the flow recedes for the abundant water
is finding anyway it can to get down from the mountains.

On a trail last Tuesday afternoon,
my friend and I had to cross one of those
side tributaries to get to the waterfalls
we guessed had to be there because of the
great roaring we heard reflected from the cliffs.

To get there, my friend hopped over the
small rocks that were spaced just far
enough apart to step on. The problem was,
they moved. A rock that moves can tumble
you into the water pretty fast and belies
the phrase, “rock solid.” Although this
part of the river was not too deep or fast,
I didn’t want to get drenched either.
I took it pretty slow at first but then
kind of had to go for it to get across.
It was like dancing on the rocks.

However on the way back we decided, wisely,
not to tempt the moving rock gods twice and
found a different way across the river.
The challenge on this part of the trail
was different. There were larger rocks.
Most of them were plenty big and didn’t
look like they were going to move because
of us. The spaces between the rocks were
also larger, much larger than normal
footsteps. Standing on a rock in the middle
of a stream, while very pretty, isn’t that
comfortable, especially if it’s big enough
for just one foot. There comes a point
where you just have to really go for it.
You’ve got to trust that your body will
know what to do to get your across the
river and just jump. Thoughts don’t help.
Action does. Amazingly, it was if my body
knew exactly where to step and how much to
jump and not overshoot the rocks. I moved
swiftly across the waters from rock to rock.
Calculating would’ve been a serious waste of
resources, especially since we were deep
in the wilderness and losing valuable daylight fast.

Where in your life, do you need to take
a “Leap of Faith?” What is something that
can’t just be thought out, but needs to be
acted on and jumped across? Which situations
do you need to trust that when you make your
leap into and cross it, there will be wings
to carry you through? You know what that
situation is. Life is giving you the nudge,
or even the not so gentle kick.

You must leap sometimes along the trail of life.
You will not get through life without the big leap.
Is it time to make your leap?
Is it your time of trust?

Don’t cross anything obviously un-navigable
but when a little trust is needed, if you
can provide the trust,
God will provide the wings.

Was that leap worth it?
Yes!! We came across perhaps a thousand
raging little waterfalls as a reward
for our leaps of faith.

Take your leap of faith.

Live like a hero!

Terri Marie

Tooth Fairy Woes

2010-04-04T08:53:00.000-07:00

© 2007 Terri Marie
The Tooth Fairy’s alter ego

(Wrote this at the Northern Arizona Poetry salon a few years ago. It was published a few years ago and does sort of tie in with today, the joyous day of Easter. Hope it makes you smile. Happy Easter!)

I am the voice of the gnarly tooth fairy
I sound pretty squeaky like a spoiled canary

No one has heard me deliver the goods
When I take all those teeth, throw them out in the woods

My purse is loaded with the freight I must bear
To stealthfully leap in the room in midair

And lift countless feathered cloths from little limp faces
And leave only numbers in place of their braces

Oh I’ve woke a few, yes I have I must say
I’ve scared them to pieces so I ran away

Once the police thought me entering and breaking
I showed him all the teeth, the poor guy is still shaking

But whence in the morning the wee ones awake
They look for my visit, think I’ve made a mistake

For I’ve confused all those darn systems of money
And left pesos and lira, which I thought was real funny

But the head of the myth places was furious with me
And demoted me now to the Easter Bunny

Why It Seems So Hard

2010-04-02T15:08:00.000-07:00

The Soul Ladder or

When things seem hard.

I've found that when things seemed hard - for a good portion of
my life- it was because I hadn't hit my stride yet.
I hadn't believed in myself enough to let go of situations,
people and places that weren't for my highest good.

BUT they actually were.
They were necessary rungs on the spiritual ladder to a
higher version of myself. They showed me areas in
my life where I wasn't being good, loving and kind
to myself.
So they were great teachers.

Once I could accept and treasure that experience, I could move
on and view them with gratefulness for their gift to me.
And let them give that "gift" to someone else.

As I did that more and more, I found more loving, higher
soul people taking up spiritual residence in my circle of friends
and business acquaintances.

And guess what?

It got easier, not harder, to be with these people
People who serve the planet with deep love and understanding.
People with great wisdom.
It got fun, exciting and far more enjoyable to be who I really am
and who I have created myself to be.

As you rise up your soul ladder, you will find the people who can
help you make your dreams come true, your life successful and your
inner potential manifest. If it appears hard right now, it's an illusion
to show you how wonderful you are. Once you get that, you will glow
with the brilliance of the God who made you - to shine your perfect
soul essence onto your life and those you touch.

Glow well my friend,

Like like a hero!

Terri Marie

Hero of the Week
Jodie Nelson of Dana Point.
Jodie surf board paddled 40 miles from Catalina to Dana Point to raise money to help fight breast cancer. It took her nine hours. My arms would have given out before the hour. Her story is even more amazing. A whale joined her side for two of those hours giving her the moral support she needed. Jodie did something BIG. What can you do? We all have this power.

The New Light

2010-03-20T10:46:00.000-07:00

© 2010 By Terri Marie

The light is shining so brightly now onto
the earth and into us that all this "stuff" is coming up.

Hallelujah! It's not the good ole days anymore.
In the 50s and 60s there was often great prejudice.
All that hatred that was hidden is now being revealed
in the world. That why we're seeing so much "stuff"
that we didn't think was there before. It was.

Now is the time to light up those dark places on
the planet's soul. And that will keep the process
of light moving along nicely.

There is nothing wrong with you. You are precious,
and absolutely beautiful creation, adored by God.
Start thinking a little more highly of yourself.
And you will lighten the world.

Thank you for being here and being brave enough
to come now when we most need you.

Live like a hero!

Terri Marie

"Pray Me Home" a Song for Taylor

2010-02-17T07:33:00.000-08:00

Taylor Martin was a true hero. I had written about him in this column 4 years ago. He passed away February 12, 2010. His loving, brave spirit touched so many hearts. Taylor was the inspiration for the song I wrote, "Pray Me Home."

www.praymehome.com

Taylor "May you be enjoying your beautiful new "home"

Your friend,

Terri Marie

Looking for God

2010-02-01T11:52:00.000-08:00

© 2010 Terri Marie

I’ve worked with a lot of master champions. Some have mastered a sport. Some had a skill like ballet. Some have mastered a musical talent or instrument but some of them master everything. They do that by mastering life. They become enlightened.

To be in the presence of such a being is to me the epitome of life. There is nothing more exciting, calming, rewarding, clarifying, and intriguing than to talk with a master. You are talking on a direct line to God.

When you first look for the love in anyone, you are really looking for God. You are looking for God to come through your lover and immerse you in blissful love. You are looking for God to come through a child and delight you with their freshness and spontaneity You are looking for God to come through nature and kiss you with the sun, wash you with the rain, caress you with the wind. You are looking for God in all these things. If you go to these things directly, God certainly can show up, but this illusion can trap you into believing that the person, thing, event, idea or place is the source of your love. It is not. God is. If you can go to God first all else becomes God-like. Problem solved.

I know it sounds simplistic. It is not. Even the enlightened struggle to find God. To the midst of the deep struggle and the ultimate surrender when the ego fights the divine nature, God reveals itself. Everything becomes God because you have embraced God fully. You have fully integrated into your being the God presence. Nothing else is needed. The search is over and LIFE truly begins.

Live like a hero!

Terri Marie
www.spiritualarena.com

Dolphins: Heroes of the Sea

2010-01-29T10:35:00.000-08:00

Photo Copyright 2010 by Terri Marie

Does anyone love dolphins as much as I do? These delightful critters of the sea always inspire me whether close by or seeing them far out at sea. I wrote a poem I wanted to share with you about dolphins. They always spray me with gusts of energy when I am in their presence. They have been known to save a drowning person but most of all they exude the very essence of joy.

"GOD'S RECIPE FOR A DOLPHIN" In the softest place on earth, where you can fall through blue liquid darkness like a feather, great dolphins roam. Home is an endless stretch of sapphire sparkles. Born to ride the rocking waves, peak at the heavens above, they return spent to become ingredients of the sea. I breathe the salty air blown at me in joy and drink in the sleek power of the stallions of the sea." Terri Marie

Live like the hero you are!

Terri Marie

Let's Help Haiti Now

2010-01-14T10:01:00.000-08:00

Just two weeks into 2010 and we are faced with an immediate and huge crisis with the earthquake in Haiti. Every crisis holds within it seeds of growth and compassion. There is certainly a time to grieve but as important is a time to help.
I offer the following two ways below.

1. Send light, Spread light and Be light. Shower Haiti with blessings of Divine white light. See her and her people heal.

2. If you can, send money to help the relief efforts.

Below is the story of Rene Godefroy a good friend of mine and creator of Village Hero. Village Hero is a project Rene started as soon as he was able to get himself out of poverty and become a successful speaker and author. He has been helping poverty stricken Haitians for years. Rene came to the US from Haiti never forgetting his roots. Your contributions will go directly to those suffering now in a reputable and compassionate organization.

www.BeAvillageHero.org

Few story's are as amazing as Rene's story below. His courage and what he went through are almost unbelievable. Excerpts are from an article I wrote first published in Sharing Ideas magazine.

Rene Godefroy
Speaking Hero May 2008

The Power of a Story
By Terri Marie

The Journey
He was under a truck, wedged between three tires of a big rig in an attempt to cross the border into the land he’d dreamed of for so long – The United States of America. After four hours of a very painful ride, Rene Godefroy reached the point of giving up. I asked him why he didn’t. “Survival has always been the thing for me. I was supporting my own weight on my hands and elbows. It got to a point where I said, ‘I don’t really know if I can take it any longer.’ But that’s what we say to ourselves throughout the journey all the time. Whether you own your own business, or you work for somebody – there’s going to be some point where you will be thinking about giving up. Because you have the thought, doesn’t mean you have to entertain the thought. Right after I said that I began to think of what lies ahead for me - the future in America. Then I began to think of the people in my village who were counting on me. When you have a “why” or you have something that you are looking forward to, you can do it.”

Everyone loves a story like Rene’s. It’s similar to Dottie Walters story - the power of an indomitable spirit. Rene uplifts thousands of people each year during his many speaking engagements around the world, from the National Speakers Association (NSA) to corporate events.

After coming to the states and working various jobs from carpenter to washing dishes, Rene ended up at The Renaissance Hotel, working as a doorman and parking cars. It was there he discovered something that Dottie Walters also loved…books. “Whenever I’d see a book, I’d go to the bookstore and buy it.” Hungry for knowledge, Rene would devour books. Rene also ordered tapes from Nightingale Conant and attended seminars like “Unleashing the Power Within” and “Personal Power” by Anthony Robbins. Rene decided he wanted to try speaking. “I had fears and doubts, thinking I could give Americans advice since I didn’t go to high school or college in America.” But Rene did it anyway.

When Rene got his first check for $1500, it became a huge motivator.” I still have this check to this day. I made a copy of the check. I’m looking at it right now. So every time things were tough and it appeared as if I was not going to make it, I just look at my check and say, ‘There’s somebody who paid me $1,500. There’s somebody else who would be willing to pay me another one and another one.’ I tell people all the time to be hopeful. Think about what lies ahead for you in the future.”

Back to Rene’s Story… the Very Beginning of It
Born in Haiti in a small village, Rene’s mother left when he was nine months old. He became very sick due to a poor diet and little medical care. Those starving children you see on TV? Rene was one of them. When he was 7 years old he left the village to be with his mother, sister, and brother in Port-au-Prince, living in a shack infested with rats and roaches. “I slept on the floor with my brother and sister. The rats and roaches were crossing us all night. Many nights I was just terrified to go to bed.”

Rene became involved in theater in a small Catholic church. The group was invited to perform in Montréal Canada. “America was the finest land to me, but going to Montreal was great because I was closer to America - the land I dreamt about. I’d say, ‘One day I want to go to the United States. I wanted to come here to eat lots of rice and chickens. I’m sick of rice and chickens now. Life is GOOD today in America.”

The Promise
“I found a way to come to this country. It wasn’t easy. There was a price I had to pay.” Wedged between those three tires of a tractor-trailer, covered with ashes dust and smoke. Rene made a prayer. “God I promise you, if you help me make it to America safe, I will do something with my life.” God needn’t have worried about Rene.

“I’m a US citizen today and a very proud one. I’m not a burden on the government. I believe that everything I will ever have and everything that I will ever be in this country is going to be by my own volition. I dare to believe that I can step out and take massive action to make it happen.”

Rene went to Miami and taught himself English, learning 3 words at a time. “I was writing them on my hand,” Rene said. He eventually left Miami for Atlanta, Georgia with a parish council group, living in a run down apartment and working at a K-mart warehouse. “I was not making much money at all. I was loading boxes in the truck but I was making progress because I came underneath the truck. Now I was inside the truck.” How’s that for positive thinking!

Eventually Rene got a job taking care of an elderly Jewish man. He and Rene became good friends. The man died in Rene’s arms. “I took great care of him. One of his children helped me get a job at the Renaissance hotel.” Rene worked at that hotel for 14 years. It changed his life.

Working at the hotel put Rene in direct contact with some of the world’s best speakers. Rene learned from many of the top speakers like Les Brown and Jim Rohn, “They each awaken your awareness to different levels,” Rene says, Once Rene made up his mind to speak, destiny took over. He got that $1,500 check in 1998. In 2000, Rene was on the big stage. That’s fast. Rene says, “I just learned how to speed up the process. “

Rene’s Number One Speaker’s Trait

“The ability to tell stories,” Rene says. “Because at the end of the day, they really won’t not remember the points you made. They can buy a book and read those points. But what they can’t get are the personal stories we use to wrap around the points we’re making. That’s what will make the message stick. Most people will say, ‘I don’t have a story because I wasn’t born like Rene, in a poor village in Haiti, or I didn’t climb Mount Everest.’ That’s not true. We all have stories. The stories that really connect us with our audiences at a deep level are not the big stories, but the little pebbles, little stories and vignettes.”

“That’s the beauty of it. You paint a picture. Everybody comes and looks at the picture. They draw their own conclusions from the picture. You share the story. You’re talking about your grandmother, your cousin, your dog. Somebody sees their dog in the story. Somebody else sees their cousin in the story because they had some kind of connection with their cousin. Somebody sees their grandmother in the story. Everybody gets something different from it. You’re just never going to please everybody in the audience. That’s why I say to speakers, ‘The time to start your speaking career is NOW’ because there are people that I’ll never ever be able to connect with for whatever reason. For some people it’s just because the way I sound, my accent. Maybe I look like an ex-husband.”

Rene’s Gift

“Village Hero” is Rene’s gift to Haiti. It is an orphanage with 28 kids and a health clinic in Haiti. “I’m still struggling to get my 501C, which means I have to find every little penny that I have to support some of the projects. In December I went to have dinner with the kids. It was the best Christmas dinner I’ve ever had. They sang for me. They danced. They performed. I served them. It was awesome. I believe that God took me out of the village so that I can reach out to the village. There are going to be a few chosen ones. We have to be wise enough to understand that we are not chosen to drive a nice car, or live in a nice house, or live a self-centered life. It’s because at some point, we have to reach out and make a difference.”

In 2000, Mark Mayberry, well known in NSA, heard about Rene’s story and requested his video. Rene got an email from the president of the NSA saying, “Congratulations. You have a great future in this business.” The NSA chairperson for the conference also called Rene and said, “I just saw your video and I’m just so excited. I want you to be in my program. You’re going to be on the big stage.” I asked Rene how he felt. “I felt GOOOOD!”

I have to tell you how I met Rene. It was 2006. I was taking a conference from Declan Dunn and Jody Colvard north of Atlanta and had to get to the train station, a long cab ride away. I’d just met Rene two days earlier. When he found out I was going to take a cab, Rene offered to drive me. He insisted. That’s the kind of man Rene is. On the seat of his car was a book...his own. He gave it to me.

Rene’s Hero
Rene’s hero is Sidney Poitier. “His family migrated from Haiti to the Bahamas. He and I have kindred spirits. He’s my hero. When I see all that he went through to be where he is, that’s just incredible. He’s my inspiration.”

Rene has a great message and an incredible story. He wants you to find your message and tell your own story. If Rene believes in you, how can you not believe in yourself?
From Haiti to speaking in a land he once dreamed of, Rene is a true speaking hero.

Live like a hero!

Terri Marie

© 2008-2010 White Wing Entertainment LLC
Contact author: terrimarie@herobookonline.com
Contact Rene: www.villagehero.org
www.BeAvillageHero.org

The Poetry of Christmas Now

2009-12-18T12:34:00.000-08:00

Today I want to share what happened to me yesterday and show you what can change when we change.

After several weeks of intense (but great) work, I decided to take time for an evening walk again. As I was walking along I noticed my thoughts thinking themselves. Thinking of work, thinking of my to do list, thinking of so much, until I noticed I was thinking, not enjoying. Here I was being a Christmas Scroogette so I decided to change the thinking and just stop and "be" for a little while.

I was almost 3/4 of the way done with the walk at this point. But it was as if a new lens came across my eyes and I was pulled right into the NOW. When you get to the NOW, amazing things can happen. I felt this beauty all around me. Each image I looked at turned into words.

Here are those words I posted on facebook
"I walk the raised line, a curved long black tar snake. Soft feather clouds scatter like leftover angel wings. Branches decorated with pregnant buds burst with promise. Soft wind gently lifts my hair better than any spray. A cold sun doesn't set as much as dissolve. Tiny birds hop out of Christmas card poses to say "hi..." as I step into Winter's Heart." --Terri Marie (Thank goodness I took time for an evening walk)
In a season of mad dashing and darting please take the time to feel the wonder. You deserve to be part of it.

If you'd like to keep up with me on facebook, you can reach me through my fan page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Terri-Marie/172305228839
Just hit the "Become a fan" button near the top.
I'd love to hear from you and share with you.

...And if you didn't get this before...here it is again..

A Christmas Movie Card

In case you haven't sent out Christmas cards yet (That's me too)
here is a short little movie I made about
finding the true holiday spirit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLYiXbhjHeM

For those of you who celebrate winter holidays other
than Christmas, I send you the warmest seasons wishes
and one day I hope to do a little movie for your holiday too.
Wishing you all the best,

Terri Marie

Remember who you are!

Copyright 2009 White Wing Entertainment

Hero Message from Her Son RJ

2009-10-05T10:20:00.000-07:00

Here is a poignant Best Hero Message from:
Cheryl Williams Oliver

LOVE ALWAYS REMAINS

"I had a conversation with my oldest son, RJ, as he was getting ready to move out for the first time. I explained that I was sorry if I had not given him the things he wanted, apologized that him and his father divorced - all the typical hope I did well stuff. He told me: "Being a momma is not what you gave me - - it's the love you have in your heart! You gave me more love than I ever hoped for. You are the best momma ever". That was in 2001 - he was killed 2/9/06. Momma's heart is still full of love. RJ is and always will be my hero."

Blessings to you Cheryl and to RJ

Another Hero Message

2009-09-24T15:37:00.000-07:00

Wal Achmueller

"I've recently heard something like:
'Just be and do yourself - because everybody else has already been taken' (don't remember where)
I love that, because that is exactly what my 8th grade teacher Walde Ingrid has instilled in me, and it has often in life given me courage to be authentic - she was my hero."

Well whoever said that IS a HERO!

Thanks for reminding us to live our true lives Wal.

Remember who you are... a hero in disguise.

Terri Marie

Hero Message Runner-up Debbie Taitel

2009-09-21T08:16:00.000-07:00

Another "Hero Message" - from runner-up Debbie Taitel

"When I was at a crossroads of making a decision many years ago, my Dad told me,

'Don't worry, whatever you decide, keep in mind there are no mistakes. It's a choice and there is no decision you make that can't be changed.' That simple statement has always given me the courage to make decisions in my life. Knowing they aren't written in stone and that whatever I decide it is right for me at that moment...and if it's not right, I can move forward in a different direction."

Thank you Debbie. You're a hero!

Another Great Hero Message

2009-09-14T08:14:00.001-07:00

Here is runner-up Jodee Bock's great inspirational message:

"I talked to Marianne Williamson on her Oprah XM radio show once. I asked her how, when my company name is my name, I can keep from being in ego when I'm marketing my work. She told me to remember that I am the faucet and not the water. As soon as I start relating to the water, I'm in ego. So my true purpose is to be the best faucet I can be, so the water can flow through me. Thank you Marianne!"

Her message from Marianne helps you remember who you are - access to the unlimited abundance of the universe if we but rmember and choose.

And it also contains some great wisdom at the end - the power of Jodee's gratitude.

Thank you Jodee.

BEST HERO MESSAGE: Dana Boyle

2009-09-10T09:06:00.000-07:00

Dana Boyle is the winner of the Best Hero Message - a message passed along from someone you consider a hero that had signifigant impact on your life.

Out of the hundreds of amazing messages, the message Dana sent in covered the essence of a hero - the hero's ability to act compeletly in the "Now" and do what is required at that particular moment in time.

Here is Dana's message:

"When I met Eunice Kennedy Shriver, she asked me what I wanted to do with my life and I was 18 and listed many things. She said, "I'm going to tell you what my mother told me and always remember it as you live your life. You can have and do everything you want in life, you just will not have and do it all at once. Celebrate each part of your life... as you are in it, appreciate and enjoy it, and resist wishing you were in a different part of it.”
Now that was powerful particularily for a young woman to hear and I do remember it."

The last line in Dana's submission did it.

The reasons this message was chosen are these:
1. It was given at a particularily influencial time in this person's life

2. "Celebrate your life" If we always remember to cherish every precious second of our life, then our life becomes a miracle of moments.

3. "Resist wishing you were in a different part of it." This is one of the most challenging things for us to do. Almost everyone wants life to be different that life currently is. But a hero does not run away from the moment. A hero faces whatever is right in front of them and deals heroically with it. I think that statement sums up the character of a true hero.

4. When a hero acts, a hero comes from that moment of power - the Now. A hero does what is perfect for the moment whatever that may be. lending a hand or a smile or saving a life whether his or her own or someone else's.

The advice Dana received and passed on is now yours to use.

"Celebrate Each Part of Your Life as You are in it"
"Appreciate it and enjoy it and resist wishing you were in a different part of it."

What great wisdom. A hero could not have said it better.

P.S. There were other stunningly important messages and I will pass along some of the runner up messages in a future post.

The Hero Calls

2009-06-30T10:45:00.000-07:00

Jim Niemiec

(Terri Marie) with my two favorite people, Jim and Brooke

The Hero Calls

We never know when the hero is going to make a call. Are you ready?

My daughter usually calls me when she is driving back from California.
But it was Sunday night and no call. I figured Brooke was tired from
a long weekend of a lot of driving and going to the hospital to visit her
husband's mother who just had surgery.

In the morning I got the call from Brooke and found out if was the hero
who had called the evening before. Brooke told me, "Mom I have one
more reason I'm glad I married Jim. He just saved someone's life."
She told me the story.

They were driving back from Fallbrook, California on the I-15
when a Ford Explorer passed them on the right.
Jim watched as the driver lost controland rolled his vehicle
off the freeway. It landed upside down.

Jim immediately stopped and ran over along with two other men.
The drivers' fourteen-year old daughter was also in the car.
Somehow she managed to get herself out.
Brooke could hear her crying.

Jim and the other two men accessed the situation. Jim had
training from the Army. One of the others had worked in a
hospital The driver was pinned upside down. Jim ran back
to the car to get water. The seat beltthat probably saved
the drivers' life was now choking himand he couldn't breath.
The driver's head was at a 90 degreeangle pressed against
the roof. Once Jim and the othersconfirmed that the man
could still move his toes, they gentlylifted him down
onto the inside roof of the car. It was thenthat Jim saw
that the driver had a massive head wound. They needed
to stop the bleeding right away. Jim ran back
to the car again and got a blanket and some towels which
he wrapped around the man's head to slow down the blood loss.

Then Jim did the most heroic thing of all. He got inside the
vehicle, laid next to the man, took the driver's hand and told him
to squeeze his hand to let Jim know he understood him.
Jim told the driver that he too, had rolled his vehicle up on
the I-5 and survived. He told the driver that he was going
to make it. The driver squeezed his hand. Over and over
Jim kept talking and encouraging the man to remain as
alert and conscious as he could.
The driver kept squeezing Jim's hand.

Even in the days of cell phones, it took the police 20 minutes
to get to the scene to divert traffic. It took the ambulance
over 30 minutes. Jim stayed talking and reassuring the driver.
"You're going to be okay," Jim said. The squeezes continued
as the man connected to the lifeline Jim was offering to him.

My son-in-law is a very calm, self-assured young man who
I am very proud of. When times demand a strong and
selfless character, one finds out what is really inside
the person. Jim is a hero. The heroic opportunity arose.
Jim rose to the challenge.

That day Jim showed his true character. He gave what
was needed as a hero would: Unconditional service and
love to a man who would have died without it.

In a time when some people are complaining about the
youth of our country, I have this to say. "America is in good hands,"
thanks to people like Jim and the other fellows who gave
of themselves to save and comfort someone is in desperate need.
Hurray for the young heroes of America.

That is Jim. A hero.

Live like a hero.

The Hero is calling.
Are you ready?

Remember who you are!
Terri Marie

Copyright 2009 White Wing Entertainment

**********************
LESSONS OF THE HERO CALL

1. Be Prepared.
Jim always travels with towels, blankets, water, and money.
I’m sure someone could have improvised without a towel to
stop the bleeding, or a blanket to keep the driver warm,
but this made it much easier. By the way, the money was
spent on buying some new clothes when Jim stopped at a
store to wash off.

2. Remain Calm.
The only way you can help someone in a dire situation
is to think. Access the situation and take things
one step at a time. Prioritize needs. The seat belt needed to
come off the man first. Then the bleeding needed to be stopped.
Then he needed the encouragement to hang on until he could
get to the hospital. That takes calmness and thinking.

3. Focus.
There is a complete focus in the heroic act. Attention and
energy is given to the situation of the best ways to increase
survival. A laser-like focus to do the best thing is what is needed.
There was no thought of normal concerns like
getting home or the inconvenience of the time this took.
It was all a mute point when it comes down to the
bluntness of life.

4. Connect.
Equally as important as removing the seatbelt and stopping
the bleeding was the connection Jim gave to this man.
Jim gave the wounded man his attention, energy,
and compassion.

5. Be Willing to Take a Selfless Risk to Help.
Jim told my daughter Brooke to stay in the car for various
reasons. But Brooke was concerned watching this unfold
that the vehicle might explode. She had to trust that Jim
knew what he was doing and would probably be able to
tell if that was a possibility. When the hero calls, the
hero does what needs to be done regardless of risk.
It is a total giving of oneself to help sustain the
life of another.

That is Jim. A hero.

Live like a hero.

Terri Marie

Get Your Own Attention

2009-06-17T08:34:00.000-07:00

In This Issue: Feature Article: Get Your Own Attention

Father's Day Movie card to send: Check below
and make some father you know smile.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYDzY70Iu1A

Get Your Own Attention

Today it seems as though we are bombarded with
so many things trying to get our attention.
Sometimes Life is really trying to get your attention.

But you must get your own attention in order to change.
Sometimes you do this through a divorce, an illness, or
a failed job. If you're not being loving enough, you might
get a divorce to teach you to love more. Hold on!
Before you say, but it was his/her fault, hear me out.
It might be that you were not loving yourself in a
relationship and the "loss" was given to you to teach
you to love YOU more. It all works for you - if you let it.
Allow it.

Nothing in my life changed my life more quickly than
changing my beliefs. There is a good way to do that
and it is very easy. It's much easier than struggling
with an old belief and trying to force it to leave. It won't.
I struggled for a long time by analyzing and fighting
my beliefs. But you don't change them that way. In fact,
you often reinforce exactly what you don't want.
The way to change a belief is to go to where the belief lives.
Seduce it out and "burn" in a new one into the DNA of
your subconscious. You burn in a new belief by
putting high energy into it.

High Energy has no sharp edges.
Nothing pulling at you.

Energy that stops, feels sharp, cuts, or gets stuck in
your body is usually associated with a negative thought.
You don't want that. When you think a "worry" thought
and feel its sharpness, smooth it out. Let it flow through
you instead of get stuck in you. Change the thought
from an icicle to a water form. This will prevent negative
energy from lodging in your body. We all have negative
thoughts come into our awareness. Like in bad weather,
just shut the windows.

HERO ACTION:

Do the Energy Circle
Send out your dreams from your heart in a circle around you.
Specifically place each dream to float like a planet in orbit
right from the center of your heart. Then send the dream
out to the world. Know that it is circling and lining up
things for you in the universe.

Remember who you are!
Terri Marie

Copyright 2009 White Wing Entertainment

Happy Mothers day to Mothers and Their Mothers!

2009-05-09T08:10:00.000-07:00

A big Happy Mother's Day to all mothers and "grand" mothers.

Here is a little movie to thank you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ec_w8EN8UD0&
Live like a hero,

Terri Marie

Taylor Last Wish

2009-04-29T08:20:00.000-07:00

Taylor's Wish

Taylor Martin is my hero.
Taylor is about to be 21 years of age,
but he has lived lifetimes more
than anyone I know who is so young.

Taylor was a beautiful little sports
loving boy when he was diagnosed at age 5
with NF-2, a rare disease that creates
painful tumors throughout his brain
and spine. He had his first brain surgery
at age ten. Since them Taylor has had
innumerable surgeries. Loving sports,
but unable to play, Taylor kept the
sports stats for the San Clemente high
school teams.
They love him.
Taylor captures the hearts of
everyone who meets him.

A few years before he graduated from high school,
Taylor was sitting in school one day when he
went completely deaf because of the progress
of NF-2. Slowly the disease has taken over
Taylor's body. Luckily it cannot penetrate
Taylors strong heart. Taylor has spoken to
schools and groups about staying positive
in life and loving God. How I admire this
young man who has become my friend!

Taylor is now in a wheelchair. Subsequent
surgieries have taken their toll.
I have tried to learn a bit of sign language
to make it easier to communicate with Taylor,
but he knows the real essence of communication.
His gentle hand on my arm always tells me
how much Taylor apprciates just the simple
act that his friends stop by to see him.

Recently a young 22 year-old Los Anegles Angel
baseball player Nick Adenhart was killed in
a hit and run accident. Nick's death hit Taylor
hard. Taylor felt that such a healthy talented
youth should have gotten the chance to live.

Taylor has one more request, other than to live
to his 21st birthday in May. He asked that a
request be sent to all his friends that he is
ready to go home.

It was with a deep bittersweetness that I read
that email from Taylor's mother, but I know if
anyone deserves a grand homecoming it is this
sweet, divine young man.

And I will help pray Taylor home...

Meanwhile...Live as Taylor would want you all to do.

Remember who you are!
Terri Marie

Copyright 2009 White Wing Entertainment

Amma, Divine Mother Retreat

2009-04-17T14:07:00.000-07:00

Attending a Full Moon with Amma, Divine Mother

Returning to Sedona, on her
World Blessing Tour
Amma (Sri Karunamayi) delighted
us with an offer to come meditate
with her under the
full moon of the beautiful red rocks.

Experiencing time with an enlightened master is always breathtaking
to me, especially to know that Amma believes we can all do this.

In a departure from her more mediative approach, Amma spoke to
us as a Mother, giving practical advice for these times.

If ever there was a sign of hope, it is in masters like
Amma who embody the divine in such an appealing way.

Rather than thinking a master is boring, Amma is fun, delightful
and loves to laugh.

She told some wonderful stories about the yogis and the amazing things
that happens with them. What Amma never mentioned is that
she too is an amazing yogi with divine abilities
surrounding her tiny human frame.

Those abilities are within every one of you. Every one is meant to shine
like the glorious full moon we we treated to.

Every one of you was sent the healing energy of Amma last week. I hope
you are still relishing in the love of the great mother. When you are in the
presence of a being who loves you with a divine love, something
inside you changes. You want to be like that and love others in the same way.

Your very essense is love. Revel in it. And shine, shine, shine.

Meanwhile...Shine away!

Remember who you are!
Terri Marie

Copyright 2009 White Wing Entertainment

***********************

QUOTES from Amma

"You are the writer of your divine story. You are
the greatest writer. You are the poet of the story."
--Amma

"Once you get God,
what more do you need in the world?"
--Amma

***************
Looking for hope in these times?
Read the story of a woman who faced her own
huge obstacles.
http://www.thesolutionisathand.com

P.S. Recommend a friend!
Send me their name and email address,
and I'll send them an introductory message of spiritual good news.

The Magdalene Easter Egg

2009-04-06T21:01:00.000-07:00

Inside the Grace Cathedral in San Francisco is
a striking painting of Mary Magdalene holding a
stunning red egg.

The story goes that Mary Magdalene was called
before the Emperor Tiburius ofRrome.
She gave the Emperor a gift of an egg and
explained Christ's resurrection as symbolic of an egg.

Naturally, the emperor was skeptical. Tiburius remarked that
if that were true, then let the egg turn colored.
The egg in Mary Magdalene hand turned bright red.

This is what started the tradition of
coloring and exchanging eggs at Easter.

Our minds don't always welcome
enormous new thinking like imagining an egg to be red.
Yet it is enormous thinking that will get you out of
whatever situation you are in,
transforming it into a completely
new and desirable form.

What can be changed or transformed in your life?
What new colors would show up if you let them?
Let yourself be open to enormous thinking
this Easter and always.

Meanwhile...Have the Best Easter!
Rise to your best self!

Remember who you are!
Terri Marie
www.spiritualarena.com

Copyright 2009 White Wing Entertainment

The Sedona Path

2009-03-29T14:57:00.000-07:00

Recently I took a hike in
the beautiful red rocks
surrounding Sedona.
All along the path are pikes of
stone markers just to make sure
you stay on the path.

They are certainly helpful when the
woods get dense or there are several
possible choices to take.

There really are markers placed
along the spiritual path.
Sometimes we see the next marker.
Sometime we don't.
But they are there.

Sometimes we are paying such close
attention to what's going on around us
that we miss a critical marker, get lost
and have to come back.

Often we just have to step out in faith
that another marker will be there for us.

Those markers are put there for us
on our path: the spiritual path
designed specifically for us.

You can never lose a marker,
although you can lose sight of one.
It is your path.
You are the only one to walk it.

Meanwhile...Let the path take you
toward your destiny.

Remember who you are!

Terri Marie

The Great Love Movie

2009-03-10T09:37:00.000-07:00

The Great Love Movie is ready!

Great Love Movie

...n case there are any
people you want to share the gift with.
It's not an ordinary gift of LOVE. It's huge.
It's available to us all...
And you deserve it.:)

Dear {!firstname_fix},

It is a great time in history.
It is a time for hope.
Many times in history have offered
the opportunity
for people to awaken and arise far
behind their former selves.
Only in a time where many are
desperate for hope,
could this happen.

Let me tell you about a woman I knew.
Her name was Dottie Walters.
She became a great mentor and a wonderful
friend to me in the last years of her life.

Dottie became famous because of a
desperate situation which faced her
young family right after the war.
Her husband Bob served
in the war and was decorated for his bravery.
Bob came back home to Dottie and his family
and started a small dry cleaning business.

The economy took a dive.
Bob came home one day, put his head
in his hands and said "I can't make it.
I can't make the house payment."
Dottie was a young mother of two small
children and she didn't
want to see them lose their house or worse,
see her beloved husband so discouraged.
Dottie prayed about it and got an answer
It was called "opportunity."

Pushing her babies in a broken down
stroller with wheels that kept coming off
and in shoes with cardboard for soles,
Dottie created an opportunity where
none seemed to exist.

Others had passed it by.
But Dottie saw "opportunity."
Dottie not only had to do this once, but twice.
The second time was her breakthrough.
And it was a big breakthrough which
eventually lead Dottie to become one of
the most respected women speakers on the planet.

The time we are in now is like that time
Dottie Walters faced.
Many of you are facing situations
like her husband Bob did
and may not know what to do.
Dottie did know what she must do.
She kept going.
She prayed about it.
She looked for opportunities.
and she refused to give up.

Believe it or not, this IS the time
you have been waiting for.
There is some opportunity waiting for you, saying
"I'm over here! I'm over here!"
Go over there. Let yourself use this time
as the gift of hope it is.

Dottie died two years ago this Valentine's Day.
She wanted so much to give people hope.
Maybe she knew this time was coming.
But Dottie also knew, if she could do it,
you can too. We worked right up to her
passing to get her story finished.

************************
ANOTHER BOOK AWARD!!

Out of the Blue, :)
I got this notice about the book
Dottie and I wrote.
"The Solution is at Hand" was named one of the
Top Ten Reads of 2008 by myshelf.com editor
Carolyn Howard-Johnson.

As a celebration of this nice award,
for those of you who would like to
read more of Dottie's Life Story
and the full account of the stroller story
(which she earned millions of dollars retelling,)
it's in "The Dottie Walters Story:
The Solution is at Hand."
http://www.spiritualarena.com/resources.html

Meanwhile...Live like the Love hero you are!

Remember who you are!
Terri Marie

Copyright 2009 White Wing Entertainment

Anything You Want

2009-01-26T13:58:00.000-08:00

Anything You Want

My friend speaker Brian Adams, had a wonderful club
that I was part of a few years ago,
It was called "The Anything You Want" Club.
Once a week we would meet at Brian's office.
It was a small group (seems most people
don't believe they can have anything they want).

Brian started the group with a little sharing.
We'd talk about the great things that
were happening with each of us.
No complaining was allowed.
Many people attend those kind of complaining clubs
so there's no shortage of them.

This sharing session would really inspire us all.
Then Brian would give a speech. Brian was being mentored
by the great Les Brown, so we paid attention.
As Brian polished and worked on new material
I learned so much from Brian.
He and his partner Victor Broski helped
train me to qualify for
The Orange County Speakers Bureau.
Brian made us believe that we could do anything
with his words,
"Be, do, or have anything you want."
It's a good lesson to get as early as you can in life.
If you haven't got it yet, here's a reminder...

God doesn't want you to "save" any part of
your life for later.
God wants you to live like this is the best minute
God could give you...because it is.

Meanwhile...Anything means Everything.

The Christmas Movie Card

2008-12-13T19:17:00.000-08:00

With the holidays blasting like a sun ray into our lives, take a minute
or so and watch the Little Christmas movie about
the Christmas spirit.

Much love to you,

Terri Marie

or on www.youtube.com search "christmas movie card"

Feel Free to save some stamps and send this to your friends.

We Salute the Top 7 Spiritual Heroes of 2008

2008-12-04T09:37:00.000-08:00

The White Wing Report for 2008
The Top Heroes of the Spirit

It is time we honor those "heroes of the spirit" who have blazed such
a challenging trail to make the spiritual journey more visible.

You are the first to get wind of the Top Seven Spiritual Heroes of
the past year. This is what I have been working on along with
the White Wing Spiritual Trend Report -The State of the Spirit at

Top Spiritual Heroes

This year some amazing heroes of the spirit are on the list,
including
Debbie Ford, John Harricharan, Dr. Eldon Taylor,
Jean Houston, Janet Attwood, Declan Dunn
and Rishi Nityapragya.

Check what they have to say about the direction they think we are headed.
Each Spiritual Hero answers three intriguing questions:

1. Who gave you your best spiritual advice?
2. What is the best spiritual advice you can pass along?
3. What is your vision for 2008 and beyond?

These masters are there to help every one of us.
Use their insights and save yourself a lot of
spiritual trouble.

The Trend Report lists the top spiritual trends for 2008 including
films, books, retreats and more.

Top Spiritual Heroes

Many splendid blessings to you, {!firstname_fix},

Meanwhile...Be a spiritual hero yourself.
All the top heroes would want that for you.

Remember who you are!
Terri Marie

Crossing Paths in Sedona

2008-11-18T07:43:00.000-08:00

The other day as I was dropping something
off at the Sedona library, I decided to
quickly check the list of events in the
Sedona Calendar off to the side of the door.
What I saw completely delighted me as I exclaimed
out loud, (which you probably shouldn't do in
a library)... "Bobby!"

So pleased to see that Bobby Bridger would be
performing in Sedona that very night in fact,
that I didn't even bother to look at who
was giving me the "hush" signal.

Bobby is a good friend of mine.
Years ago we filmed what probably is the
most beautiful footage of my film career.
We shot stunning scenes on horseback through
BLM land in Wyoming and a tender scene
of a beautiful Native American maiden being
groomed for her wedding day.

You may recognize the name Bridger.
Bobby's great grand uncle was Jim Bridger,
the famous Mountain Man for which many
places in the northern mountains
of Montana and Wyoming are named.

Bobby's life is magical. He's written
many great works including his life work,
The Ballad of the West. It is so brilliant
that Bobby has been called,
"The Shakespeare of the West."

One of the amazing things about Bobby is
his great love of the Native Americans
shown through his respectful and beautiful
work, "Lakota." His insight and
knowledge of the famous medicine man
Black Elk is captivating.

Bobby's friends with just about everyone.
Years ago, Willy Nelson told Bobby to
film his Ballad and that's how we connected.
One of Bobby's earlier works was a
story about a falling star, which he says
contains everything he knows about the
workings of the universe. A very famous
musician bought the rights to it.

How great it was to again connect with
such a beautiful and spiritual man. Years
ago Bobby let me use his profound song,
"Heal in the Wisdom." on one of my documentaries.
It's a song that says it all.

What is the point of this message to you today?
It is this. A tiny little urge pushed me
to look at that calendar, which I do maybe once
in every 20 times at the library. I could've
missed a wonderful evening with a great friend
and re-established a bond with a man I
think of as my own spiritual brother.

In your life, every day, there are
"little urgings" with big payoffs.
Only when you become aware of them can
you gain the incredible gifts they hold.
These daily gifts are there for each
and every one of you when you listen closely.

I just had to tell you about Bobby so
that perhaps one day,
you too, may get to know him.

May you have clear listening from your
heart to your ears and have the beautiful
blessings that come from it.

Remember who you are!
Terri Marie

Copyright 2008 White Wing Entertainment

Fathers Day Movie Hit!

2008-07-31T08:21:00.000-07:00

Father's Day Hit!

So far almost 14,000 fathers across
the world have been thanked.
Thank you for helping be part of this massive
input of gratitude and healing for the planet.
And thank my dear friends and family for
setting this little boat of Fatherly thanksgiving
into the stream of Life.

Not every one loved the movie.
Some of you didn't have good relationships with your father
and for that I am truly sorry and sad.
But that doesn't make you any less valuable
than someone who did.
If you are a father, please take the opportunity to
"know" your great value.

For those who are still carrying around "wounds" of the family,
those places from our ancestors that need healing
and live in us until we do,
this movie touched the painful nerve
of not having a father's love.
You will always have the love of a heavenly and perfect father.
Please remember that.

Watch The Father's Day Movie again and you
will notice a shift in your internal state.
The movie is offered as a healing of the father bond.

In case you haven't wanted the movie yet, it's at
youtube.com
And here is the link

Remember who you are!

Terri Marie

Father's Day Movie Card

2008-06-06T18:11:00.000-07:00

For all you fathers and all you do, here is a Father's Day Thank You to you.

And here is the link for Youtube

You are all Heroes,

Terri Marie

You can send and share this little movie with all those you wish.

The Power of a Story

2008-05-09T14:57:00.000-07:00

Rene Godefroy
Speaking Hero
May 2008

The Power of a Story
By Terri Marie

The Journey

He was under a truck, wedged between three tires of a big rig
in an attempt to cross the border into the land he’d dreamed
of for so long – The United States of America. After four hours
of a very painful ride, Rene Godefroy reached the point of giving
up. I asked him why he didn’t. “Survival has always been the
thing for me. I was supporting my own weight on my hands and
elbows. It got to a point where I said, ‘I don’t really know if I can
take it any longer.’ But that’s what we say to ourselves throughout
the journey all the time. Whether you own your own business,
or you work for somebody – there’s going to be some point where
you will be thinking about giving up. Because you have the thought,
doesn’t mean you have to entertain the thought. Right after I said
that I began to think of what lies ahead for me - the future in
America. Then I began to think of the people in my village who
were counting on me. When you have a “why” or you have something
that you are looking forward to, you can do it.”

Everyone loves a story like Rene’s. It’s similar to Dottie Walters
story - the power of an indomitable spirit. Rene uplifts thousands
of people each year during his many speaking engagements
around the world, from the National Speakers Association (
NSA) to corporate events.

After coming to the states and working various jobs from carpenter
to washing dishes, Rene ended up at The Renaissance Hotel, working
as a doorman and parking cars. It was there he discovered
something that Dottie Walters also loved…books. “Whenever
I’d see a book, I’d go to the bookstore and buy it.” Hungry for
knowledge, Rene would devour books. Rene also ordered tapes
from Nightingale Conant and attended seminars like “Unleashing
the Power Within” and “Personal Power” by Anthony Robbins.
Rene decided he wanted to try speaking. “I had fears and doubts,
thinking I could give Americans advice since I didn’t go to high
school or college in America.” But Rene did it anyway.

When Rene got his first check for $1500, it became a huge
motivator.” I still have this check to this day. I made a copy
of the check. I’m looking at it right now. So every time things
were tough and it appeared as if I was not going to make it,
I just look at my check and say, ‘There’s somebody who paid
me $1,500. There’s somebody else who would be willing to
pay me another one and another one.’ I tell people all the
time to be hopeful. Think about what lies ahead for you
in the future.”

Back to Rene’s Story… the Very Beginning of It

Born in Haiti in a small village, Rene’s mother left when he
was nine months old. He became very sick due to a poor diet
and little medical care. Those starving children you see on TV?
Rene was one of them. When he was 7 years old he left the
village to be with his mother, sister, and brother in Port-au-Prince,
living in a shack infested with rats and roaches. “I slept on the
floor with my brother and sister. The rats and roaches were
crossing us all night. Many nights I was just terrified to go to bed.”

Rene became involved in theater in a small Catholic church.
The group was invited to perform in Montréal Canada.
“America was the finest land to me, but going to Montreal
was great because I was closer to America - the land I dreamt
about. I’d say, ‘One day I want to go to the United States.
I wanted to come here to eat lots of rice and chickens.
I’m sick of rice and chickens now. Life is GOOD today in America.”

The Promise

“I found a way to come to this country. It wasn’t easy. There
was a price I had to pay.” Wedged between those three tires of
a tractor-trailer, covered with ashes dust and smoke. Rene
made a prayer. “God I promise you, if you help me make it to
America safe, I will do something with my life.”
God needn’t have worried about Rene.

“I’m a US citizen today and a very proud one. I’m not a
burden on the government. I believe that everything I will
ever have and everything that I will ever be in this country is
going to be by my own volition. I dare to believe that I can
step out and take massive action to make it happen.”

Rene went to Miami and taught himself English, learning 3 words
at a time. “I was writing them on my hand,” Rene said. He
eventually left Miami for Atlanta, Georgia with a parish council
group, living in a run down apartment and working at a K-mart
warehouse. “I was not making much money at all. I was loading
boxes in the truck but I was making progress because I came
underneath the truck. Now I was inside the truck.”
How’s that for positive thinking!

Eventually Rene got a job taking care of an elderly Jewish man.
He and Rene became good friends. The man died in Rene’s arms.
“I took great care of him. One of his children helped me get
a job at the Renaissance hotel.” Rene worked at that hotel
for 14 years. It changed his life.

Working at the hotel put Rene in direct contact with some
of the world’s best speakers. Rene learned from many of the
top speakers like Les Brown and Jim Rohn, “They each awaken
your awareness to different levels,” Rene says, Once Rene
made up his mind to speak, destiny took over. He got that
$1,500 check in 1998. In 2000, Rene was on the big stage.
That’s fast. Rene says, “I just learned how to speed up the process. “

Rene’s Number One Speaker’s Trait

“The ability to tell stories,” Rene says. “Because at the end
of the day, they really won’t not remember the points you made.
They can buy a book and read those points. But what they
can’t get are the personal stories we use to wrap around the
points we’re making. That’s what will make the message stick.
Most people will say, ‘I don’t have a story because I wasn’t
born like Rene, in a poor village in Haiti, or I didn’t climb
Mount Everest.’ That’s not true. We all have stories. The
stories that really connect us with our audiences at a deep
level are not the big stories, but the little pebbles,
little stories and vignettes.”

“That’s the beauty of it. You paint a picture. Everybody comes
and looks at the picture. They draw their own conclusions
from the picture. You share the story. You’re talking about
your grandmother, your cousin, your dog. Somebody sees
their dog in the story. Somebody else sees their cousin in
the story because they had some kind of connection with
their cousin. Somebody sees their grandmother in the story.
Everybody gets something different from it. You’re just never
going to please everybody in the audience. That’s why I say
to speakers, ‘The time to start your speaking career is NOW’
because there are people that I’ll never ever be able to connect
with for whatever reason. For some people it’s just because the
way I sound, my accent. Maybe I look like an ex-husband.”

Rene’s Gift

“Village Hero” is Rene’s gift to Haiti. It is an orphanage with
28 kids and a health clinic in Haiti. “I’m still struggling to
get my 501C, which means I have to find every little penny
that I have to support some of the projects. In December I
went to have dinner with the kids. It was the best Christmas
dinner I’ve ever had. They sang for me. They danced.
They performed. I served them. It was awesome. I believe that
God took me out of the village so that I can reach out to the village.
There are going to be a few chosen ones. We have to be wise
enough to understand that we are not chosen to drive a nice car,
or live in a nice house, or live a self-centered life. It’s because
at some point, we have to reach out and make a difference.”

A Free Demo Leads to an NSA Keynote

Here is a Huge Gift for You From Rene
“How to Get Your Demo Video Made”
Be sure to listen to the whole story on the audio
above find out how he did this. This is the short version.

1. Get the hotel manager to donate a room and finger food in
exchange for free staff training
2. Get speakers to agree to speak and train on that day
3. Get gift certificates and door prizes and publicize the event
4. Get an audience to fill up the room
5. Arrange for a videographer

“It’s something everybody can do, Rene says. “They can go
to the local hotel and set a meeting with the general manager.
Offer them a $100,000 package. Each speaker agrees to
do some kind of training for the hotel staff so you can g
et that room. Trust me, you can get bodies in that room.
And you can create that video.” By the way, Rene gave the
speakers some of the money back because he had money left over!

In 2000, Mark Mayberry, well known in NSA, heard about
Rene’s story and requested his video. Rene got an email
from the president of the NSA saying, “Congratulations.
You have a great future in this business.” The NSA
chairperson for the conference also called Rene and said,
“I just saw your video and I’m just so excited. I want you to
be in my program. You’re going to be on the big stage.”
I asked Rene how he felt. “I felt GOOOOD!”

I have to tell you how I met Rene. It was 2006. I was t
aking a conference from Declan Dunn and Jody Colvard
north of Atlanta and had to get to the train station, a long
cab ride away. I’d just met Rene two days earlier. When
he found out I was going to take a cab, Rene offered to
drive me. He insisted. That’s the kind of man Rene is.
On the seat of his car was a book...his own. He gave it to me.

Rene’s Hero

Rene’s hero is Sidney Poitier. “His family migrated from
Haiti to the Bahamas. He and I have kindred spirits.
He’s my hero. When I see all that he went through to be
where he is, that’s just incredible. He’s my inspiration.”

Rene has a great message and an incredible story. He wants
you to find your message and tell your own story. If Rene
believes in you, how can you not believe in yourself?
From Haiti to speaking in a land he once dreamed of,
Rene is a true speaking hero.

Live like a hero!

Terri Marie

RENE’S SPEAKING TIPS

* Don’t Take Every Bit of Advice You Get
“I don’t believe that we ought to take advice from
everybody. Depending on what level of success
they’re at, their advice may not be applicable to
me or you or to somebody just starting out.”

* Use Your Own Style
“There are some speakers who say you have to say
something to upset the audience, to stir up something.
I’m a nice guy by nature. I can’t go out there and try
to be in my audience’s face. It’s not good advice for me.
Fortunately for me, I understand what it is to start from
scratch. I have not distanced myself from that. I go to
national conventions all the time and see the newcomers.
I’m fully aware of the stretch, the sacrifice they make
just to be at the conference. I look at them and feel
where they are. I understand that they will be successful.
They will make money if they can just hang in there. I just
never forget what it was like for me when I started.”

* Get Into NSA by Going to Meetings
“Depending on where they are in their speaking career,
they might not be qualified to join NSA. I wasn’t when
I started either. I started going to meetings. Go to the
local chapter of NSA. Join as an apprentice. I get calls
from people who want to pick my brain. They want to
take me out to lunch. I don’t have time to have everybody
take me out to lunch and pick my brain or I probably
wouldn’t have a brain.”

“When they go to the local chapter they get to ask us
questions and have lunch with us. Get involved. Then
once you meet someone at that level you can say,
‘Is it all right if I call you for 10 minutes if I have a question?’
You limit the time. Then slowly work your way to getting
to know the people so you can ask them questions.”

* Volunteer
“I started volunteering from day one on different
committees. I’d carry the books or take care of the
audiovisual. I just wanted to be there and make
myself useful so I can be a part of the click so to speak.”

* Keep a Journal for Your Stories
“Little things connect us with our audiences. Why?
First, my audiences were not born in a village. They
really can’t identify. But the little stories – right off the bat,
they can identify with those stories. Early on I took
some classes in storytelling. I’d buy tapes and read books.
Life is storytelling in the making of it. You can’t wait to
go tell somebody about the speaker you’ve heard. You’re
not going to say “This speaker called out 5 points and I
want to share them with you.’ No. You’ll say, ‘I heard this
speaker. He told this story. It was amazing.’ Above all
when I share my story, I’m giving my audience the
permission to be open to their co-workers, to their friends,
to share their stories so they don’t have to be embarrassed
or afraid or ashamed. Really focus on the stories. Trust me.
No matter where you grew up – no matter what situation –
you have stories. There’s no such thing as
‘I don’t have any stories.”

* Learn From Every Speech
“My best advice is to record every speech from the beginning,
even if you’re speaking to your local civic club.”

* You Are Your Own Coach
“I believe in mentoring. I believe in coaches but I believe
ultimately I am my best coach. I know when I walk away
from the platform whether I did good or not.. Right after
the speech I know. I don’t really like feedback from the
audience. I get my feedback while I’m on stage from
the reactions I get. If they are laughing at my humor,
if they are reacting, or nodding, if I’m asking them
questions and they’re raising their hands,
I know I’m doing well.”

* Practice
“Speaking or telling a story is like learning a new step
or a golf swing or dance move. You can be awkward
for a long time but you keep practicing. Once you get
the step, like in a dance, you know you’ve got it.
You feel it in your body. You know that’s it. Don’t let
people tell you, ‘You’re not there yet.’ You know when
you’re not there. You just keep going back and keep
tweaking. Keep working it. Spend a lot of time working
on the speech because it’s the only marketing tool
that you actually have.”

* Knowledge is More Valuable Than Money
His latest book “Kick Your Excuses Goodbye.” has a
wonderful twist. One of those speakers from the
Renaissance Hotel wrote the foreword to Rene’s book.
Rene had helped him with his bags. The speaker
asked him, “I have $5 for a tip or a book. Which
one do you prefer? Rene said, Of course, the book.”
“I was a janitor in America. Whenever I would go to
the office to pick up the trash, I’d look at the letters
in the trash can because I didn’t speak any English.
I wanted to learn English, but more importantly I
wanted to learn how to write letters. I’d take the letters,
collect them and come home. I’d read the letters
to myself so that I could listen to my own voice.”

* Learn From Everything – Be Curious
Rene takes things from all sources and repackages
the info for his audiences along with a lesson.
Look for the best in everyone. Then emulate the best.
“Probably my biggest strength is that I learn from
people. I ask questions. When I go to meetings,
I seek out people. I’m not a pest. I’m very professional
about it. As you might know, I have a lot of contacts
with big names in the industry. But I don’t pick up the
phone. I go to the conventions where I know they are
attending. I get to go to lunch with them.”

* Staying Power
“I was watching an interview with Chef Boy R Dee years ago.
He said, ‘By the time I realized that I didn’t have enough
talent to be a chef, I was already too successful.’
What I got out of it was that if you stay in it long enough,
you may not be the best, but you will succeed at it.
Staying power is the key.”

Speaking Hero Tom Antion

2008-03-18T12:08:00.000-07:00

In The Moment With Tom Antion

This is the first in a series about Speaking Heroes.
What makes a Speaking Hero?
One who can stand out and bring
others to their own greatness. It is their
message, content, delivery,
information, willingness to share, and their heart, that
comes across on stage and makes them heroes.

Click here to download… Part of This Interview
or Click here to hear Tom

The audience was listening to every word. A cell phone rang. The
presenter stopped his presentation and looked in the direction of
the disturbance. Every one was silent, wondering what he’d do.
Not missing a beat in his presentation, he said, “If that’s my mother,
tell her I’m not married yet.” We all cracked up. The presenter was
speaking pro, Tom Antion. That’s the masterful way Tom handles
an audience.

Later in Tom’s talk, a person got up to walk out. Tom interrupted
them and said, “Excuse me. Come here. You need this.” He gave
them a big piece of paper with the words “Hall Pass.” It was another
crowd pleaser. Tom’s a master at taking things from the event
itself and weaving them seamlessly into his presentation. Tom speaks
in the moment, although many of these “spontaneous occurrences”
are actually from his suitcase of pre-planned, well-rehearsed
one-liners. You’ll find a long list of them on one of his web sites
www.public-speaking.org.

I first met Tom under some sad circumstances. Both of us spoke
at Dottie Walters memorial service. We both loved Dottie and learned
so much from her. Tom had the advantage of more years with
Dottie under his belt.

In the late 80’s, Tom was in the practical joke business, performing
for an entertainment company. But he kept thinking to himself,
“There must be something bigger than this for me. How can I take
my talents to the next level?” One day Tom was in Crown Books in
Greenbelt, Maryland, They were stocking the shelves. Tom leaned
back because a woman was coming through the aisle pushing a
baby stroller. Anyone who knows Dottie Walters’ story knows where
I’m going with this. Tom’s head hit a book. “Speak and Grow Rich,”
by Dottie Walters. In Dottie’s book, she tells how she saved the
family home by pushing her two babies in a stroller. Tom took the
sign, bought the book, called Dottie and booked a consultation
with her. They became good friends.

Dottie was a great influence on Tom in two ways - the things
she told him and the things he observed her doing. Tom often
helped Dottie give her “Speak and Grow Rich” seminars. “Every time
I helped Dottie,” Tom says, “she had loads of new material. Dottie
kept up with the latest on everything. She could’ve easily gotten
away with the same old stuff because there were new people in her
seminars all the time. But she didn’t. I may have been the only one
to notice that, but it had a huge impact on me.
I do all my seminars that way.”

It was Dottie who we can partially thank for Tom being so prolific.
“The thing Dottie told me that sticks out in my mind most vividly is,
‘Tom, you have to become a product machine.’ I didn’t get it in
the beginning. I got it a couple years later and I’ve been just cranking
out products like crazy. He certainly has. Today Tom has over 400
products. “That has created a massive presence for me and an enormous
cash flow. That’s what you’ve got to be because that also helps
spread your status as a celebrity and an expert,” he says. Tom could
quit working today, even tear down his web sites, and still earn
over $300,000 a year!

There are two main things Tom is passionate about: helping
people become professional level speakers and teaching them to
sell on the Internet. “My entire life, I’ve been doing what I want to do,“
says Tom. “I deal only with who I want to deal with. Most people go
through life and do what society expects them to do, try to get
a secure job, but live paycheck to paycheck. When I see this,” says
Tom, “I’m desperate to help them. I just love seeing people make the
transition to independence. That’s security for themselves and their
family. I’m no genius. I’m a hard worker who figured this out so
you don’t have to.”

Tom Has a Hero’s Heart

You can tell Tom enjoys speaking. His favorite part used to be the
laughter he’s been able to generate in his audiences “I really love
that part,” Tom said. “But recently I shifted a little bit. I’ve raised
a lot of money to give to those who are helpless. If someone is
standing on a street and can work, that’s not what I’m talking about.
If I give them money, I’m just teaching them to be a beggar.
They must learn to give value. I’ve raised $85,000 in one talk for
charity. It took fifteen minutes.” That is the power of influence.
Heroes have it. Especially Speaking Heroes.
(By the way, Tom has improved his track record. It used to
take him a whole hour to raise that much money.)

This ability to make a difference is what moves Tom’s heart. “That
money will feed 288 children for a year. Those little beings are
helpless,” Tom states. He’s also raised an enormous amount for
another group of “helpless beings.” “One of my favorite sites is
www.iamnotapoodle.com,” say Tom. ‘I’ve got two little Bichon Frise
rescue dogs. They’re just the cutest little things. I’ve got them right
here in the office with me right now. Maggie and Baby. Baby was
totally hairless which doesn’t look too good on a Bichon. They’re
really white fluffy dogs. We’re rehabilitating her. When you take these
dogs out, they’re so pretty with this big, white, fluffy fur, people say,
‘Hey what a cute poodle you have.’ Well it’s not a poodle. It’s a Bichon
and they’re going to get a complex if you keep saying that. We’re
going to have to go to the doggie psychiatrist over this. So we came
up with the site. We sell little t-shirts for the dogs that say, ‘I am not
a poodle.’ We have T-shirts for the owners that say, ‘My Bichon Frise
is smarter than your honor roll student.’ That’s where the humor
comes in. Ideas for websites can come out of nowhere. Everybody
was calling them a poodle. They’re not. We give a lot of money from
that site to Tidewater Bichon Rescue. It’s another way to help out
and have fun doing it.”

How did this Speaking Hero get such a great sense of sense of humor?
Tom said, “I think it came because I was the baby of six boys in
Claysville, Pennsylvania. You take one step and you fall off the face
of the earth. The town population was 500 and we lived in the
suburbs. I was by myself a lot. All my brothers were grown up
and gone so I had to amuse myself out in the middle of nowhere.
We didn’t even have any good farm animals to talk to. I got a
vivid imagination. It eventually led to the profession I had for six
years with an entertainment company. We custom designed
practical jokes like Candid Camera. I’m pretty sure that stemmed
from the fact that I spent a lot of time alone.”

A Hero’s Heroes

For someone so comfortable and impactful on the stage, who are
Tom’s Speaking Heroes? “I’m pretty hard to impress,” Tom says,
“but when I first broke into speaking, a couple stood out.
David Ring. I think he was a preacher. David had cerebral palsy.
He limped out on stage, looked at the 2,000 people in the
audience and said, ‘I have cerebral palsy. What’s your problem?’
It immediately broke the ice. During his speech David took us on
the most beautiful up and down ride. He had us laughing and crying.
He was a true master of the stage.”

“The other was Florence Littauer. She came from some pretty
extreme circumstances and crafted a speech called, “The Silver Box.”
It was about creating a gift for people with the words you use that
build them up. She was a master of the platform.”

Tom loves the speaking profession. “There are tremendous
benefits,” he says. “The financial rewards are pretty obvious.
You can look at speaker’s bureaus and see the amount of money
they’re charging for people you’ve probably never heard of. Your
social life will probably improve. People see you on stage and
they’ll want to take you to dinner. People will want to invite you
to their homes. Pretty much because of my enormous ezine, I can
go to just about any country in this world and somebody will invite
me to stay in their home because they’ve heard of me and know me.
So there’s a tremendous increase in your social life.”

“The emotional benefits are priceless. I had a lady in seminar on
“How to use humor in speeches.” She’s the only one not laughing
the whole day. You can’t miss this. I figured I must’ve said something
wrong. The whole day I’m thinking that this lady’s going to unload on
me. At the end of the day, everybody left. My assistants all packed up
but she’s hanging around. I’m thinking ‘Oh my God. I’m going to get
an ear beating today.’ I don’t know what I did but I’m just going to
take it. I don’t want to ruin this whole day by this lady being mad at me.’
She came up to me and said. ‘You know Tom, when I was a child, my
parents would tell me to sit down, shut up, and wipe that stupid smile
off that face. I never thought I could have humor in my life…until today.’
She’s in tears and I start crying too. We’re blubbering all over the place.
The whole day I’d been thinking I did something wrong
when I actually did something really, really right.”

“Luckily she talked to me about it. I’d have gone the rest of my life
thinking this lady was mad at me. A lot of people out there will never
come up to you even if you’ve touched their lives. That’s why you have
to be very careful what you say up there because somebody could be
hanging on a thread and you’re their last hope. There are speakers
I know that have gotten letters that people didn’t commit suicide
because of what they said. These emotional benefits of how you can
help people are priceless.”

The Number One Thing a Speaker Should Do

With all that experience and knowledge inside Tom, what advice
would he give to speakers out there? Tom says to focus first on
making enough money. “Because if you can’t stay in the business,
no one’s going to hear your great message.” Tom says that a lot of
great speakers are lousy marketers.

“One of the saddest things is when somebody who has a
tremendous message that could help hundreds of thousands of
people, can’t stay in the speaking business long enough to be
able to get that message out to the people that need it. They
must spend a portion of their time marketing themselves.
The way I do it is a little different. What I do is “media market.”
I’d make sure people heard about me on the radio, or read about
me in magazines and newspapers, or on TV. Whatever I could do
to make them hear about me.”

“One way that’s very effective is to attract the trade journals of
an industry. Those are the industry magazines that people read.
They’re a lot easier to get into than the mainstream media. Every
industry has one or more trade magazines. Of course, the bio line
would say that Tom Antion is an expert on so-and-so and speaks
on so-and-so. They’d call me. When someone calls you, the whole
power struggle of the call changes. Instead of you calling them and
saying ‘Oh, do you book speakers? Do you have a budget?’ they’re
calling you and saying, ‘Can we afford you?’ and ‘Are you available?’
That’s a whole different animal there.”

Master of the Internet

Tom is a master of the internet. Maybe even an internet hero too.
“Once the internet came along, I said, ‘Wow this is great! Not only
can I be in the mainstream media but also I can have an enormous
web presence. That’s when I started really learning the Internet.
I realized all these people could see me right in front of their computer.
I jumped on the internet bandwagon with both feet. The internet is the
first place somebody’s going to check you out. They’re going to go see
if they like you or what your presence is before they call you.
Another key point is once you reach your fee level, the only way to get
ahead is to get better known. If you’re more well known, you can
exceed the average, or even the top fee range for an industry if
you’re a celebrity in that industry. That’s the way I do it.” Tom now
has a massive Internet presence. “That’s by design and it’s much
cheaper to do,” he says.

Speakers Must Be Entrepreneurs

Tom has some observations about entrepreneurs. He says many small
business owners are told to delegate but Tom says that this is a sure
way to the poor house. “Some things need to be delegated but by
learning how to do certain things yourself, it frees you from enormous
expense and gives you the knowledge you need so that you don’t
get taken for a ride by your designers and the other people you hire.”
Although Tom could well afford now to hire any web designer,
he says he has probably created 10,000 web pages while he’s watched TV.

Yes, Tom Antion is a Speaking Hero. And he has created many other
heroes. One of his success stories is Joan Stewart, “The Publicity
Hound.” Joan wanted to work from her home in rural Wisconsin.
Tom loves to tell about Joan’s deer mural on her basement wall.
Tom has helped Joan create about 60 products and make a very
nice five-figure income – per month! “She took my Butt Camp,
(Tom’s humorous take on creating money while you sit at your
computer). I’m really proud of her. I’ve had 600 students and
many of them now make, $5,000, $10,000 or $20,000 a month.”

No one standing on the platform has got there without making a
mistake or two– even a Speaking Hero. So to prevent any of you out
there from making this same faux pas, Tom shares it. “ The biggest
mistake I’ve ever made speaking was when I was telling an audience
how they should create a nice work space and surround themselves
with photos of their family, their pets, their children, and
grandchildren.

I had the crowd laughing and having a great time. I went up to this
woman and said, ‘Don’t you agree? Don’t you think you should have
photos of your grandchildren on your desk?’ She didn't answer.
The room went instantly silent. They’d been laughing just
a moment before. I pushed it and asked her again. More silence.
Luckily it was near the end of my presentation. I found out
afterwards that she was only 36 years old!” Tom and I concurred.
Never “suggest” a woman’s age, nor presume a pregnancy.

The Hero Behind The Hero

What would Tom say his best trait is? Probably “tenacity,” he says.
Tom learned it from his father. “My dad only went through the
second grade. He came over on a cattle boat from Syria when he
was a little child. He grew up with nothing, educated himself,
and shined shoes. When he had me I think he was in his fifties.
I was the baby of six boys. Dad told me that even when I was just
crawling, he’d throw pillows in front of me and put my toys on the
others side of them to teach me to overcome obstacles. He thought
he might not be around when this child grew up so he had to make
him tough. To this day, I’m totally unstoppable. I won’t cheat, or steal,
or step on people, but I’m going to get there - if there’s a goal worth
going after. I’d probably say “tenacity” and
it was all because of my dad.”

Is video on the internet going to explode? Here’s Tom’s take. “That’s
an understatement,” Tom said. “I’ve created 200 videos last month.
As we’re recording this, there’s a big thing going on with google
called “google universal search’ where they’re now putting video
responses in with the main search results. I’ve been jumping on this
like crazy. I shot ten maybe fifteen this morning before I came into
work. It’s based on keywords that people are searching for. I make
the video match the keywords. Then I load them up to youtube.com
and about thirty-five other sites. I’ve been doing this since 1994.
I’ve never seen a place where you could dominate the search engines.
I never believed this would ever come about again but because they’re
starting to put videos in, it’s like the Wild West out there. Back in the
old days (1994) I was able to dominate the search engines with maybe
4 or 5 out of the top 10. Now on many of my keywords, I’m getting 20 or
30 results because of all these video sites that are getting a lot of
credence in the search engines.”

“Today is the time to jump on this. You can set up a little place in
your house with a video camera, some lights and just knock out
videos like crazy. Little short ones, just two minutes or so. You can
just go to Youtube, type in “antion.” As soon as you find one of my
videos, you can click on the little link that says “antion” and it takes
you to all of them. Today there’s about 210 videos up right now.
It’s increasing all the time. Yes, I’m definitely going crazy on video.”

“Anybody can do it. One of my students shot a little video of a product
that she liked, put it up there and got $407 in commissions in the
first hour. She was an affiliate of some other company. She didn’t
even have her own product. So it’s really a time to jump on.”

The Future For Speakers?

“I can picture myself on stage somewhere as a hologram,” said Tom.
“People will think it’s me. You’ll think I’m up there giving my message
but I’ll actually be at home eating a pizza.” Seriously Tom says he feels
that “From now till eternity, there will always be the value of a live
person in front of you, inspiring you.” I agree. Especially if it’s Tom Antion.

“The Speaking Business is one of the most rewarding, financially,
emotionally and in helping people and beings who are helpless,” says
Tom. “To do it – you must be serious. There are challenges but if
you stick with it, the rewards far outweigh the tough stuff.”

Tom’s “Speaking Hero” Tips

* Follow The Leader
“Others can be heroes of the stage if they can use that privilege that
they have up there to do tremendous good for people,” says Tom.
“When you’re onstage and you do a great job, people revere you.
People will follow you. People listen to you. It’s your choice if you
want them to follow you and do good things, or follow you and do
bad things. I say do good things. Find some charities you can tie
yourself to.” For Tom it was the Bichon animal rescue and the
children he wanted to help. People are happy to help, given the
opportunity pointed out by a hero. “If you’d just be the leader and
help them and make it easy for them to help others,” Tom says,
“you can do a tremendous amount of good. Although you might
not be heroes to the people in the audience, you’re heroes to all
those helpless beings and souls in the world that can’t stand up
for themselves.”

* Use Technology and Keep Your Education Current
Use mobile universities, the latest in computers and Ipods, “I have
an ipod on my desk I can hardly find it’s so small,” said Tom.
“Give teleseminars.“ Tom uses all the tools available now to help
him stay at the top.

* Listen
While the other speakers were talking, Tom seemed to be sitting
over on the side working. He was actually taking notes quietly
in the background. At the end of the seminar. Tom was able to
deliver an outstandingly funny list of the many things they’d said.
It made Tom an even bigger Speaking Hero. Tom follows his own
advice: “Listen to other speakers and write down things
that will be funny later.”

* Become a Product Machine
By continually sharing his knowledge and expertise Tom has created
an empire which he shows people how to emulate. Tom imparts very
beneficial information from his years of experience. “I love to create
things that never existed before.” Tom created his retreat center at
his own “home” where clients come and actually live with him, eat
with him, and work in his TV studio.”

* Communicate and Have Fun
Watch Tom and that will be obvious!

* Look for Media Opportunities to Influence More People
Use the media so that people hear about you. “Cold calling? said Tom.
“I did that for maybe ten minutes fifteen years ago. When I first started
out, the goal was to do everything you could to get your name seen at
every possible place on earth. Use the internet to full advantage”

To find out more about Tom go to www.amazingpublicspeakers.com.
There are over 250 videos there. You can join for a $5 trial. Tom says,
“This site is a reflection of what my dad taught me years ago.
‘Be really good at something and people will notice and ask you
to help them learn how to do it too.’ It’s a membership site
that teaches you all the stuff I’ve learned in the speaking business
via video, audio, and written articles. We have over 250 videos there.
Teaching you the things that I’ve been learning over the past years.”

Tom got so good selling on the Internet, people started begging him
to teach them. That’s how www.greatinternetmarketingtraining.com was spawned. “This big mansion I live in where people come in and study with
me which is the only place in the world you can do this.
They can watch a video there.”

www.kickstartvideos.com is where you can
see a half hour television show where Tom talks about the nine different
revenue streams he has.

“www.antion.com is my first site.
I don’t solicit speaking engagements anymore. It’s just there and it gets
enormous traffic. Most of the time, it’s by people that want to learn to be a speaker.”

“I also have www.public-speaking.org.
Now this is a lousy domain name by present day standards but it’s a
“Best of the Web” in Inc. Magazine. The panel of CEO’s said ‘Hey it was
easy to get around and we found what we wanted fast.’
So it beat out three other million-dollar websites.

Tom Antion is a true Speaking Hero. Watch him when you can.
And if you are ready, Tom can guide you to become a hero in your niche too.

Terri Marie is an award winning author, producer and composer.
You can sign up for The Spiritual Arena News at
www.spiritualarena.com and get a “Year of Cheer.”

The Chicken and The Eagle

2008-03-18T11:24:00.000-07:00

Here is a little web movie I did for my good friend Dr. Eldon Taylor of Progressive Awareness Research. Eldon is the New York Times best selling author of "Choices and Illusions." This is one of the stories from his ground breaking book on the mind and subliminal learning.

Enjoy,

Terri Marie

A Hero's Resolutions

2008-02-23T20:23:00.000-08:00

Resolutions of a Hero
Terri Marie

By now many of us have forgotten the “newness” of the year
and have become swept away in the relentless flow of 2008.
If we keep in mind the qualities that are needed in our new
world of vast and rapid changes, we can better ride with joy
the wave of change that is occurring all around us. That is
to travel through life as a hero does.

If a hero were to make resolutions what would be on the list?
For the hero in you, the part of you that does want to approach
each moment with freshness, I have compiled this list.

1. I Resolve to Empower Not Just Help.
To empower is to build the human master blocks for a
better world where everyone is truly needed and respected.
Scott McOwen, (a past Hero of the Month and continual hero)
empowers people and business to grow into their true success
by gifting them with inner tools that are used to create outer
success in the business game. Scott puts a piece of his life
knowledge into the business spirit of those he helps. Scott empowers.

2. I Resolve to Listen Inward.
Pay more attention to the things that inspire a hero.
Remember Dr. Frances Mead-Messinger’s (another Hero of the Month)
thought in the orphanage about how she must help the other
little girls there. That was an inspired thought. We all have great
thoughts, but most flit quickly away unless we catch the thought
and give it life through us. Listen for your inspired thoughts.

3. I Resolve to Emulate Other Heroes.
We all have those we admire and wish to model. All heroes
that you respect have built on the success and traits of heroes
they admired. This creates a wonderful chain of heroes.
Choose your heroes wisely.

4. I Resolve to Choose the High Form of Courage – “en” not “dis.”
To encourage is to “enable. empower and enrich” a life.
To discourage is to “distract, displace, and disturb” a hero’s energy.
Encourage every potential hero you see, “en”cluding yourself.

5. I Resolve to Be a Bit Outrageous.
To reach the divine you need a touch of madness. Like a pinch
of salt added to a recipe, it adds more heroic flavor to our
personality. Heroes aren’t meek, only when in disguise like
Clark Kent. True heroes stand strong with great tenacity of spirit,
supported with a shield of truth, which allows truth through,
but banishes deception.

6. I Resolve to Give Joy.
Heroes Serve Joy. Do you think your circumstances excuse
you from feeling joy and serving joy to your self and others?
Watch the “Life is Beautiful” movie. Tell me that isn’t one of the
most heroic things you’ve ever seen. Joy in the midst of despair
is the most perfect and pure joy there is.

7. I Resolve to Serve Hope. Ann Frank is a great example of this.
While Ann did not last very long after writing her timeless words
of hope, those words from her spirit, her gift of hope did. The
hope you serve to others will live far beyond whatever else you
may serve them– except Love. Hope is a child of love.

8. I Resolve to Develop My Intuition.
Heroes use intuition not just their mind and heart in making
decisions. It’s an extra ingredient that encourages and empowers.
Your intuition knows the best answers for you.

9. I Resolve to See More Options.
Heroes see more options when they rate a challenge.
More opportunities become aware to them that can result in
solutions, often with unexpected beneficial byproducts.
A hero is reborn every moment with each independent choice.

10. I Resolve to Keep Going.
When heroes feel like quitting, they go just a little farther.
It’s the tiny increments, when we normally quit or turn back,
that break us through to new levels. It’s where every successful
person I know made their breakthrough. Just one more try.
Yoda said, “Do or do not. There is no try.’ In spite of his cuteness
and wisdom, I believe in trying. Try it out. Then if it doesn’t work,
try something else. We try on clothes. We try out furniture.
“Try” can lead to doing.
Taking a better aim turns “try” into “do” into “success.”

11. I Resolve to Make Time.
Heroes expand time. They “make” time. Heroes know that
opportunity is waiting around every corner of time. Each moment
of being aware brings great potential for a miracle and
heroes make time for them.

12. I Resolve to Allow the Life Force to Move Through Me.
We all can do this. It depends on how open we are as the
vessels of life. In a moment of service, heroes don’t forget
about themselves. They transcend themselves. There they reach a
new energy – the Hero Energy. The soul of the hero. This is
being truly alive. It is a new resolution of life.

We are almost at the end of the second month of 2008 already.
That didn’t take long at all did it? 60 days of consistently using
a new thought or habit will “set” it in your brain and psyche.

“Try” each one of these resolutions for 30 days apiece.
There’s one for every month of the year. Put the hero resolutions
into your life and you can become the hero that will change the world.

Resolve to Live Like the Hero You Are!

Terri Marie
Award-winning author of “Be the Hero of Your Own Game”
www.spiritualarena.com

The Christmas Hero

2008-01-22T09:38:00.000-08:00

We can get so tangled up in Christmas
preparations that we don’t see the meaning.

This year instead of trimming the tree,
decorate your heart for Christmas
Adorn it with Love, Hope, Time, and Memories
that can’t be bought or lost
Give a box of Love
Cook up some joy
Put out a bowl of thanks
Spice up your spirit
Sparkle up your smile
Light up your eyes
Serve up some good cheer
Send a holiday kiss and hug to the great human heart
And carry the precious Baby Jesus to all those you touch.
Forever.

It may have been the gift God intended to present to us

It’s inexpensive and it lasts forever.

And we don’t have to take any of it down.

May your spirit be trimmed with the Christmas Hero

The Christmas Hero is the one who lives in your heart
any minute, any second , any instant you live with Love.

Lauren's Legacy

2007-11-29T08:00:00.000-08:00

The phone rang. I’d been climbing a mountain and pulled my
cell phone from my backpack, surprised it worked up there.
It was Lauren Kelly, my interview for this month’s “Hero.”
We set up a time for the interview later that evening. I called
out to my hiking friend Lisa. She yelled back “I’m over here!”
dangling her feet off a sheer cliff like you see in those pictures
of the Grand Canyon. I knew I’d never climb that. I walked a
little closer. Then a little more. Before I knew it, I’d committed
myself. Now I was perched on a precariously steep cliff holding
on for dear life – mine! Every footstep needed 100% concentration
to make sure each rock would hold. There was no margin of error
along that unsurvivable drop-off. The focus required was
tremendous. I used every bit of positive thinking I had. I had to
refuse fear’s seductive invitation. Fear could’ve killed me. It was
one of the hardest things I’ve done. Nothing to hang onto but a prayer.

Describing that story to Lauren, I learned who Lauren Kelly was.
She said, “I know exactly the situation you were in.” Lauren had
climbed Mt. Whitney. Twice. My respect for her grew immensely.
It was one of a series of “challenges’ Lauren gave herself for her
50th birthday. Lauren set off with eight friends. “I made the
commitment. We climbed one June day. The mountain was still
snow-covered which created a lot more work. We hadn’t taken
enough food or water. The climb down was even more dangerous
because we lacked provisions. There were two ways down, both
extremely dangerous but it was an awesome experience.”

Challenges aren’t new to Lauren. She gave herself another
birthday challenge - run a marathon. “I learned I can do anything
I set my mind to. It was 9 months of training. Six people at work
said, “Let’s do a marathon.” They all backed out. I made the
commitment. I did it.”

“One training day in March, the weather was very stormy. I was
soaked to the bone. It was a very cold 17 mile run that day.” But
it conditioned Lauren for the real marathon. “A lot of people fell
out because of heat. I ran with a team. I was older than any of them
but I finished. I was ready. I remember coming across the finish line,
filled with emotion.”

Lauren’s current challenges are her call to leadership. She is
President of the Ocean Festival, an International Director for the
Toastmasters Organization, and she has a regular job as a project manager!

The popular San Clemente Ocean Festival takes a full year of
planning and commitment by 18 dedicated executive board members.
A friend invited Lauren to be on the Ocean Festival board. She
knew of Lauren’s passion for volunteering. “That was ten years ago.
They really needed structure,” Lauren said. “They didn’t have a budget.
How do you operate? How do you know if you had a successful event?
We’ve come a long way since then. It’s an important event that takes
constant teamwork throughout the year because different parts have
to come together at different times.”

“We added a surfing component three years ago and hired a paid
consultant. For 2 years in a row we weren’t making money. The
board hadn’t come up with a plan. We bought the consultant in to
discuss it. He walked in the door with the whole new plan.
Now it’s wildly successful. It was magical.”

To serve as International Director of Toastmasters
is a great honor and a great responsibility.
You don’t get there without years of dedicated service.
Lauren’s been in the San Clemente club for 20 years.
She’s been club president several times and held offices
the other years. Hundreds of people have come through the club,
increasing their speaking abilities and confidence. The club had a
few famous members walk through its doors. “When they were
teenagers, Kyle and Keith Healy wrote a book,” Lauren said. “They
knew they’d need to promote it and came to our club to improve
their speaking skills. They’ve had numerous TV and radio appearances
since.” Lauren’s reward is seeing people have fun.
She loves seeing the growth in people.

Lauren’s role as International Director is very time-consuming.
Toastmasters is currently restructuring the organization – a huge task.
Lauren‘s influence will affect the organization for years to come.
“It’s near and dear to my heart,” Her most memorable speech was
the one she prepared as International Director called, “Set an Example.”
Lauren says, “ How do we learn? By what we see around us. I’m
talking to Toastmasters but it applies to everyone.

"If we want to build leaders,
we have to be the leader we’re looking for.”

Her focus now is her children and grandchildren and caring for the
future, her top priority. Lauren tells parents, “Have a very deep love
for your kids and your grandkids. Be really present. I have a huge
commitment to my grandchildren to see that they are all they can be
in their lives. I was a different person raising my children. Today I’m
a much fuller person. My big goal other than my grandchildren is
I want to be more present.”

Last month I wrote on teammates. Lauren is both a great cheerleader
and a great leader, which is unique in the same person. The greatest
of leaders builds other leaders. Lauren’s legacy will be carried inside
people, the gift of a true leader, making a huge difference in many
people’s lives.

Always Live Like the Hero You Are!

Terri Marie
Award-winning author of “Be the Hero of Your Own Game”
www.spiritualarena.com

Lauren’s Lessons

* Believe in Yourself
Lauren learned this from her mentors. “I’ve had a hard time
getting there - believing I have all I need to live my life the
way I need to.” Yet Lauren believed she could do every
one of those challenges and she did.

* Set Good Examples
“It’s so important for us to set an example. People are watching you.
Always be aware of what you are doing, especially as leaders.
My grandchildren watch me like a hawk. I want them to have
the best life possible so I set the best example I can.
My grandchildren are so precious to me.”

* Whitney's Lesson
Lauren’s best advice? “Always travel with friends and take enough
provisions. My first climb was life changing.”
Her McKinley climb took 14 hours.

* Making Teams Work
When a team has a challenge, Lauren gets on phone. She asks
a wonderful question. “What do you see that’s different than what I see?”
Each team member has different skills and expectations of other
team members. Lauren works to help ensure expectations
between team members are realistic.

* Have Patience and Compassion for Where People Are
People are at different stages in life. Lauren says, “It’s so easy to forget
they haven’t walked the same path I have. There has to be room for that.
They don’t know all there is to know.” Cut people some slack as they
grow into their better selves.

* Give Yourself Birthday Challenges Each Year
Instead of just celebrating your birthday for one day – give yourself
a huge goal. One so big that to accomplish it will make you a better
person. I can guarantee that if you’ve never climbed a big mountain
and you do, you will change! Each year we should get better.
People like Lauren show us how.

* Admire Wisdom Immensely
Lauren admires “Those who can look at a situation, evaluate it
and do quick problem solving.” What you admire, you build in yourself.

* Be Caring
Lauren says, “I have a deep sense of respect for other people
who act caring and have a desire to help others.”

* Keep Your Commitments
“I just don’t back out,” says Lauren. It drives her to do
things that require huge commitments, but have huge payoffs.
Make a decision and never back away from it.

* Ask Questions
“I am one that asks a lot of questions if something doesn’t feel right.
If I don’t know how I can sell that to Toastmasters, I speak up.
I’m a thorn but we need to make it right.”

Teammates Matter

2007-11-02T08:53:00.000-07:00

Using a team of “Heroes” to accomplish your goals
Terri Marie

“Oh put me in coach. I’m ready to play today.”
John Fogerty

The most exciting games we watch involve teams.
The most rewarding “life games” we play are within teams.
Do you know how to put a great team together? Do you
know how to make yourself into a valuable team member
so others want to climb on board and “play” with you?
Look around you. All great things were built by great
teams. It is a joy and a blessing to be part of such
a team, When your team is full of heroes,
the experience is unsurpassable

One such team has taught me enormous lessons. It is
AFTA’s Board, Association for the Amphitheater. I’d
like to share with you the traits of this team
that enable success.

Every Team Needs a Big Kick-Off
We got one from Alice Netzen, the grand
lady, whose love for this dream kick-started it with
her generous financial gift. It put us in the game.
You definitely want someone like Alice on your team.
Alice’s singing can bring a tear to just about any eye.
She holds pure love for our dream. Your kick-off will
be your first book-end. The 2nd will be your dream come true.

Every Team Needs a Good Cheerleader
Ann Dickson is our cheerleader.
If you need a smile, this teammate had one. If you
accomplished something, Ann was the first to email and
load you with praises. Ann and Alice gazed upon the
glorious rainbow that appeared for our first fundraiser.
That must’ve spurred them, on for they bring that
enthusiasm to every team event and practice. Ann
has a great business sense but cheer is needed
for any team in the “game.”

Every Team Needs a Good Negotiator
Dick Dickey started negotiations
with the city council and engineers. He did much of
the “groundwork” that laid a beautiful foundation
of relationships - absolutely necessary as a precursor
to any physical structure. Your team is a small circle
of a much larger circle of influencers
that you must develop.

Every Team Needs a Pinch Hitter
A non-profit team needs to have a reputable treasurer.
Enter Bill Lynam. Not only our highly
capable treasurer, but our beloved friend who steps
in to fill almost any AFTA shoes. Bill does a little
of this and a little of that, and like a magician
starts the alchemy of our dream boiling. Find and
“treasure” your pinch hitter. Especially at the start
of your venture, team members may need to fill many roles.

A Team Needs a Record Keeper
A scorekeeper tells you where you have been, what you
are going to do, and how. It’s a list of successful
steps to your goal. Prescott Cogswell
is our Secretary. Lending his calm, kind demeanor.
Prescott’s diligence and care ensured countless
requirements for a non-profit and its continual upkeep.
Prescott, our gentleman. Every team needs a few.

Teams Need a Nourisher
It sure helps to have a nourisher on our team.
Wilma Cogswell soothed our journey
with her excellent warm cups of coffee and fantastic
arrays of delectable snacks. Ask any board member.
Most of us made a dash to the refreshments before
anything else. “What agenda? There’s coffee and brownies!”
Don’t overlook how a good nourisher makes the team feel.
You’ve got to keep spirits and energy high.

Teams Grow by Connectors
Sheri and Bob Veach know the
value of connections, of knowing whom to contact.
The connections that teammates make, create a web
that holds your dream in place until it’s ready
to go out and be manifested.

Teams Need Strategy
When our team needed the strategic direction
providing clear structure, focus, and delegating ability,
Lee Van Sykle came in. Many times
it was Lee himself who did staggering amounts of work
to keep our dream from getting tackled. Lee has been
a glorious guide, pulling countless pieces of the
AFTA puzzle into our midst. The contribution of a
strategist is enormous. You absolutely must have a
strategist on your team. A strategist won’t take over,
but will take charge of your plans.

There Needs to be a Steward on Your Team
Warren Willard: Someone needs to do
the daily tasks of sticking to the dream. Like glue,
they won’t let it fall apart. By steady action, you
move your dream forward. Warren did this by working on
fundraisers, constant community awareness programs, and
countless things that need to be done to raise an
amphitheater. You need steady support and
actions by your team.

You Need a Powerhouse of Energy
Dena Van Slyke: Dena was a huge catalyst
in making the leap from dream to reality. This teammate’s
knowledge of the next critical step, lifted our team’s
dream out of its idea state to a concrete viable vision.
There must be high energy within your team members.

Dedicated Supporters Grow Your Team
Dorothy Fuller lent her persona
and her photographs, and joined the cheering section.
The bigger the cheering section the better. Due to a
stroke, Dorothy had to resign from active participation.
But even in the hospital, Dorothy wanted to make sure
we had access to her photos to sell for our fundraisers.
That’s dedication. Find people like that.
They will never let your team down.

Every Team Needs a Founder
Someone with the idea to put together the initial team.
For us that is Jerry Velasco.
What can I say about our beloved president? We all feel
immense gratitude for the bearer of our dream.
Make sure your team founder has enough courage, vision,
and passion to embrace that dream. Jerry carried his
dream over many, many miles of what must’ve seemed
like an endless road, until, one by one, we met Jerry
along the journey and we too, started carrying “The Dream.”
Jerry, you ignited the visions within us all. Make sure
you only join teams whose founders have Jerry’s kind
of passion for giving.

All Teams Need Someone to Share the Vision
Teams grow by igniting a vision within others. My contribution?
Some PR, a blog, and a website that almost killed me.
To date, probably the most help I’ve given is a little
movie my company produced to share what we “envision”
for our beloved San Clemente and its residents - “The Dream.”
You can see it on www.youtube.com. Type in “san clemente dreams.”
It will show up. See why we’re excited?

Learn to look for and appreciate the great gifts each
team member brings to the table. Your teams can give
your life great meaning and purpose.

Our team took a true hero’s journey. Your team may go
into the unknown, face giant obstacles that seem like a
never-ending journey, but before you know it, with your
own great team, you too, will have lived the dream.

Live like a hero!

Terri Marie
Award-winning author of “Be the Hero of Your Own Game”
www.spiritualarena.com

Do you have a team that accomplishes goals? Here are
tips for creating an excellent team – assuming you
have a goal that you too, are passionate about and committed to.

TEAM MATES TIPS

* Build Your Foundation on Trust
The best way to develop trust is to do what you say you’re going to do.
That way, you’ll trust yourself. Then the leap to knowing whom to trust
and how, won’t be as great.

* Develop a Cohesive Rhythm
Some team members put on the brakes. Some push on the gas pedal.
The key is knowing when to do either. When the lights are green, you
want the team to give it as much gas as possible. You must sustain the
effort, until you reach the next possibly hazardous intersection,
where some precaution and prudence is required.

* A Team Stays for the Long Haul
When you’re taking a journey it’s usually best not to get off the
train mid-trip. When things got tough or stagnated,
our team held on. Make sure your team does too.

* Every Dream Has its Hibernation Time
We made it through because of a good team and a good dream.
Both need time to form correctly and grow in a way
that will fit into its environment.

* Look for Passion
Is there equal passion among members? How real is the goal
or dream or end zone in everyone’s mind? You will hear or
see this in your teammates speech, and actions. Passion,
like cream, always rises to the surface.
It never lays hidden on the bottom.

* Accept Outside Help
While Alice Netzen is still no longer board member,
we still call on her to help. Accept help if someone can
only play on your team for a little while. They are offering a gift.
Use it wisely.

* There is a Rhythm to a Great Team
Sometimes one or two members will seem to be carrying
the load. Quite possibly, they are running toward the end
zone and making great progress. The best thing the other
teammates can do is get out of their way or keep others
away from them in order to not stagnate their progress.

* When Someone Drops the Ball, Help Them Up
Every team member will occasionally drop the ball.
Don’t dwell on it. Help them get back on their feet
and send in a good cheerleader.

* Give Team Mates Time to Develop or Use Their Gifts
Don’t give up on a team member when talents may appear
to be hidden. Talents could be dormant, just waiting for the
right circumstances to shine. If you don’t see something right
away, as long as they have the passion for “ the Dream” hold
onto them. They are jewels that just needs a little polishing
or a little time to shine. Often the right circumstances will
unfold and they will show their brilliance.

* People Contribute Talents in Different Ways
If you stop expecting teammates to contribute the way you
have in mind, they often give something even more valuable
to your team than if you controlled it. The greatest work and
good comes from lack of control, not control of lack.

* No Judging Your Team Mates
Judging is for courts. You’re on a team.

Creating Permanent Butterflies

2007-09-24T12:43:00.000-07:00

Pamela Harper

Imagine what it ‘s like to talk to
someone and not hear negativity.
Not a word. No complaining.
No bad predictions. I don’t think
Pamela Harper, transformational specialist,
ever uses the word “no.”
She didn’t even blame her alcoholic father.

Pamela’s company is called Permanent Changes, symbolized by
a beautiful yellow butterfly. Pamela says, “A caterpillar never goes
back to being a caterpillar once it becomes a butterfly.”

After one of her recent events, Pamela watched participants come
out of their hypnotic state. “I saw the brightness coming through
their eyes and thought, ‘I don’t think I could ever give this up.
It feels too great.”

Go back to February of 2004. Pamela read “The E Myth” by Michael
Gerber and decided she wanted residual income, got into an MLM
and went to top of the company in two months. Then the company
folded. ”I went to bed that night and said to spirit, ‘What was that
all about?’ I woke early the next morning. I remember well, it was
a Tuesday. My mind was alive and ablaze with an idea –
The University of Masters.”

Pam asked her husband to check if the domain name
www.universityofmasters.com. was available. It was. That’s a miracle.
Pamela said, “In three hours I had the whole company designed.
My mission statement…everything.” It fit perfectly.

How does one grow up to become an agent for
transformative change?

"When I was a little girl, we were very poor.
I always loved to write. When I was 8 years old,
I sold greeting cards door-to-door to earn enough
money to buy a toy typewriter, so I could write a
neighborhood newsletter. I interviewed my neighbors
and wrote my own opinions about issues.”

Coming from a very hard working family Pamela was
never allowed to read fiction because there was
no benefit to it. (Try telling that to J.K. Rowland.)
“If you worked really hard you could get ahead, but
you weren’t supposed to be too happy.”
Pamela wanted to change that.

In high school, Pamela took speaking, acting,
and wrote for the high school newspaper. Her first
degree was in journalism, followed by counseling
and nursing; degrees that give diagnosis based on
symptoms. “Whether it’s sadness, a relationship
or career not working, or pain, “ Pamela says,
“those are just symptoms. The underlying cause
is being out of balance in some area of your life.
Your body talks to you really well. It may tense
up, get fluttery, or get a headache. Your body
is telling you it’s losing energy. It’s out of balance.
One way to notice this is to ask how you feel in your
body when you first develop the symptom. The best way
to disengage from that is to say, ‘Oh look my chest
is tightening up.’ Your heart doesn’t yell,
‘There’s too much stress in your life.’ You get chest
pains. We say, ‘That’s a pain in the butt.’ or
‘What a heartache.’ The body hears that.”

People always came to Pamela with their stuff because
she seemed to have an answer. “As a child I believed
everything was possible.“ Pam never lost that
“possibility” belief. “I knew it was a perfect world
and anyone who said otherwise was mistaken. Joy, peace,
health and wealth were the norm.”

What does Pamela see as the biggest problem people face?
“Believing in their own dreams,” she answers. “What
they desire is attainable, whether it’s health,
peace of mind, or getting rid of an addiction.
“Believing” is my mission. I’m transforming their doubt
into trust.” Pamela says many people don’t know what
they believe. “They’ll think it’s something completely
different. I’ll notice a mismatch of body language and
their words.” She checks in with a person’s energy and
listens to what they’re not saying. “Beliefs are
encoded as an energy field. I can find the moment
they developed that in the emotions that are attached to it.”

Pamela also participated in the best-selling book,
“Wake Up and Live the Life You Love.” It went to #1.
She gathered authors for another book in the series,
“Wake Up On an Enlightened Path.” Pamela compiled the book
and wrote the foreword.

To stay motivated herself. Pamela does daily practices.
“Self-hypnosis is mandatory for me. I’m a big one for
writing in my Truth Journal. I set my intention each day
and write my goals. It’s just quick, a small paragraph.
Sometimes I just write “world peace.” I am re-intending
my conscious mind. Then I use hypnosis to put it in.
I always notice self-talk, so I never say things
like, ‘I don’t have enough money.’ You’re re-creating
your world anyway. It might as well look the way
you want and build a happy ending.”

She says of those willing to take the journey.
“We all benefit from your acceleration and success.
The farther you prosper and fulfill your life purpose;
the sooner humanity flourishes in every way.
That is my whole essence for my life.”

Pamela wants to turn everyone into a butterfly.
She just might do it.

Live like a hero!

Terri Marie
Award-winning author of “Be the Hero of Your Own Game” and
“The Solution is at Hand: The Dottie Walters Story.”
www.spiritualarena.com

Pamela’s Life Lessons

* Ask a Great Question and You Will Get a Great Answer

Pamela asked a great question after the MLM company folded. “What
was that all about?” It opened the door for the new gift in her life.
Rather than fret, or complain, ask, “What could be the reason behind
this?” You might get a great answer as Pamela did.

*Be Diverse
Diversity Helps. The “Jack of all trades, master of none” is a myth.
We may, as Pamela does, become masters at many things. She is
counselor, hypnotherapist, seminar leader and author. If you, or
someone you know, does many things, they could be “bee-ing”
and pollinating a lot of future blossoms in their life.

* Breath is the Solution for Peace of Mind
A breath give you time to do what’s in harmony with what you
desire to create in your life. ”Take a deep breath. You cannot take a
deep breath and have a negative thought at the same time. That
allows you to take a moment to change your mind and do what’s
more in line with your good or purpose,” Pam says.

* Your Body is a Roadmap
“The body does what it’s told. If we walk around all day saying
I’m stressed – you will be.” Pamela heals by holding the vision of
what’s possible for people. She teaches people how to use their
bodies as the guidance systems that they are. “We make the body
into the enemy if it’s in pain. No. That’s a gift. It’s the only way it
can communicate and get our attention.”

* Eliminate the Negative
Pamela is aware of the enormous power of words and wants people
to realize the power they have to create, especially if you use the
same words over and over. What you tell yourself is even more
important than what others tell you.

* Look for the First Event
“Each time an emotion comes up, it’s attached to an original event,”
says Pamela. In her work she goes back to the first time the person
accepted that belief as truth. “That’s when it started to replicate
itself on a cellular level and grow,” she says. “That’s where it can change.”

* Anything is Possible
Use the power of belief. After all, if a caterpillar can learn
to fly – so can you!

NOTE: Pamela offers a Free Support Group the first Wednesday of
month at her office on 800 S. El Camino Real, San Clemente, CA
Suite 203 from 7-9pm. Call 949-388-2763.

Still "Getting Shep"

2007-09-06T20:10:00.000-07:00

Shep Shepard - 9 decades of Music

Sometimes a hero takes a journey that allows him to
bring a great talent to the world. Shep Shepard took such
a journey starting in the musical world of the 1930s.
Today at 90, Shep continues to entertain with his gift.
Listed in The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz, International
Who’s Who of Intellectuals and Who’s Who Among Black
Americans, “Shep” is a musical treasure.

Gushing with spunk, Berisford “Shep” Shepard was born
a traveling man. His mother-to-be was en route to
Philadelphia when the ship stopped in the Honduras.
Shep, figuring it was time to see the world, was born.

Island life sounds idyllic but back then the goal was
to get out. See the world. Opportunities were limited
in the West Indies. Fortunately, Shep’s dad was able to
attain work on the Panama Canal. He saved money to send
his pregnant wife onto her brother’s in Philadelphia
to get the family started in the US. Shep just couldn’t wait.

Shep’s West Indian family was engulfed in music. Even
with few or no instruments, they had their voices, and
hymns. Shep’s dad sang a deep bass that could drown out
the entire church choir! Rhythm took hold of Shep’s soul.
From early on he’d get a beat going on whatever he could
find. “I was banging on chairs seats and tabletops.”
In junior high, Shep fell in love. It was a cute little
black-lacquered, nickel-plated drum. “Oh it was beautiful.
It had a great sound. I would have given anything to have
access to that beautiful drum.” He got the drum by promising
to take lessons and study music.

Most of Shep’s early music training was in Philadelphia,
a musical breeding ground that raised greats like Tony Bennett,
and Vic Damon. By 14 Shep could read and execute drum parts.
His first gig paid more than his paper route. Shep credits
the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra with inspiring youth.
Shep said, “It set a standard for music schools and teachers
to uphold.”

Shep’s creativity took many forms. At Mastbaum conservatory,
a private school, Shep studied cabinet making. He’s made
the beautiful, stunning wooden furniture on his home.
Once after Shep played in a concert, his teacher said,
“Berisford. Don’t forget your woodwork” (keep a steady job!)
Berisford took the advice to heart. Later when he toured,
he always carried 2 sets of drums and his woodworking
equipment…and a fishing pole.

In 1941 Benny Carter heard Shep’s drumming and called
him. Shep soaked up all the musical knowledge he could
from Carter and went to NY. “I was very glad to move to
NY because of the opportunities. “Philadelphia’s local
union 274 was segregated. Shep could only get jobs locals
didn’t want. New York’s local 802 was non-segregated,
but there was a six-month transfer period. “That meant
you couldn’t take a steady job. You could only do ‘casuals,’
one-time gigs.”

Shep was a very good “copier,” a skill in high demand
in jiving NY. Many scores had to be ready the next day.
It led to a term used throughout the NY musical scene,
“Get Shep.” By the time six months was up, Shep didn’t
want a steady job. He was making too much money
recording a couple days a week.

A divorce gave Shep the opportunity to go on the road
with Bill Doggett. One day while Shep was touring, the
musicians were jamming before their performance. “The
guitarist started with, ‘Here’s how uncle used to do
it on the back porch back home.’ The saxophone player
jumped in with a melody. I put a little shuffle backbeat
to it. Doggett came back and said, ‘Break it up. Let’s
rehearse.’ That was all there was to that.” Months later,
in the recording studio, one extra song was needed.
Doggett said, ‘What’s that thing you guys were clowning
around with, a honky-tonk sounding thing?’ “Doggett had a
fantastic memory. We recorded the song. We thought nothing
of it. Weeks later the hit “Honky Tonk” started
spreading across the country.”

Broadway beckoned. Sy Oliver had to whip Broadway shows
into shape, “which meant rehearsing up and down the New
England coast, changing the music until they got exactly
what they wanted. When you hear about a show becoming a
hit, it’s been through an awful lot of trials. I’d be up
all night writing, copying parts for the next day’s
rehearsal.” Versatility helps in the music biz. Shep played
timpani, xylophone, vibraphone, snare drum, bass drum, and
trombone to name a few!

On project after project, Shep wrote down every note,
arranging, copying, putting each note in its proper place.
Music is life to Shep. “It’s a universal language. It’s
unlimited. It’s always growing, You never get it all.”

“The last gospel thing I did of note was with Patti Page.
Malcolm Dodge had done some beautiful things with the voices.
Unbelievable things. I was in the studio blue-booking,
playing by ear. Malcolm trusted me to do that with his
scores– can you imagine? I was fascinated with the job
Pattie Page did. She had so much feeling.”

This is by no means a complete list of all the musicians
or jazz bands Shep’s played with like Lionel Hampton or
Lena Horne. Today he entertains from 7-10 PM on Thursdays at
Molly Brown’s, spreading his great love of music. You can see
it on his face. The joy of entertaining hundreds of thousands
of people throughout the world. Millions, if you include the
hit Honky Tonk, and you should. Nine beautiful music-filled
decades. Shep has seen lots of changes on the music front.
“Music… somebody felt it. That’s all. It ‘s a human expression
but a God-given impulse. It’s been my life. It’s just
appreciating people, loving people. Nat Cole said it a long
time ago in a song, ‘The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is
just to love and be loved in return.’ It doesn’t have to be a
romantic love - just a deep love and appreciation from one
human being to another.”
Go meet Shep. He will touch your life.
He is one of the most non-judgmental men I’ve met.

Live like a hero,

Terri Marie
Award winning author of Be the Hero of Your Own Game
www.spiritualarena.com

Shep’s Life Lessons

• Sometimes Less is More
Shep knew that his job was to blend, enhance, not to showboat.
He got the job with Carter because Shep toned down the drum so
as not to overpower the other instruments. “My bass drum got me
the gig. I ‘d tempered it down from the inside so that the
overtones of it BOOM didn’t kill the bass. Carter liked that.
The other instruments weren’t amplified in those days.”

• Use your Power of Choice
While touring, Shep's mother got a list of ministers around
the South from her minister. “Anytime I went near any of them
I’d contact them. My accommodations in many cases were much
above the one hotel in town, which would usually be down in
the ghetto. You can imagine what goes on. Usually I didn’t
have to be exposed to that. It was enough to give me a
chance to experience the difference and make a choice.

• Give People What They Want
Shep’s mother told him, “Beris, You find out what they want
and you give it to them. You hear.” Shep credits her with
common sense. “My mama was way ahead. I’ve been doing that.
A lot of musicians go out into the field with preferences,
what they’d rather play. Anything else is just subordinate.
While I’m in the studio, that’s my thing too,
whatever they’re doing.

• Accept other people
Shep had learned a concept called tolerance. Shep’s
acceptance of other people caused him to be loved wherever he goes.

• Do the Thing and Get On Out
“That’s how I made my reputation. Do the job and get out.” Shep
knew why he was hired. That’s what Sy Oliver appreciated -
Shep’s “get it done and then socialize” attitude.

• Self-esteem Begins at Home
Today there are many, more opportunities and many temptations too.
Unfortunately, a lot of children go out into the streets without
enough self-respect, love, and respect for other human beings.
Without knowing they have choices, they’re susceptible to fall into
the trap of peer pressures. When you go out with the good home
training you don’t have the hunger for belonging. You already have it.
Your back is straight. You say your name with pride. You’re not looking
for another name, another self. You’ve got it. Your mind is open for
new things. You’re not stymied by ‘Who am I?’ Your approach is
‘What’s going on? What’s new? Tell me about it.’”

• Praise Your Peers
From Lunceford to Crawford, Shep had nothing but praise. I didn’t
hear Shep say one negative thing about any one.
That’s probably why they still “Get Shep.”

• Know What You’re Good At and What You’re Not Ready For
Shep had a 4-year stint in the army, writing, arranging, and
conducting voices. When he came out, he went with Cab Callaway.
He got the job because a drummer didn’t show, Shep played.
Calloway walked in and said, “Hire him.” Shep stayed a year
until Calloway needed a show drummer. At the time it was a
skill Shep didn’t have. He vowed he’d learn.

Learn he did. Years later Shep became the house drummer at
Finocchios in San Francisco for 23 years! Callaway called
in an experienced show drummer to play the Zanzibar but
kept Shep on as an arranger. “You can write emphasis and
breaks and all that stuff can be written but the feeling
has to come from experience and people like Jimmy Crawford–
people like him had it. They had a knack for it.

• Don’t Get a Chip on Your Shoulder
Shep believes it’s very important to introduce young people
to various cultures.. He grew up in a Jewish neighborhood.
Come Saturday, “I couldn’t understand why my friends didn’t
come out and play. Come Sunday, my mother took me all the way
downtown on the trolley to a church. I couldn’t play on Sunday.
But I learned why. We all got together on Monday again. It was
beautiful really. I grew up without a chip on my shoulder as
far as who was from where, or what they looked like.
It served me well. I lived a happy life without all that foolishness.”

Raising Little Heroes

2007-08-14T21:50:00.001-07:00

Little Adrianna Rose is looking
forward to being raised like a hero

One of the most difficult
jobs on the planet has
to be raising caring,
successful children. We
get little training in doing
the job effectively.

Most of it is trial and
error.We do the job pretty
well on supplying their
physical needs in this country but it’s their little spirits that
need building. We need to put equal focus on building positive
traits within the child’s spirit. What if there were some guidelines
that really increase your effectiveness?

Through the years I’ve interviewed hundreds of successful
people. I often asked them what was the best advice
their parents gave them. This has given me some very
insightful answers which I’ve compiled this into a
list of traits.

Parenthood can seem overwhelming. It is an unending
responsibility. By knowing some qualities that can
help raise successful human beings makes the task
less daunting. Here are 5 strong character traits
to give your children the best chance at becoming
the hero of their own lives.

1. Tell the Truth
A mother was describing to other mothers how expensive
it was to get into a particular amusement park. In order
to pay the lower rate, the mother told her daughter Mary,
“You are twelve.” Mary, in order to obey her mother had
lie, to say she was twelve when she was not. Mary now
learns that it’s okay to deceive and cheat other people.
Children have a great sense of right and wrong. What the
mother may not realize is that an even more critical
thing is lost than the truth – trust. Will the child now
trust her mother knowing that her mother may also be
stretching the truth when she talks to Mary? The mother
is neglecting the laws of abundance, focusing on a poverty
consciousness - of not having enough without lying
or making other people pay. Poverty will, in all likelihood,
continue in her life.

Truth is the essence of integrity

2. Build a Team
I’m not talking about soccer and football, but being able
to organize and work within a team. Almost everything
that is to come in a child’s life will require a team.
A marriage is a team. Friendships are teams. There will be
teams in every career and in many social events. Most team
work is done for children. Young humans need to know how
to create teams themselves. They surely won’t do it
perfectly but they will learn. You must allow your children
the chaos of learning. They need to learn how to organize
themselves to create a project, build a tree house or do
whatever is at their level, so they can experience success
as a group. Show them how.

Teams will allow young children to succeed and build
self-es-team. Building a team that has any kind of
success will provide enormous satisfaction. The
child will learn how critical good relationships are to
having positive life experiences. At a seminar at John
Assaraf’s home, we were split into teams to put together
a puzzle. Heads of large corporations, authors, investors
and entrepreneurs were sitting down on the floor to see
who could put a puzzle together the fastest. This was a
large colorful puzzle made out of Styrofoam with only
50 to 100 pieces. Each team chose a leader. The clock
started. The team that won was lead by a mother who had
worked with her children putting puzzles together. Even
doctors and pilots were beat out by this mother who had
learned how to get children to cooperate, analyze and
make it a fun game, instead of a serious have to win
“project.” It opened everyone’s eyes.

Heroes need teams and they need to learn how to make a good team

3. Respect
Give children equal billing. Your children’s needs
are every bit as important as your own. When you
give respect to children, they will respect themselves.
A young girl was being yelled at constantly by her teacher.
It really bothered the child. One day the girl went to
her teacher and said, “Ms. ___ I don’t like it when you
yell at me. It makes me feel sad.”
The yelling stopped immediately.

The next day the teacher brought a stuffed animal for
the little girl and told her, “I really appreciated what
you told me. I had no idea I was doing that.” Since then,
the little girl has become the teachers’ favorite pupil.
That is respect. If the child didn’t have the confidence
to know that the teacher was being disrespectful and the
courage to say something about it, the teacher would
probably have continued to disrespect her. Now the
teacher is more aware of how she treats all children.

When I was filming with Olympic Champion skier, Stein
Eriksen, I asked Stein if I could film his son, Bjorn
who was then 10 years old. Stein said, “You will have
to ask Bjorn.” Stein allowed Bjorn the right and human
dignity to choose what he wanted to do.

Respect all life and you will respect your own

4. Use Your Senses
Nature enlivens the senses. The natural world expands our
sensual awareness in a way that doesn’t require extra
stimulation but provides us with an opportunity to merge
ourselves with something bigger than we are. Nature gives
us a more accurate sense of self. Nature teaches
us that we are all connected.

My father taught me about nature. He had me listen to
birds. We looked at waterfalls, trees, and autumn leaves.
I developed a deep love for nature and an awareness of
how to use my senses. When you understand your senses,
you pay better attention to what your body is telling you,
to what feels right and to what doesn’t. This prevents
all kinds of things from taking root that shouldn’t.
It helps children learn to trust themselves when they make
decisions, because they will have a good understanding of
what feels right to them inside. In addition, it helps
differentiate colors, smells, shapes and patterns. Your
child’s awareness grows stronger. Teach young ones about
nature – immerse them in it. Children need to know that
they are part of the vast outer world. It is theirs to
respect, and to learn from.

As we grow ourselves, we grow the world

5. Appreciate Beauty
Beauty is a great gift to the world. There is beauty in truth.
Beauty lies within a math problem worked out and solved.
There is beauty in the order of a clean home. There is
abundant beauty in a smile. My friend Constance Eykman
lived in Africa for 20 years and wrote about the native people.
She said, “When you smile at them, you get the whole
heart back.” Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could get our whole
heart to appear on our face?

Beauty is one of the core values of Jon Benson, author
of Fit Over Forty.
Beauty is a Platonian ethic. You don’t hate what is beautiful.
See the beauty within more and more people. When you look
at your children, practice seeing the beauty within them.
Look “into” them not at them and teach them to do the same.

Beauty is in the inherent patterns within all creation

May these traits help you to raise your children, not lower t
hem. Place these traits gently into their hearts and then
trust them. The little ones will not be perfect but they
will be much better equipped to become young heroes who will
create conditions for a much-needed kinder, safer world.
They will take that “hero journey” all through their lives and
not have to “undo” years of emotional and behavioral messes.
Their characters will be strong, courageous, bright and
fulfilled. A decent human being is going to act like a
hero when the need arises. It’s our birthright.

Parenting was the hardest, but most rewarding thing I’ve
ever done. As parents, if we can learn to raise the bar,
we will be giving our children a much better gift than
clothes, toys, or food. We will give them the right to
be themselves. We will be feeding their precious little
spirits the food of heroes. Our world needs those little
heroes like at no other time.

The Little Pins That Could

2007-06-21T07:52:00.000-07:00

The Little Pins
Dena's Traveling "Pinistry"

In division there is weakness
In oneness there is strength
Terri Marie

It was February of 2001. Dena Van Slyke was attending a motivational
workshop on making a difference in the world. Some motivational
workshops leave participants high for a day or two.
Dena choose a different experience.

The seminar leaders divided the 1000 attendees into areas of interests.
One group was Global Awareness, the group Dena was drawn to.
Throughout the week, they focused on visioning and ideas on this topic.
At the end of the week they were given a challenge.
What they could do individually to make a difference?

When Dena closed her eyes, she could see bumper stickers. She
thought, ”Most bumper stickers separate people. What if there were
no boundaries. If we were all one with no separation.
We shouldn’t be dividing one another.”

Dena decided she couldn’t use English since not everyone around
the world speaks English. She quickly drew a picture of a heart. a globe,
and the number 1 - three symbols recognized internationally.
Dena made a commitment to do something about this.
The idea gelled. It took six months.

Then 9/11 happened. People from 80 countries died. Rather than
saying, “It’s us against them,” Dena loved the idea of connecting,
and pulling together as one. She knew it needed to be an international
effort. Dena went back to her notebook and saw the image she drew
6 months earlier. She took the drawing to Emblematics to make an
image from it. She choose three colors, purple, yellow and blue,
so “nobody could say, ‘That’s my flag,‘”

Then Dena asked, “How am I going to display these?” She ordered a
thousand, wrote a poem and registered the name - One Global Heart.
The pins arrived at Christmas. She put them on Christmas cards with
her poem. One card went to professional musicians friends who set
her poem to music. Dena found a recording studio and put the song
on a CD. “I’d never done anything like this before, but I was pulled
by this pin.”

One Global Heart’s mission is to recognize each other as brothers and
kindred souls. “We’re all in the club as human beings, “ Dena said.
‘People are a lot more alike than different. We cry about the same things.
We love the same things. We laugh about the same things.
We all descended from people in Africa.”

A year later the same conference came again. Dena bought a booth,
took the microphone and shared her story. Everyone was amazed that
she took an idea and ran with it. There was a ceremony to honor the
action steps people took to make a difference in the world.
Everyone was given a pin. The leader read the poem.
Dena sold 100’s of pins.

“I decided to do a gathering on the anniversary of 9/11.” Dena got
more products including T-shirts, cups, and candles. The event
was held in her backyard. Jennifer Hart sang for the 70 people there.

Lee, her husband, said it was time to “Take it on the road.” This
became her traveling “Pinistry.” They’ve traveled all over the world
to give away pins “Everyone loves the pins,” Dena said. “It’s a
universal symbol of uniting. The pins carry a message of
compassion and tolerance.

Orders poured in. A minister that took 200 pins to Russia for an
opening of a new church. A visiting international artist from the
Orange County Performing Arts Center ordered pins.
Schoolteachers use them as rewards for their students.
A woman minister is sending pins to spiritual leaders.
She sings “One Global Heart” every Sunday.

Dena has been a real-estate broker since 1979. She lived in
Hong Kong and the Cayman Islands. In 1993 she and Lee bought
a historic home to fix. She specializes in this type of property.
“I grew up in a house just like it.” Dena has put on 10 historic
home tours. She was past president of the Historical Society
Preservation Committee. “ I like to see these historic homes
preserved. “When I came to town, people used to treat these
homes as if they were a burden. It was considered too much
work to own one.”

“I’m open to where it’s going. Its been leading me. We continue
to travel and give away pins. Last October, we went to Vietnam.
I’m amazed to see how much people loved them. They wanted
pins right off my chest. I gave them pins to give away, so whenever
anyone was touched by an act of kindness they could
give them away too.”

Dena’s pins are in Thailand, Bermuda, St. Martin, and Fiji. In
Branson, Missouri, Dena and Lee went to the International
Festival of Cultures. People from all over the world did a dance.
“ I went up to the leaders of the dance and gave them the pin.
I tried to say, 'One global heart,’ He got tears in his eyes.”

What’s next? Dena’s recording another song. She wants to make
a 10-minute film showing people of different nationalities and
our common human connection. She’s still thinking big. Her
dream is at the next Olympics, all the athletes would walk into
the arena wearing pins, in effect saying, ‘We’re a gathering of
nations, but we’re all one. ”

"I’d love to have it as an International Flag," Dena says, “Wear it
and share it. The world would completely change. I feel it.”

Live like a global hero,

Terri Marie
Award-winning author of “Be the Hero of Your Own Game’
www.apiritualarena.com

Dena’s Tips

1. Take Action on a Dream
With the impetus of 9/11, Dena’ became committed to
doing something about Global Awarness in her way.
And that’s what each of us can do. Do something
in our way and it WILL be the right way.

2. Connect People
We have a common human bond. “Peace needs to start
with individuals, not other people,” said Dena.
“You are the only one who can change.”

3. Preserve the Good of the Past
Dena brought to light the valuable assets the historical
homes of San Clemente are. “I think it’s important that
we treasure them.”

4. Visualize the Good of the Future
It was in Dena getting quiet and considering what most
mattered to her that she came up with the big question
that started this all. A symbol for international Unity.

5. If Your Vision is Big, Match it
She’d like to get the pin in flag form and fly it at the
Olympics. That’s not just big – that’s Huge!

My Dad the Hero, A Father's Day Message

2007-06-11T15:03:00.000-07:00

MY DAD THE HERO
A “Roy”al Father

It’s time to write
about the first man
who inspired me,
my father,
Roy Thorson
He’s definitely a hero.

It’s far more challenging to
write a story about one of your parents.
They’ve known you since you were in diapers and
that’s pretty humbling.

But they’ve done their best to give YOU their best.
For that gift, we, in fact, owe our very lives to them.
That, in all its imperfection, is a pretty big thing
to be thankful for.

My father has an amazing sense of humor and a unique
ability to come up with sayings out of the blue.
I’m sure his influence didn’t hurt my writing or
speaking career.

My Dad worked at a Ford station, first in service.
Later he sold cars. There was a big sign on the overhead door.
The guys added a “d” at the end of “tire” to see if anyone
would notice. It now read “Felker’s Tired Service.”

Girls used to come down and hang around the station.
Back in those days it was safe to do so. Well, maybe not
with my Father around! Dad would ask the girls if they
wanted to ride on the hoist. The girls thought that was
cool so they agreed. Dad put the girls on the hoist and
raised it up. Then Dad and the other guys would walk out
like they were going to wait on cars and leave the girls
there. Not forever of course. Just enough time to get the
girls scared or mad. It worked.

Roy loves people, which made him perfect for sales and
later advertising. When he started out, he had printed
on the back of his business cards sayings like,
“Thanks for being a customer of mine, in the year of ’59.”

Dad always made me feel part of the conversation whenever
I was in a room full of adults. That trust in me, helped
me develop confidence in talking to people - another
important trait in doing business and documentary work.
Dad always believed in me and knew I could succeed. If I
ever forgot, a call to him would remind me.

Two days after President Reagan died, I unexpectedly wrote
the song called Reagan’s Ride, I called Dad and told him
I wrote a song about Reagan and asked if I could read him
the song. It touched him emotionally. Dad told me to do
something about the song and he said firmly, “Do it now.”

Later my Mother told me that Dad came over to tell her about
it. He was so choked up about the song, he could hardly speak.
Finally he got out the words, “Terri wrote a song for President
Reagan.” Dad knew what that song meant. It meant that I had
burst through. I was on my way to success. Five days later,
I had my first public performance of that song at the Nixon
Presidential Library. The song is not about politics. It’s a
bout the amazing bond Reagan shared with his beloved Nancy.

When my Dad had a stroke, my brother, Pat called him up to
ask him a few questions. “What comes after the letter 5?”
Pat asked. Dad said, “Everything but 1,2,3 and 4.
Pat told Dad, “You’re fine.”

But most of all, my Father is famous for his one-liners that
can leave you groaning, chuckling, or holding your belly,
because your stomach hurts so much from laughing.

These one-liners I call “Royisms.”
Let me share just a few with you.

Royisms

• When I told Dad that someone had stolen the bells from the Santa
Isabella Mission in California, Dad said,
“It must have been some ding-a-ling.”

• I’d taken a trip to England. Dad asked how far ahead in time
they were.“ They are 8 hours ahead,” I told him.
“Well, they should be,” he replied.
“They were discovered before we were.”

• Dad went to work one day not feeling quite well. Someone said,
“Roy, you look half-dead.” Dad retorted.
“Well I am! I’m 60… going on 120.”

• “75% of us is water. In some of us it’s 35% and the rest is
something else.”

• Dad was at his doctor’s office. A little boy was looking at the
aquarium and wanted to know which one was the catfish. Dad told
the little boy the catfish was the one with four legs.

• Mom and Dad put some artificial flowers in their yard but
Dad thought about it and said, “I think it’d be better to put
in some artificial snails.”

Dad’s life wasn’t all apple pie and roses, (although he did
marry Rosita, the little rose.) He fell overboard while in the
navy and almost drown. He was fired for refusing to do business
unethically. And later in his career, the company he worked for
shut down shortly before his retirement. He had to start over,
which he did. That takes a lot of character.
That took someone like my Father.

In my Hero column I write about Life Lessons. Dad’s taught me many.

Roy’s Life Lessons
…And Fatherly Advice

1. Be Creative
My father is a creative person. How else do you come up with things
like the line about some Ding-a-ling?

2. Love Nature
Dad taught me to love nature. He talks to squirrels and chipmunks.
He whistles to the birds. And you should see his backyard!

3. Be Who You Are
My mom calls my Dad a “stubborn” Norwegian. Now there’s some
good in that. The good side of stubbornness is persistence. I probably
would’ve given up long ago on the enormous challenges I’ve had in my
life without inheriting some of that. Dad knows. Nobody can be YOU,
better than you can. Revel in it.

4. When the Situation Gets Tense, You Get “Cool”
Dad was uptown one evening after work when two guys were about
to get into a fight. Dad stepped in the middle, sort of acting as a
referee to the men about to fight. Dad said he tries to give one a
little more confidence and deflates the anger of the other. “If they
could only see the strength of the two of them and the power they
would have together.” Pretty good advice when ever there is a disagreement.

5. When You’re Stuck Inside, Dream and Plan
Dad has to do this every Wisconsin winter. He has so many projects,
that when spring does finally sprung, he’s busy the whole summer.

6. You Do What You Can, Then Let Go
When Dad was working very hard selling cars, he went out to the
farmer’s homes. While they milked cows, he talked to them about
new cars. He talked to client after client. He phoned. Still he had no
sales. He’d done everything he could think of. So he just put his feet
up on his desk and relaxed for a few days. Then 7-10 people came in and
bought cars all the same evening. Dad was there till midnight selling
from the seeds he planted earlier.

7. When You Go Overboard, It Can Get Pretty Scary
In anything in life, if we go overboard, it can take us under. Dad got
the chance to do that in the Navy, while painting the sides of the ship.
He and his friend suddenly found themselves head over heels, on the
way down into the deep blue waters. Their youth and a quick thinking
crew saved them. Even though this was an accident, try not to go
overboard in the first place.

8. It’s the First Child That Raises the Parents
That’s what Dad told me. He really believed that the oldest has to
raise the parents and transform them into parents. Now this wasn’t a
lesson I wanted to have, but I found it’s probably true having my own
daughter be so dog-gone smart and “train” me to be her mother.
(She must be another stubborn Norwegian.) Actually parents learn from
all their children, if they're smart and Dad is.

To a man that I admire, respect, and deeply love, thank you Dad,
for giving this daughter life in your family. Looking forward to
many more one-liners and many more days to wish you,
“Happy Father’s Day.”

Lots of love,

Terri Marie

MAKING HAPPY HOMES

2007-05-09T15:11:00.000-07:00

Birgit Dickerman, A Swedish Immigrant who has
created homes for both the youth and the elderly

She’d always wanted to come to America. She dreamed about it
as a child growing up in Sweden. At 17, she got her chance.
Her father, a famous singer, had 2 tickets to NY intended for he
and his wife. But she got pregnant, so he asked his daughter,
Birgit, to come along

Birgit Dickerman, “Bea” said, “I was overjoyed. My dream was to
see America. We were among the first ones who left Sweden to
fly here. We landed in Scotland. I remember I heard the bagpipes
in the distance and thought, ‘Oh I’m out in the world.”

When then landed in NY, she said, “I’ll never, ever forget when the
airplane came slowly over the Statue of Liberty and the skyscrapers.
I thought “This is absolutely wonderful.’ I was so excited.”

That was 1946. Two years later the whole family immigrated to
Chicago. Birgit managed to get her boyfriend here. They got
married and had a son Floyd, then a daughter, Marie.
“After a while we thought Chicago’s not the place, so mom and
dad took us west. West to California,“ Birgit said. They came
down to the coast in 1965. Her husband was the
first station chief at the San Onofre plant.
“He was a brilliant man,” Birgit said.

Birgit’s marriage however didn’t last. She needed to raise her family.
Bea had been good friends with Casa Romantica’s owners, the Welsh’s.
With their encouragement, Bea started the first Board and Care
Home. It was located above city hall. “It was called Bea’s Rest Home.”
The home grew from 5 residents to 12. “I loved nothing more than
giving to older people. In those days you didn’t need a license.
You just had to make sure you had parking places outside the house.”
While licenses weren’t required then, inspectors were sent to see if
the homes were OK. Birgit’s was.

Birgit had taken care of her own mother until she passed away,
then her second husband who had Alzheimer’s. “The best thing
is to have the elderly at home if that’s possible. The next best
thing is get them into a Board and Care home.” Currently Bea
herself is in a Board and Care home after a stroke two years ago.
“We have 5 people. It’s like a home.” Years ago Birgit had placed
another woman in this very home. “I can’t believe
I’m here. Isn’t that something?”

But Bea doesn’t dwell on what if’s. She is pleasnt and cheerful with
a profound faith. “My greatest influence is the love of God.
My parents were wonderful Christians. They cared so much for
other people. I saw the love in them.”

Bea told some stories about the home. “We had a lady with
dementia, not Alzheimer’s, but very forgetful. She came from
Utah. She always wanted to go home to Utah. One day she
managed to slip out. My son came home and said ‘Mother,
you’ve got to get Myrtle. She’s out walking on the street with
a doll in her arms.’ So I got Myrtle back. We watched her very
carefully. But one night, bless her little heart, another lady came
to me and said, 'You’ve got to watch Myrtle. She says she’s
going to Utah tonight. She has her coat on. I went into the room.
There Myrtle lay with the sheets up to her neck. I said, ‘Hi Myrtle.
How are you doing? Are you going to sleep good tonight?
You’ve got your nightgown on?” I pulled down the sheet.
She had her coat on! So there were funny things.”

Birgit kept the home from 1968-1973. “I stayed until I felt in
my heart it was time to do something else.
Now it’s time to do what God wants me to do.”

In 1946 her father took her to the Mexican border.
“What I saw I could never forget - coming from Sweden with
all we had - an Indian woman had a baby on her back. She
looked so sad. A priest came by and patted her.
I thought, ‘You poor woman. You need more than a pat.”

It was one of those synchronistic events. Bea and a friend
had been going down to Mexico delivering food. One day
her friend said, “I want to show you a lot that was given to us.
Wouldn’t it be a great place for an orphanage?” Bea started
the orphanage in Mexico called Bethlehem. “Belen” in Spanish.
Belen is going strong today with 70 children. Bea has a favorite
photo of the children. “To see them happy, that really stays with you.”

Birgit loves San Clemente. “This is the most beautiful spot.
I’m so thankful I‘m in America. Especially these days.
God bless America. This country has given so much. I was in
Europe during the war so I saw. During the war, an American
plane flew in. My dad said, ‘Put your hand through the fence and
touch the American plane.’ I’ll never forget that!”

Bea helped make loving homes for both the young and the
elderly. Around San Clemente all the way down to Mexico,
people are being served by the influence of this woman who
gave so much to provide caring homes.

“That’s what life is all about – is to serve,” says Birgit.
Thank goodness we have her.

Live like a hero!

Terri Marie
Award winning author of “Be the Hero of Your Own Game.
Hero stories on www.heroesamongus.blogspot.com

Life Lessons from Bea
As I wrote these I noticed that almost all of them started with “Be.“
How perfect!

• Be Givers
“I admire my children so much because they truly are givers.
I think that’s the greatest thing you can show your children.”
But Bea thinks you shouldn’t give so much that you forget
yourself. Bea lives as a giver. She gave me a beautiful book when
I finished our interview.

• Be Appreciative
Bea is thankful to be in America. Thankful her son comes by to help.
Thankful for the way her parents raised her. It is this attitude that
keeps her so cheerful and happy about life.

• Be Kind
Traits she admires. “Unselfishness. Giving to other people and
loving God. That to me is number one.”

• Be Enthusiastic
Bea’s mother taught her to work hard but Bea puts the cheer in and
delights in life. “I love the trees. I love the birds,
I love everything about life!”

• Be at Peace with Life
“My mother always said. ‘You do your best. God will do the rest.”
Bea is totally at peace because she believes Heaven’s going to be
wonderful. She quotes, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, what I
have prepared for those who love me.’ I love that. So it must be more
beautiful than this and I love this! But if God says it’s going to be
more beautiful, it must be wonderful.”

• Be an Animal Lover
“I had two cats and one dog. I always thought older people should
have animals. Oh that makes them so happy. Those little cats.
They were absolutely a joy.”

• Be of Service
“To serve is the most joyful thing in this world. I loved that.
I miss that. Now I have to be served.”

ENDURING WITH LOVE

2007-04-26T11:04:00.000-07:00

Taylor holds his beloved "Angel"

Taylor Martin is one of the most incredible young men.
Few have endured the day-to-day struggles of this beloved
young man. Taylor is my friend. His is a story of endurance
and a rare, gentle spirit.

Taylor was a big baby, over ten pounds. His mother Cyndi, said,
“Taylor never went through the terrible two’s. He never did
anything wrong.” Go back 13 years. Taylor was a typical kid.
At 5 years-old it came - the diagnosis - NF2, a rare genetic
disease which causes tumors throughout the central nervous
system. At 10 years-old, Taylor had his first brain surgery.

Cyndi had a video made for Taylor, it shows how poignantly his
life has changed. Taylor stands next to two football players,
friends since childhood. Everyone is beaming. They love Taylor.
They are tall and strong. Taylor is now under 80 pounds. The
song “Hero” played over photos of his first surgery. Taylor lay
recovering, clutching a baseball. In his indomitable style, the
next photo showed Taylor smiling, thumbs up. Taylor showed
me his scar from his surgery, “It looks like a hook.”

Taylor at 10 years after his first surgery

Taylor wears three plastic bracelets, a gift from his mother.
They say, “Pride, Unity, Thoughtfulness, Commitment, Live Strong,
and Solve the Puzzle (of NF2). Someone can do it. Somewhere
there’s a way. Polio was once incurable too.

I brought paper to the interview, not to write answers, but to
write questions. Taylor is deaf – one of the results of NF2.

The Day the World Went Silent

Two days after Halloween 2001, around 11:00AM, Taylor’s world
went silent. Taylor never heard a sound again. The school district
had never seen anyone go deaf so quickly. “Most deaf people are
born deaf,” Taylor said. “I went deaf in the middle of my life.”
He was 12 1/2. The family had to learn to another way to
communicate. “After dinner every night, we’d do 10 flash
cards and learn together.”

With his friends gone off to college, Taylor’s life is quieter. “My
energy and strength are really going down. It’s harder for me to
do activities, like sports.” Cyndi said, “Sometimes we’ll go to a movie.
We’re just sitting the whole time. He’s exhausted because of
reading and concentrating.”

Transitions are hard. Taylor’s had many. “The hardest thing to do
after I went deaf was communicating with my friends. I want to
be involved - just to have a life as a teenager.”
Taylor uses myspace to stay in touch with friends.

Taylor likes math, and Sudoku. He still does stats for basketball,
but this may be his last year. His friends on the team are now seniors. “
I missed last year because of my back surgery but I was at all the games,
cheering them on. Without me doing stats,” Taylor kids,
“it was their best year!”

In spite of 6 brain surgeries, 4 spine surgeries, and several stomach
surgeries. Taylor graduated on time - with honors. “Tay didn’t want
shortcuts or to be treated special,” said Cyndi. Taylor said, “A couple
of weeks before surgery I’m usually pretty cool because I just go
about my life,” said Taylor. “As it gets closer, I get a little nervous.
It’s gotten easier with experience. I have confidence in my doctors too.”

The Letter of Faith

Taylor’s heroes? “Jesus Christ. I really like Lance Armstrong
and my Papa. I loved him a lot. He’s in heaven now.”
Taylor’s grandfather had a brain tumor with similar
symptoms to Taylor. Taylor wrote his grandpa.” I told
him how he’d grown and become a better person. I was so
thankful he heard my letter right before he passed away.”

What is a normal day for Taylor?
He takes medication to help with his strength. “ My pills are
my food,” Taylor says. ‘I read the sport page every morning.
I love to watch a sports trivia show. Then I have lunch.
Sometimes I do stuff with my friends or mom. I started
a weightlifting class at Saddleback to help with my strength.
I like Saddleback. It makes me feel like I’m really going to college.”

I asked Taylor a few questions.

If you could change one thing what would it be?

“I’ve always thought that maybe my hearing would come back, but I
know it really won’t. But I’d like to have my hearing and go to college.
A brain tumor has been pushing on nerves that control my short-term
memory. It’s stressful how hard it’s become to retain information.
I had a memory test done with the school psychologist. She concluded
that I only have a 30-second retention. I’m constantly trying to replay
things back in my mind so I can try to remember them. I write notes to
myself. That is a strong reason why academics in college isn't really a
reality for me anymore.”

If you could change one thing in the world what would it be?

“All the violence. Sometimes I watch the news, it makes me really sad.
There’s all that tragic stuff happening around the world. Sometimes
how people treat each other too.”

Your favorite color?

“Black.” I never had anyone say black before and I asked him why.
Taylor said, “Because it’s a pure. color”

If you had a million dollars what would you do?

“I’d love to visit all my relatives across the country.” Taylor said he’d
love to play golf at Pebble Beach, his favorite course. In a beautiful
attempt to get Taylor that trip, friends rallied to make it a reality.
On April 4-8. Taylor got to go to Pebble Beach. “Sunday I got to
do something that was the best. It was saved for last. Hubert Allen,
General Manager of the Pro Shop, took us around the whole golf
course in a cart..”

When they got to the 7th tee, Taylor favorite on the course, one of
the guys was a lefty like Taylor, let him hit one shot. “It was a good
shot too, but it obviously came up short. With my balance I couldn’t
follow through very well. I might have fallen over if I tried harder. It
was awesome though.” Taylor told his parents that the trip was “the
dream of a lifetime. It was hard on my body physically but worth every
second.” He’s always loved sports, especially golf. Taylor was named
2006 “Sportsman of the Year” in the Sun Post.

“My mom and I have talked about life. I know the future. It’ll probably
get harder. I try to go just one day at a time.” Taylor told Cyndi,
“Sometimes I feel like I’m 90 years old.” When I wrote to Taylor
“You are amazing!” he gently patted my hand and signed, “Thank you.”
Part of the word gentleman is gentle. That is Taylor. When I left, Taylor
didn’t just give me one hug but pulled me back for a second one.
He gets it - the incredible and precious value of life.

Taylor would like a speaking career. “I really like public speaking .
I like to make them smile. I tell my story to inspire people to not give
up having hope in their lives.”

Living his story, Taylor is more of a hero than ever. In spite of his
difficulties, Taylor finds joy, love and humor in life. Being around
Taylor is a gift. Taylor is majoring in one of the hardest classes in
the University called “Life” and doing it brilliantly. Taylor chose
post-graduate work in “Life” since he was 5. No one could have
done the job he’s being asked to do better than Taylor. The two
last words on Taylor’s video are “Well Done.”

Taylor will be going into CHOC hospital on April 18th. to look at
options to help him gain back some weight.
Let us keep him always in our prayers.

Live like a hero!

Terri Marie
Award-winning author of Be the Hero of Your Own Game.

Taylor’s Life Lessons

• Humor Gets You Through
“I have a good sense of humor. I love to have fun and laugh
and make people laugh.”

• Focus on What You Have
“Right now I feel good and strong in my body. I have to take
advantage of days like this. The way I look doesn’t matter.
It’s how I feel. That’s much more important.”

• Put Your Passions Into Your Life
One entire wall in Taylor’s room is full of golf balls, some
from Scotland, where the sport was thought to originate.
The other wall is a big mural of his beloved Pebble Beach.

• Develop An Inner Sense of Right and Wrong
Everybody who knows Taylor says he has a really good heart.
They like how he thinks and how he treats people; “I have a
conscience in my head that is like God telling me to be a good
person. I want to be caring. I don’t really understand the bad about people.”

• Put Joy In
Taylor loves playing with Angel his dog. “Several years ago when
I was down about my hard life, we talked about getting a dog.
Whenever things are difficult, Angel brings joy to our lives.”

• Age Doesn’t Matter, Heartyears Do.
Taylor’s favorite quote is: “Don’t let anyone look down on your youth
but set an example for the dreamer in speech, in life, in love,
in faith and in purity.”
1 Timothy 4.12

• What Would It Take to Be a Friend of Taylor’s?
“I like a caring person and a good person with a good sense of humor,
like me I guess. Strong beliefs, outgoing.”

• Look Up to Heroes – Be Inspiring
“I'm really inspired by a guy named Kyle Maynard. He wrote a book called,
No Excuses. Kyle was born with no legs or arms. He became a champion in
wrestling. I look up to Jesus. It took a lot of courage the way he died for us.”

• What Would He Tell Anyone Going Through Tough Times?
“I like what I told my Papa. ‘Just be tough and fight,’ I always talk
about a positive attitude. Try to do whatever you can to feel better.
Be strong and fight through it.”

• Find Ways to Communicate
Taylor uses myspace to communicate with his friends in college.
“It’s a better way to communicate with friends. Ever since I’ve
graduated, we’ve been trying to find ways to keep me involved.”

Song of Hope

2007-03-12T13:32:00.000-07:00

Renee sings "When the Swallows Come Back"

Renée Bondi

Her story is as unforgettable as her voice. Her courage
immeasurable.

Renée Bondi, a successful choir director at San
Clemente High, had built up the program from 18 to
150 students. Her wedding was just two months away.
“I was doing what single people at 29 do - having lots of
time after work to play and be with friends and family,”
Renée said. That changed the night of May 16th, 1988
at 2:00 AM. No one knows exactly how it happened.

During the night, Renée fell out of bed, shattering her
spine. She eerily described this as a “wave of silence,”
with a whooshing sound that went down her body.

The morning after the injury, Renée’s eyes fell on her
pastor, Monsignor Martin. Renée whispered, ‘Am I
that bad?’ When a priest sees you in ICU, it’s usually
to give you last rites. He smiled and said,
‘When you do it, you certainly do it big.”

“I heard the surgeons’ words. I heard him define what
quadriplegia is. I knew my life wasn’t completely over
because I hadn’t died. It was hard to comprehend my
new life. You still think the same. Your mindset is the
same. How in the world can you be dancing one evening,
planning your wedding, and the next day told you’ll never
walk again, never have functional use of your hands?”

Renée called off her wedding. “Only because I didn’t think
it was fair to Mike at all. When he proposed I was
able-bodied and functioning. Now I was extremely
different from the person he proposed to.” A year later
Mike asked Renée, “When are we going to reschedule
the wedding?” That’s true love.

Renée is surrounded by heroes. “Every member of my family
has the ability to reach out and not be selfish. My siblings
don’t have a selfish bone in their bodies. I think it comes
from the WWII era, from my mom’s Basque background -
a culture of farming, music, and food.

As I often say, ‘Tragedy either brings a family closer together
or blows them apart.’ I think that’s how God uses tragedy -
to draw us closer to him. It’s real unfortunate when people
run away. They’re running from the very God who will help
them through their valley. If you don’t go through that valley,
you don’t know God the way you do after.”

“When my mom was asked after my injury, ‘How do you keep
going,’ she answered very clearly. ‘Do we have a choice?
What are you going to do? Sit in the corner of your house and
say ‘Woe is me when your kids need food on the table?’ We
would’ve never have chosen this. It’s not easy.
It’s definitely not fun. But what’s your option?”

Talking with Renée, she is so personable you can easily forget
that she has accomplished amazing things. A few of her awards
include: Best Contemporary Acoustic Songwriter. Woman of the
Year- California State Senate.

Renée’s book, “The Last Dance But Not the Last Song” is poignant,
bold and sparkled with humor. “It was really important to me that this
wasn’t a holocaust book. That’s just not me. There are times when
you have to laugh. And there were things that were funny. I remember
the physical therapist teaching my sister Michelle how to transfer
me from the wheelchair to the mat in the hospital. We landed in a
heap on the table, in a heap laughing. We had to laugh, otherwise
we were going to cry our eyes out.”

Renée and Mike made a thoughtful decision twelve years ago - to
have a child. Her son Daniel is now 11. What she most loves about
Daniel is,” How incredibly compassionate he is. He is very, very quick,
to see the good in people.”

Her first public performance after her accident was at San Clemente
Presbyterian Church. Concerned she didn’t have the lung capacity
to sing, Renée wanted her sisters to cover for her. But the pastor
wanted Renée there for another reason - to reassure her students,
saying, “They need to hear you and see you publicly.” “I thought it
was really insightful on his part. So I agreed. I did have a heart for
my students so he knew how to get to me. It felt very good to be
onstage again, especially in San Clemente because they’d been
so incredibly supportive.”

Today Renée speaks and travels nationally to share her story and
more importantly, “What I learned from being in this wheelchair.
After really analyzing what I’ve learned, ironically, it spelled CPR.
It stands for: Choices – Prayer –and Responsibility.”

You must read the miraculous story of Renée’s first meeting with
the pope in Denver. Renée spoke of, “All the little divine appointments
that happened to get me there - that was the presence of God.” Renée
saw the pope again in Toronto when she was the last performer before
Pope John came onstage. “Looking into his eyes is like looking into the
eyes of the ultimate grandpa. So much peace in his warm blue eyes.
So much compassion. When one truly and sincerely puts himself in the
presence of the Lord as often as he did, it’s easy to recognize the Holy
Spirit within. That's what you’d see in him, not just the Pope, but the
Holy Spirit dwelling in him."

The story deepens. After this unmanageable tragedy, the unthinkable
occurs. Michelle, Renée’s sister, the one who laughed with Renée as
they tumbled onto the hospital bed together, became paralyzed in a
tragic off-road accident. Michelle too, is a hero, especially to Renée.
Renée says they help each other by relating to each other’s situation.

The Longed for Vacation
“Part of my burden that most people don’t realize is one of most
disabled people. It takes close to three hours to get up in the morning.
You start your day so much later than the average person, yet have as
much to get done. There’s days where I just want a vacation from the
quadriplegia. I want to be able to jump out of bed, take a shower, get
dressed without help. If there was one thing I’d want to change,
that’d be the one thing.”

Only dreamtime sometimes sets Renée free from quadriplegia
“Sometimes I’m in the chair, then all of a sudden out of the chair
walking and running. Then back in the chair.”

Renée loves to go to God’s greatest cathedral- nature. “We’re very
blessed. We have a wheelchair-accessible motorhome It’s so nice to
camp under the beautiful trees and outdoors and not be stuck in a
hotel room. It is so healing.”

Music is life to Renée. One thing that surprised her doctors is her
lung capacity and the ability to speak and sing as strongly as she
does. With a voice that continues to inspire people around the world,
Renée has 5 CDs. “I’m really pleased when I read fan mail saying how
much my music has helped them through difficult times Music changes
the atmosphere of a home very quickly. When I feel everybody getting
crabby, I say, ‘Time to crank up the tunes. Get the music on!”

Renée believes nothing is a coincidence. She went back to teach youth
choir at her church. Counting up the students, she said “148, 149, 150.” –
the same number of students she had before her accident.
Looking up she said, “Wow. You are one detail-oriented God!”

Last spring, Renée was starting to feel burnout because of all
the traveling. “Not physically. but emotionally.” Renée and her
booking manager were driving to Renée’s performance and
discussing this. “I’d been wondering if I’m supposed to go back
into teaching because my mind goes there a lot.’ When we got
home, I listened to my voicemail. There was a message from
the music coordinator from Capistrano Unified saying ‘Renée
we have a couple job opportunities we’d love for you to consider.”
I laughed saying, ‘OK God. You got my attention.’ I’m now
teaching choir again but at that other school - Capo Valley .
Although I look better in red and black than I do gold and black,
I am now a Cougar instead of a Triton.”

Rally Round Renée was formed from parents and students of
San Clemente “Their first goal was to get me back on my feet
so to speak, and make sure that Mike and I were still able to
maintain our relationship. Their second goal was for me to be
a productive member of society again. I need for them to know
that I am back in teaching. So much of it is because of what
they did in those first few months and years of my injury.
Their goal has been reached.”

Few could go through as deep a valley as Renée and come
out with as victorious a glow as emanates from her being.
From her amazing voice comes a spirit that carries a song of hope.

I cannot possibly tell Renée’s full story or her struggle here,
or adequately describe the gift she has in her angelic voice.
You must read her own words, “The Last Dance but not the
Last Song” available at Joy’s Christian book Store. in San Juan
Capistrano or www.renéebondi.com.

You can hear Renée if you travel a few miles to the Swallow’s
Day Celebration March 18 and 19th in San Juan Capistrano.
To hear her sing “When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano,”
go to www.heroesamongus.blogspot.com

Live Like a Hero!

Terri Marie
Award-winning author of “Be the Hero of Your Own Game”

Renée’s Life Lessons

• See the Good

“I have times where I’m sad and angry but it’s how long you
stay there that can and will become a problem. There comes
a time when you really do have to open your eyes to the good
and the beauty that still exists.
You just have to choose to look for it.”

• Use What You Can

A teacher uses much more than a voice to get across the
nuances of music. Renée couldn’t use her body, so she
learned to use her shoulders. “It wasn’t something I intentionally
planned. I used anything I had to get across to the students
what I was trying to communicate. That’s probably my
biggest frustration, that I cannot conduct the way I want to.”

• Give it All to God

Renée learned to go to God every day. “I wasn’t able to do
this the first couple of years of my injury but now, 18 years
later - I put my day at the foot of the cross and ask Jesus to
help prioritize my day. When I pray this way sincerely in the
morning. I find that I’m not only emotionally fine throughout
the day, but it’s amazing what I am able to get done.”

• Receive Graciously

Renée says that learning to receive is still difficult for her.
“I think the hardest is having to ask. I can see how eventually
the disabled or the elderly become homebound because you
just get so tired of asking for help. I know I do.”

• Balance

With her quadriplegia, Renée has additional and very
time-consuming extras to balance in her day. She
considers it a priority to balance work
and family life.

• You Always Have a CHOICE

“I don’t wake up every morning with a good attitude.
There are many days when I don’t.” When she’s in a bad
mood, Renée tells herself. “I’ve got to get out of bed, get
outside and see the clouds. See the sky and beautiful
Southern California. See the ocean. I have to see that
movement. I may want to be alone. If I have to get a lot
done then I have to bulldoze through
my depression and get done what I need to.”

• Use CPR

Renée tells teens, “Make the right Choices in your friends
and eventually who you marry. I share about Mike staying
with me. I hope that teens think ahead and make the right
choices in their relationships because you never
know when that relationship will be tested as ours was.”
“Put it to “Prayer.” Seek God’s guidance and direction in
all things.“Responsibility” in a society where nobody takes
responsibly for their actions. Teens are being raised to think
that it’s never their fault. It’s ALWAYS somebody
else’s fault when they make a mistake.
The fact of the matter is we all make mistakes.
What we do with those mistakes is what separates
the men from the boys.”

Dottie Walters: Beloved Friend and Hero

2007-02-17T12:05:00.000-08:00

Dottie Walters and Terri Marie at her famous soda fountain

Dottie Walters was a rare woman.
Few had her charm, her wisdom and her
great love for all of humanity.
Dottie passed away the day I was packing to
go see her and deliver the book we had just
written together. She wanted to share
what she had learned in her life.
Dottie was a lover of Einstein. His quote
inspired the title for our book,
The Solution is at Hand: The Dottie
Walter's Story.

Here is my message to Dottie on her next part of her journey.

Dottie, now that you are back in God's hands,
I have a message for you.

Only you could have done it Dottie.
You died on Valentines Day and were born
on New Year's Eve. Everything you did was
a gift Dottie.

You picked the perfect day to go back and
be with your beloved husband Bob, whom
you missed so dearly.
But every day you practiced being a Valentine.
You gave love and encouragement to everyone
you spoke to or wrote to.

Only you Dottie would stay until you knew our
book was finished, even though it wasn't easy
for you and I'm sure you would've liked to have
left a lot sooner.

You knew the world needed messages of hope and you
over delivered whatever you were asked to do.

Only you could have kept on going, pushing your
babies in a broken down stroller with cardboard in
your worn out shoes.

Only you, would "never give up. Never give up," in
your glorious Scottish way.

Only you would bring together all the
Speaker's Bureau's to help each other.

Only you could inspire women to enter
and thrive in the then-man's world of selling.
Only you could do it with such class.

Only you could tell a story with such
enthusiasm and charm.

Only you could ignite people's fire for the gift
you saw within each of them.

Only you Dottie.

I shall miss you so much.

Your friend,

Terri Marie

The Last Hong Kong Veteran

2007-02-14T08:05:00.000-08:00

Dan Thompson holding a plaque given to him by the
Hong Kong Veteran's Association on the 60th
Anniversary of VJ Day. He returned to the site
of the Japanese Prison camp in 1974

The Last Hong Kong Veteran

It’s a story that’s hard to tell but it proves the
resilience of the human spirit, a spirit that
remained hopeful in Dan Thompson, a former
Canadian whose life took a very different turn in 1941.
He became a POW.

Dan Thompson knows war. He tasted four years of
it in Japan during WWII. Imprisoned during the
entire war, Dan had plenty of reasons to be bitter.
But Dan choose forgiveness.
Let’s go back over 60 years.

The Ordeal Begins

Dan enlisted in 1941, lying his way into the
Canadian Services. “I said I was nineteen.
I was only sixteen.” He was sent to Hong Kong
thinking it was paradise. “We were having a ball!
Everything was so modern.” The Japanese were
only 20 miles from Hong Kong. They attacked.
“We were outnumbered 10 to 1. The island
surrendered Christmas Day, 1941.
I turned 17 the day after Pearl Harbor.”

Defending Hong Kong was a lost cause.
Canadians regiments were sacrificial lambs.
Dan said, “It was a regretful error. They’ve
apologized ever since. It happened. We can’t
do anything about it.” 2000 Canadians went
to Hong Kong. The remaining 500 were incarcerated.
Dan was sent to prison camp. Little food.
No medication. Many diseases.
Five POWs or more died daily.
“We’d carry them to the graveyard the next morning.”

Rotation

Hong Kong camp wasn’t the Ritz.
No windows or doors. POWs slept on concrete floors.
“All you had for blankets was whatever you’d been
captured with. Three POWs would make a sleeping bag.
We’d rotate who slept in the middle. It was as
cold as can be.” Every third night Dan had a
chance at warmth. A disease called Pelegra Mouth
closed the throat. His bunkmates died from it.

Dan was transferred to Oeyama August 15th, 1943
and spent 19 days jammed into a ship’s hull.
“You were fortunate to get to Japan without
being sunk by friendly fire.” In 1942, a Japanese
ship known as a ‘hell ship’ carrying POWs from
Hong Kong was torpedoed by an American sub.
1700 of 2100 people died.
The Americans couldn’t have known.
It was unmarked.

Dan didn’t have physical abuse in Hong Kong.
That changed. The Japanese were angry the POWs
hadn’t learned Japanese. POWs learned
quickly or got hit by a wooden sword.
Not exactly the Berlitz method.

Dan did hard labor in nickel mines. No days off.
Not even Sundays. “It didn’t matter how sick you
were. You went even if someone had to support you.”
Twice Dan ended up in isolation, unable to function.
Most came out feet first. Dan was lucky. He lived.
“When you’re sick, they cut your rice in half.
You got hardly anything to start with. When they
cut it in half you almost owed them! New prisoners
didn’t understand why we’d dash for an orange peel.
I had no meat or vegetables for 13 straight months.
Once we were fed rotten fish full of maggots.
It was a treat. Everyone got deathly sick.
I weighed 100 pounds when I was released. Many
weighed 80-95 pounds and went blind because of
malnutrition. Dysentery never left you.”

Hard memories

Some of the brutalities? Prepare yourself.
They took turns beating his head with a Sam Brown Belt.
He got hit so hard with a shovel it got stuck in
his shin. The “Yito” treatment left scars from the burns.
There were many other abuses. Dan never gave up.
“When I got beat, plenty of times, I’d wet my finger,
put a mark on the wall or the air and say,
“One more for my side.” I figured, ‘They beat me up again.
I survived.
One more for me.”

Dan became very close with POWs in his hut.
‘A buddy would say, ‘I’m going to sit down.
Wake me when the rice comes.’
They’d sit down. You’d shake ‘em. Gone.”

Rumors were rampant. “Every day we thought
Chiang Kai Shek would come over the mountains
and rescue us on his white horse. We’d seen
Gruman Hellcats have a dogfight in June so
we knew liberation was close. You survive
on rumors. If you didn’t have rumors you
weren’t getting out. It’d be a pretty dismal
outlook wouldn’t it?”

Two years to the day after Dan went to Oeyama,
the war ended. Three days later, American planes
dropped food supplies. “So much came down you
couldn’t use it all. They welded two 55-gallon
drums together to put on parachutes. When C-47s
dropped them, some chutes tore off. The drums
soared into camp. It was like being bombed.”
These POWs didn’t lose a sense of humor.
Some drums contained ketchup and split open.
“We’d douse ourselves with ketchup and
make-believe we’d been hit.”

Dan said POWs would never throw away another
cigarette butt in their life. They got 10
cigarettes every 10th day. POWs bartered rice
for cigarettes depending if they wanted to
smoke or eat. “The first night, you’d see
the glow of cigarettes and the butts flying
through the air,” said Dan. “It doesn’t take
long before you forget you were ever in there.
We ate so much food, we put on 2-3 pounds
a day. Beri-beri made us look like balloons.
Everybody had stomach problems.”

Home

Dan’s group left Sept 9th and was met by the
Marine band in Yokohama. Dan’s ordeal didn’t
end yet. He had interrogations, delousing and
months of hospital stays along the long route
back to Canada. Just when things seemed better,
a terrible typhoon hit on a harrowing flight to
Kwajalin. “The pilots wanted us to jettison
our souvenirs to lighten our planeload. We only
had a couple engines working by this time. We
said ‘No way. We’re going to keep our stuff.’
He said, ‘I guess after what you guys have been
through, what difference does it make? Hang
onto anything you want.’”
They landed safely.

Dan took a true hero’s journey. Real heroism
isn’t in places, surviving beatings, disease or
lack of food. True heroism is in the heart.
The day of the interview, Dan’s only granddaughter
arrived in Hong Kong with UNLV. Dan told her to
go to the graveyard of the Allied POWs. In Japan,
POWs were cremated. There were no graves.

Dan and his wife Fran, went to Japan and Hong Kong.
“There was one building left. You could see where
the perimeter of camp had been. The smelter had
grown. They had a big get-together with dignitaries.
There was one elderly gentleman who started working
in 1941 and another in 1945. I started in 1943.
They introduced us and asked why I returned. I said,
‘I wanted to show my wife what a beautiful place this
was.’ The spokesman said, ‘You started in 1943.
That makes you second senior man in the company.’
I replied, ‘If that’s the case, what’s the
chance of getting all my backpay?’
That cracked everybody up.”

Dan feels a closure. “It used to bother me about
going back. I wanted to see what the place was
really like. “You can’t go back with a chip on
your shoulder. You make light of it. I know a
lot of people couldn’t do this.
Their hatred didn’t leave. My best friend was
shot and killed. We enlisted together. I have
as much right to be hateful as anybody. It was
a big thing in my life to say, ‘This is done.’
Especially when I think back about the first
200 guys that went there.” In 5 months, 46 guys
died of starvation. What got Dan through? “Luck,”
he says, “and determination. Other guys had
determination too. They just didn’t make it.”

“Most everybody was older than I. There aren’t
many of us left. It’s just a matter of time now.
But I’ve always said I’m going to be the last
surviving Hong Kong veteran.” Dan was willing to
talk about his experience. That kept his outlook
positive. Some POWs remain imprisoned in the
long ago past. Dan opened the door of war,
walked through, and moved on.

Live like a hero!

Terri Marie
Award-winning author of “Be the Hero
of Your Own Game”

Dan’s Life Lessons

• Positive Attitudes Don’t Change When
Circumstances Do

Fran said of her husband. “It didn’t change him.
He’s always had a positive attitude.” Dan said,
“I’m still the same person. I enjoy being with
people and like to help people.
You have to enjoy life.”

• Don’t generalize and hate all

Dan understands it was a few people and a
war situation. I don’t dislike the Japanese
people at all. Some POWs are released from
camp but not from their anger.

• Don’t Give Up Hope

“In Japan we lost everything. My mother
didn’t know I was alive until July of 1942.
You survive on rumors. But don’t give up hope,
just because they don’t come true.”

• Be Resourceful

Dan hid bean curd paste under his hat to
get extra food. To try to keep their feet warm,
POWs hid coal in their boots. The Japanese
had shakedowns looking for coal. Dan’s
friend threw a coat over his boots while Dan
buried the coal in the snow to avoid another beating.

• Try to Stay on Your Feet

Dan had a rifle barrel jammed in his mouth,
spent 10 days in solitaire, and was horribly
tortured. Dan’s advice “Stay on your feet.”
Good advice for anyone.

• Help Out Weaker Guys

The POWs helped other POWs who were too
weak to work. Once while guards were working
someone over, Dan stepped in and got hit across
the back with a shovel. It broke his 7th cervical.

• What Does Dan Teach His Children and Grandchildren?

His first answer “Save money.”
Then, “Have good work ethics.”

• Forgiveness Works

One POW told Dan, “Don’t ever ask me about Japan.”
That man died at 43. Dan let the bad experiences go.

• I asked Dan why he retired in San Clemente. His answer?
“Because it was nicer than Burbank.”
There’s more to that story…!

Walking With Others Through Life

2007-01-15T15:10:00.000-08:00

Carolyn McOwen

God signed her up. Gave her the call,
then gave her the skills and the courage
to follow it.

Carolyn McOwen loves what she calls,
God-incidences, “Where you’re in the
right place in the right time. You go ‘Wow!’
You could think they’re coincidental but it’s
a God thing. That’s what empowers me to do
more.” You may recognize the name McOwen.
Her husband Scott’s has an amazing ministry.
Together, I think they are making God very proud.

It’s a second career for Carolyn who’s been a PE
teacher and worked with Young Life. She hadn’t
taken a class for 30 years when she started seminary.
“God’s call was loud and clear,” she said. “I never
sought an ordained position.”
But Carolyn had signs.
Then a job fell into her lap.

She became Associate Pastor of Congregational Life
at Geneva Presbyterian Church. “I call it cradle to the grave,”
Carolyn says. She handles women’s ministries and
MOPS, Mothers of Pre-School - which started with two
mothers and now has over twenty. She coordinates retreats,
fellowship time between services, and empowers the laity
by helping people find their giftedness.
Carolyn is busy serving with passion.

“Here at Laguna Woods, we always have somebody
at Saddleback. The need is huge. Huge. It’s walking
people through their life,” Carolyn says. She doesn’t
have a table between her chairs and sofa. “It’s a
relationship ministry. I’m not bogged down with meetings.”

Carolyn thought it would be difficult going into a dying
person’s room. She found out that as a Christian she can
give hope. The hospital used to take her breath away.
“Now I can sit with someone who’s dying.
That’s not of me,” she said.

“For me the hardest part of my job is to be up front.
Nobody knows this. I’ve had to work and work at it.
But I think back, I was always coaching others to be
up there.” Carolyn’s choir director said, ‘Take a deep
breath. Remember. This is not about you.” “I thought,
‘You’re right.’ I’ll do my best. That’s all that can be
expected. The number one fear is public speaking.
The next is flying. I have both - neither of which I will
give into. I’ve been all over the world with that fear.
If God’s really in control, he knows the number of days
I’m going to be on this earth.”

In her work with young mothers, Carolyn says, “It’s a
different culture. They’re better moms in many respects.
But in many respects we were. They’re more intuitive
with their children and more intuitive to their own needs,
which sometimes makes them not so willing to give.
We gave everything. We worried what our kids watched on
television. They worry what their kids watch on computers.
Our kids didn’t need TV, but they’re going to need computers,
which needs a lot more monitoring.”

Carolyn teaches her grandchildren to try new things. “They
don’t have to be the best at it. There’s a difference between
being the best, and doing your best.
In our society we get those mixed up.”

“Our world is not spiritually oriented but who do they rely
on when trauma hits?’ “911 is an example and Katrina.
Outwardly you think it’s the physical care, but emotionally
it’s the spiritual care in times of big trouble.”

“God will make something good from everything we go
through. It can be horrible. You may never see the good.
It’s a wonderful thing if you do. Renee Bondi may not have
been able to touch as many people with her beautiful voice
if it wasn’t for her accident.” Renee is one of Carolyn’s
heroes because of how she’s handled a huge life change.
“I used to volunteer my time with Renee. I never went away
having a problem after I was with her,” said Carolyn. “I admire
people who have positive outlooks in the midst of tragedy,
take their eyes off themselves and stay focused on God.
Renee fits that. Lots of people get angry and try to blame
somebody instead of just saying, ‘Things happen.’
“I think when we get to heaven we’ll either go,
‘I understand’ or ‘Who cares?”

Carolyn has two more heroes, She said she could add
many more. “Ruth Kayser and John Shackleford, both
in their 80s. My heroes are people who persevered in their
Christian faith no matter what. They’ve gone through the
valleys, came out and said ‘Yes, God is with me.’ Those
are my heroes - those who plugged through life and brought
good into the world in their small way.”

She also works healing marriages. “In our society we’re
not geared to hold marriages together.” Carolyn started
a monthly article called “The Secret of Lasting Romance.”
From couples married over 50 years she’s gleaned the
twofold secret.
“Keep God the center of your marriage and keep dating.”
‘The most valuable thing you can do for your kids is stay
in love with your spouse. Be married to your best friend.
People think when you have kids you stop dating.
You still have to date.”

“The reason I agreed to be interviewed is that we focus
on the negative in the papers. It’s unbelievable. You can
get paranoid when you hear about all the negativity. I’ve
decided that 98% of the people out there are good, doing
wonderful things. We need to have our hope in that, not
in negativity. It’s the fear that is taking over.”

If Carolyn could tell people one thing, she’d give a message,
especially to women who often miss this piece. “That one
thing is:
Each of us is beloved by God, just as Jesus is beloved by God.
When they get it, their world open up. We don’t have to be
good enough, because we’re beloved by God, so he can use us.
When you grasp that ... you know. It’s not about us.
It’s about the message. God does not call the equipped.
He equips those he calls.”

Live like a hero!

Terri Marie

Award-winning author of “Be the Hero of Your Own Game”
For more hero stories go to www.heroesamongus.blogspot.com

Carolyn’s Special Tips to Parents

• Monitor the computer
“The computer has to be out in the open. I’d never let
them have a computer in their room.”

• Go back to the basics
“Be sure you have family dinners.
Take family vacations without friends.”

• Listen to teens
Carolyn worked with babies as a cuddler at the
hospital, youth soccer, and now the elderly.
She understands life cycles. What has she learned
from youth? “That we need ‘em. They deserve to
be accepted as a person.
They have a brain – let’s hear what’s in it.”

• Cut the TV time
“I limited my kids to an hour of TV a day. They
couldn’t accumulate the hour. If you didn’t use it,
you lost it baby! Of course we were very flexible
if there was a movie or special,” she said.

Carolyn’s Life Lessons

• No matter what your age, be willing to risk
People say to Carolyn, “I can’t do this. I’ve
never done it before.” She is proof that you can
start anytime, create a beautiful life and do plenty of good.

• Always be willing to learn
“Be coachable.”
From a former coach that is good advice.

• We don’t have all the answers
That’s what faith is for. “It’s not about us.”
Carolyn said. “We’re in big trouble when we
begin to think we have all the answers.
I’m not afraid to say ‘I don’t know.”

• It’s OK to be angry at God
“Just don’t turn your back on him,” Carolyn says.
You get angry with your parents, but you don’t
walk away from them. You get angry with your kids,
but you still love ‘em. Some of the authors of the
Psalms were angry and frustrated, but ultimately
they came to terms and peace with God. God
wants you to come to him in that anger instead
of turning your back on him.”

• Boldly pray
“I think you can boldly pray for God’s peace and
comfort. Don’t be timid about that. I’ve become
real bold at deathbeds. I did it a couple weeks ago.”
Carolyn went on hospital visitation rounds with a
woman she was training. “We weren’t there more
than one second when the caregiver came in, along
with the head of the hospice, so we immediately
knew the situation. When the nurse came in, I said,
‘Shall we pray?’ The nurse said ‘yes’. I could honestly
pray for God to take her. He’s calling her home.
We release her to him. You can see where it is
comforting for the person that is left behind.”

• It’s never too late
“One gal I was talking to said she didn’t like her job,
but then she’d have to go back to school. I said ‘Yes?’
She asked if I thought she was too old. I asked how
her old she was. She said ‘38.” Needless to say
Carolyn encouraged her to return to school! But she
needed to hear that from someone else.
Someone like Carolyn.

• Be prepared
Carolyn says that a chaplain at Saddleback was one
of the first chaplains to get over to Katrina. “Now,
she’s gathering local clergy in case of a disaster here –
to mobilize the spiritual care, because spiritual care
is what is needed.”

The First Mayor

2006-11-16T07:56:00.000-08:00

Thomas Murphine, Our First Mayor

In good times seems everyone’s a hero.
In bad times, the heroes rise.

Thomas Murphine, first mayor of San Clemente ruled over
our seaside city for 6 years and had his share of things that
could’ve broken a lesser man. He came in without much fanfare
and left the same way. Called to serve, he did so at the
end of a stretch of good times. San Clemente’s once bright
real estate candle all but went out.
Its 1000 residents shrunk to 250.

Murphine met city founder Ole Hansen and became good
friends while serving in Washington’s State Legislature.
Murphine was the City Harbor Commission’s legal advisor.
Ole owned a successful country store. As Seattle’s Mayor,
Ole appointed Murphine Supervisor of Public Utilities.
The friends survived the famous public workers strike,
then went to Santa Barbara in the early 1920s to work on
the Porter Hotel project. It wasn’t meant to be. The hotel
went down in flames. Had it not been for the 1925 earthquake,
which demolished the hotel, “perhaps there wouldn’t have
been a San Clemente,” says John Hall, grandson of Murphine.

They moved onto San Clemente. Murphine and partner
Trafford Huteson’s brokerage firm was granted the land
sales contract. The paper said, tongue-in-cheek, “As Murphine
and Huteson are from Seattle, they cannot work good in the rain.
They were not used to it before coming to Southern California.”

San Clemente municipalized in February 1928 with 14 city officers
including the mayor. Ole Hansen Jr. deferred the role.
Murphine accepted. Heroes do that.
He was on the architect board that made town laws including
Spanish designs and red roofs. When Murphine took office,
San Clemente claimed to be the wealthiest city per capita in America.
Five years later, not even its founder could afford to live here.

The Bad Years
A 1927 paper said building was still booming, but words couldn’t
boost the economy. The Depression hit the tender new growth of
San Clemente hard. “They all lived very well in the early years
before the crash,” says Hall. October 1929 came. Taxes or
mortgages got most homes.
All the good publicity in the world couldn’t bring in sales.

Paradise was taking its toll. Rumors always flew about what
happened with Ole and Murphine’s friendship, once strong
enough that Murphine threw his support behind what many
called Ole’s “harebrained scheme.” Close for years, they’d
gone through major setbacks and an earthquake. Eventually
their friendship cracked. Seattle had drawn them together.
San Clemente would split them apart.

The depression didn’t help. Everyone was looking for someone
to blame. At a council meeting, Murphine indicated he’d been
responsible for securing the city’s water. That did it. Rather
than “water under the bridge,” Ole thought Murphine was claiming
Ole’s gift to the city. Actually, both were correct. Homer Banks said,
“One of Mayor Murphine’s first official acts was to formerly accept
on behalf of the city, the $500,000 water system…built by Hansen
and the Cotton Syndicate …for which the city paid $1.00.”

The rift deepened. Murphine continued serving. Ole left in 1932
but had a recall election to remove Murphine. Though ineffective,
(174 favor to 130 against) it created a bitter separation
resolved only shortly before Ole’s death.

While Murphine was mayor, the pier, hospital, golf course and
many landmarks were built. Murphine was a prominent athlete
at UW Seattle. His Seattle contacts brought baseball spring
training to our new ballpark. He had a non-nonsense attitude.
News Editor, Jim Farquhar wrote about a councilman who wanted
to distribute beer. “The Mayor said that if the police commissioner
wanted to sell beer, shoe buttons or peanut brittle, it was OK
with him, so long as he didn’t do it in the street and scare the
horses.” Now that’s just good common sense. (er…horse sense.)

Then came the last straw. In 1933, after it was featured in Western
Decorator, San Clemente swallowed Murphine’s home. Built on an
old Indian graveyard, another quake, (Long Beach) left a growing
fissure in his front yard. The house started moaning as if expressing
the pain the entire city was feeling. Like a sick person, it began to
shake. Finally it exploded and fell in the earth. Only the beautiful
red roof could be seen. There are no comments I could find on what
Murphine may have said, but his dream home was gone.
Ole lost his to the bank.

With his stunning ocean-view home now rubble, Murphine moved
the family to a local apartment to continue duties as mayor and
daily business of Huteson-Murphine. He helped as Hamilton
Cotton got Bank of America to change the tile roof codes so that
more houses could be sold. Even so, banks took home after home.

It was FDR a friend of Cotton’s who bailed out San Clemente.
66 men got jobs. That was probably most of the men in town.
That WPA project is where our beautiful eucalyptus and palm
trees came from. Those trees saved us.

After Murphine moved his family back to LA on 42nd Place,
he resigned. He formed partnerships and practiced corporate
law where one of his clients was The Ringling Brothers.
John Hall was six when his father died. Murphine willingly accepted
that role too, bringing his daughter and grandson to his home.
“He was the big lord of the family,” Hall recalls fondly. Murphine
taught Hall to memorize the 33 Presidents by awarding a silver
dollar for each one learned – a hefty incentive back then.
“He was a hero to me in my formative years,” says Hall.

If it weren’t for Murphine, we wouldn’t have La Cristianita
monument. He collected Indian arrowheads and found the
area’s heritage fascinating. Murphine and Father St. John O’Sullivan
got the Board of Supervisors to officially recognize the site.
Murphine became the city’s first preservationist.

What might Murphine say today of San Clemente? Hall, the grandson
who lived with Murphine during his last ten years says, “He’d be pleased.
He’d want to see it developed the right way for the greatest
good and greatest culture.”

While Ole got most of the attention, Murphine served as a good,
solid citizen, supporting the dream of a friend. Work behind the
scenes is vital to growth. Those unseen roots spur the blooms
the world sees. Thomas Murphine quietly built the roots.

Live like a hero!

Terri Marie

Terri Marie is the author of “Be the Hero of Your Own Game.”
For past articles visit heroesamongus.blogspot.com.
For a free “year of cheer” send an email to yearofcheer@aweber.com

Special thanks to John Hall, and to Lois Divel, and Pat Bouman
of the San Clemente Historical Society for their kind help &
information. Thanks also to Doris Walker’s book.

Life Lessons from Thomas Murphine

• Never Complain

In what seemed like an endless boom for the city with an ever-brighter
future, leading the almost desperate San Clemente certainly was no picnic.
Murphine didn’t complain. He served.

• Don’t Overlook the Little Things

A new city needs some organization. Can you imagine San Clemente
without house numbers to find one’s way around? The issue had to
be “addressed.” The new Mayor urged “all to cooperate with city
council in attending to this duty of citizenship.” Thank goodness.

• Don’t Live in the Past

“They were broken-hearted when their dream home on the bluff
was lost but he never talked about past disappointments,” said Hall.
Murphine picked up and moved on.

• Do Your Duty to Family and City When Called

Hall isn’t sure what would’ve happened if Murphine hadn’t taken them in.
“He came to our rescue,” says Hall. “He was a great father to me.”

• Stick by Your Values

“He was just and fair and totally honest had a good legal mind,” said Hall. “
All the people from those early days of San Clemente stayed in touch with him.”
That says a lot.

• When the World is Falling Down Around You, Don’t Get Petty

Murphine didn’t buy into the finger pointing. His comments about
not scaring the horses pretty much summed up the way he handled things.

• Don’t be Afraid to Revise in a Crisis

Although Murphine helped create the law to require red tile roofs in
San Clemente, when the depression hit and no houses were selling,
they tried something else.
Even a football player has to go another direction sometimes.

• Use a Game to Teach Skills

With astute insight Murphine used sports to teach math.
This put his grandson 2 years ahead of the class because his math
skills were so good. “He taught me how to read a baseball box score,”
says Hall. “I think if he hadn’t become a lawyer, he might’ve become
a teacher like his father. There was a lot of teaching in his soul.”

Give Him an A!

2006-11-04T10:33:00.000-08:00

Bob McCarroll

Give Him an A!

One day like any other, Robert McCarroll was teaching his Auto Academy
class at San Clemente High - when there was a knock on his door. The
principal and several men showed up. That could get any teacher a little
nervous, including McCarroll. He needn’t have worried.
He was about to be told he was named “Teacher of the Year.”

The award was presented by San Clemente Wal-Mart manager,
Leo Dennis, with a $1000 check and gift card for McCarroll’s program.
“I was completely shocked,” said McCarroll. Who better to get the award
than someone training people for work in what once was called
“service” stations? And serve he does. “I counted it up once.
Over 6,000 students have come through my program.”

McCarroll’s Academy teaches all the basics of understanding cars,
but puts great emphasis on building quality character. “Punctuality,
loyalty, honesty, integrity. That’s the difference between being
successful or not. You could be the world’s best mechanic, but
if you can’t get along with the guys in the shop, nobody wants you.”

His consumer automotive class teaches what we all should know
about our cars…“everything from maintenance, to what to do if
they think there’s fraud,” says McCarroll. “All my kids know the
toll-free number for the Bureau of Automotive Repair. They know
how to shop smart for a car, and how to know it’s been in an
accident. I think everybody who owns a driver’s license should
have a course like that. If they did, there’d be a lot less fraud.”

“These guys are really in high demand. They often make more
money than college graduates.” Some teachers may have given
up on some of these students. Not Bob. He says, “While some say,
‘He’ll never amount to anything.’ We take them in. We take them
from a tax burden to a taxpayer. They need someone to believe
in them and they need a valuable skill to make a good living.”

“Some kids come in with their faces dragging on the ground.
Everything they’ve tried in school, they didn’t enjoy or weren’t
successful at. In this program, they find something they can be
successful at and really like. It doesn’t hurt that their buddies
now come to them with car questions ‘Knowledge is power.’
That’s what I tell them. The more you know, the more you can do,
the more valuable you are. Once these kids come into the Auto
Academy, we see improvements in attitude, grades and attendance.
How much money does that save the school district? Thousands.
Plus it really makes the kids successful.”

Former student Brian Schroepher, was a guest speaker for McCarroll’s
yearly program where the Academy honors business partners who
hire his interns. Brian had severe dyslexia. “When he came into my
10th grade class, he had a 2nd grade reading level. But Brian really
liked working on cars. He studied, did his best and got on my
trouble-shooting team. Brian won the County championship. He
missed the National championship by a headlight switch. That was
worth 17 points. Now Brian’s an engineer who works for Honeywell.
Last I heard, he was working on some top-secret airplane
issue for the Air Force.”

Thirteen orange pennants hang from McCarroll’s ceiling. Each
represents a year at the state finals, 13 out of 20 - more than any
other school in Orange County. Seven rows of checkered flags
denote when they went to nationals. McCarroll isn’t a newcomer to
awards. His program was the first at SCH to win the coveted
Golden Bell award.

His students are “driven” – sorry for the pun. Last year two
students went to the nationals in NYC. They got to work on a
new 2006 BMW 235i to find and fix the “bugs” purposely put in
the car. They finished ninth in the nation. “Both of my students
came home with $60,000 in scholarship money – each!” The team
so impressed the National Training Director of BMW, he gave
them his card saying, “When you finish training, give us a call.”

Two people influenced McCarroll, his grandpa and his wife.
His grandpa taught him how to repair broken items people had
thrown away because they didn’t know how to fix them. He also
taught McCarrol about character. “I patterned myself after Grandpa.
He had all the character traits I hold in high esteem.” McCarrroll’s
wife said she wouldn’t marry him until he promised to attend
college. “I didn’t want to go, because college is where the smart
kids went. Those of us who were average, or like myself, below
average, did something else. In high school, I got pigeonholed
into what was called a “slow” class. I thought, “I must not be too
smart, therefore “D’ is probably the best I can do.” However when
McCarroll applied himself in college, he got B’s. He thought it was
a fluke. “I must’ve had easy teachers. I had no confidence at all.
But my wife had confidence in me.” Today McCarroll passes
along that confidence to his students.

“Looking back now, 35 years later, I think there was a higher
plan for me. Somebody had something in store for me. I’m right
where I’m supposed to be, doing what I’m supposed to
do…teaching these guys.”
Let’s give him an A+

Live like a hero!

Terri Marie

McCarroll’s Lessons:
• You Never Know How You Will Influence Someone’s Life.

McCarroll didn’t apply for the Wal-Mart “Teacher of the Year” Award.
He was nominated by student, Josh Blum, who said McCarroll was
one of the best teachers he’d ever had and thought McCarroll
deserved the recommendation.

• Technical Skills are Less Important than Character

Students can get trained in a skill but an employer will not teach
them character. McCarroll does. “They expect you to know how to
work on a car. If you don’t, they can teach you. But they’re not
going to teach you how to be loyal to the company.” McCarroll
didn’t make his high school honor society, but that doesn’t stop
him from teaching about honor.

• Set the Tone

“I’ve always believed that if you want someone to perform a
certain way, you have to set the tone. If I want the kids to be on time,
I’m on time. I say, ‘If you start at 8:00, don’t be there at 8:00 - be there
at quarter till or ten till. Be early.’ Show the employers you care
about his business.”

• Good Work Pays Off

The Academy students are required to do a summer internship at a
local business. “About 60% of these kids get hired right out of the
internship,” said McCarroll, “Girls should be encouraged to do this.
They can make lots of money as a technician.”

• Know Your Stats to Help Your Students

“The Department of Labor Statistics says that we are 60,000
automotive technicians short. What that means is that if we took
all the kids in automotive training programs right now and put them
to work tomorrow, we’d still be short 60,000 openings. And the Dept
of Labor is projecting that number will grow by 10,000 each year
for the next decade.” That knowledge armed McCarroll with info to
prove just how valuable these skills will be to his students.

• Use the community resources.

McCarroll works with local business owners to offer internships
for his Academy program. It’s win/win. Students get experience
and often job offers. The business owners train, teach, and
handpick potential employees.

The Man Who Sees With Musical Vision

2006-08-30T09:30:00.000-07:00

A Man of Musical Vision
In Tune with San Clemente
Jerry Velasco

In 1962 he stood overlooking the San Clemente cliffs and made
his decision. Jerry Velasco, Hollywood entertainer, decided
to get out of the LA rat race. He moved to San Clemente
to give his family a better life.
Later, it proved an even bigger destiny.

Jerry met Buddy Cole, pianist, and accompanist for the likes of
Phil Harris, Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney. San Clemente
was Cole’s get-away spot. He’d invite friends like Jerry here.
San Clemente started pulling on Jerry’s soul. “I immediately
fell in love with San Clemente as most people do. When I saw
the tranquility here, I likened it to the feeling I had in Hawaii.
Nothing was rushed. Everything was beautiful.”

Another Cole had a major influence on Jerry - Nat King. “He
was my musical hero.” But Jerry’s sister Maria was first.
“I marveled at what she did. I’d sit back, listen and watch
her practice and practice. That’s how I came to know the
piano. Maria was my idol and inspiration.”

Jerry, Buddy, and friends went to the San Clemente Inn every
weekend for jam sessions on their beautiful, grand piano.
They got so popular, the owner approached Jerry and said,
“People want to come listen to you. Since you’re down here
every week, why don’t I hire you?” Back then, San Clemente
Inn was THE “in” spot in South Orange County.
Jerry became a local legend.

Like most heroes, Jerry doesn’t believe he’s one. “I admire
people who put their lives on the line for mankind, like
fireman, policemen, marines, the military. They put their
whole body and soul and body into helping mankind.”
But Jerry too, performs heroically every week, Thursday
evenings at Molly Bloom’s and weekends at Sarduci’s.
He’s performed in San Clemente for 46 years!
That’s heroic.
What is even more heroic, is the level he wants to take
San Clemente to. That began ten years after he moved here.

In 1972, Jerry was again in the hills of San Clemente
watching a performance. A Hollywood producer for Disney,
Norman Wright, wrote a play called “La Cristianita Pageant,”
depicting the history of San Clemente. Norman asked
Jerry to write the music. Jerry wrote a perfect opening number,
“On Our Mission We Go,” as priests and soldiers came down
from the hills to the village. Jerry put in comic relief as
entertainment heroes do, with a song about three
grumbling, homesick soldiers called
“When I Dream of Home.”

That’s when Jerry got bit by the Amp bug. “I have ambitions
as most people do. My big, burning ambition is AFTA (the
San Clemente Amphitheater).
I don’t want credit for that. All I want is to get it done.”

Big dreams aren’t easy. Over the years the Amphitheater
got amped up and amped down. That didn’t discourage Jerry.
“This is just another fly in the ointment. I don’t let those
things drag me down. If I were the type of person to grumble
about adversity, I’d be grumbling all the time. That’s no fun.”

“With a major-league Amphitheater, we can offer the world a
lot,” said Jerry. “To me, the spot is critical. There’s a lot to
be done, but the biggest hurdle we’ve had, is already taken
care of - to get engineers on the site. Once people see a
model and say, ‘Oh isn’t that beautiful,’ then San Clementians
will be able to share in that dream.”

When the Amphitheater is built and San Clemente opens its
door to the outdoors, Jerry has a song ready for us.
“Long Ago and Far Away. I dreamed a dream one day.
Now this dream is here beside me.” “I always thought it’d
be Nixon that put San Clemente on the map and he did,
but not like an Amphitheater would. It’d bring Broadway
productions to our city.”

Jerry Velasco - the musical hero of San Clemente. He doesn’t
save lives in the traditional sense. He saves a piece of people’s
souls through the power of music. Maybe no other realm
has as camaraderie as music. “Perhaps one of the reasons
I’ve become fairly successful is I invite people to join me,”
says Jerry. “I love to see people perform and give them as
much encouragement as I can. I love to make them feel
there’s an orchestra behind them. People may have spent
their week in toils or troubles. When they come to listen,
it’s time to relax, let their hair down.”

All things start with a vision. Jerry’s vision to share
entertainment joy will reach out into a glorious legacy
like the ancient Greeks. “It’ll be one of the biggest joys
of my life, to know it’s finally here,” Jerry says.

Perhaps one day Jerry will become an even bigger legend,
known as the “dreamer” of the San Clemente Amphitheater.
Where countless performers of all ages entertain on stage,
courtesy of Jerry’s dream. Instead of inviting a few performers
to share the stage, vast numbers of talented performers,
for generations upon generations, will “display their wares”
and continue to give the world
that entertainment joy.

Live like a hero!

Terri Marie

Terri Marie is an award-winning author of
“Be the Hero of Your Own Game.”

Jerry’s Lessons

• Music brings people together
“People are the main reason I was put on this earth.
To make people happy.”

• Develop your talents
“The man upstairs gave different talents to different people.
It’s up to them to take that talent and put it to good use.
I feel fortunate that I’ve been given musical talent and the
ability to get people to enjoy themselves and enjoy life.”

• There is enough to go around
Jerry shares the stage “Everybody has a need to be able
to display their wares. If my stage is a place where they’re
able to do that, I’m willing to have
them come up and be in the spotlight.”

• Hold on fast to that dream
“There are people that are going to oppose what I’m doing.
I know that’s going to happen regardless of the project.”
Jerry keeps feeding his dream.

• You can’t make people happy but you can try
“I dislike being around people that grumble all the time.
I’m a happy person and I want to bring happiness to people.
If there’s something they want to complain about, I’ll try to
turn their thoughts to something more pleasant..”

• Jerry’s advise to youngsters of all ages
“Whatever you dream about doing, try to take the best steps
possible to get to there. There’s always going to be pitfalls.
Things aren’t always going to be the way you want. But if you
have enough patience, will and gumption,
and you want it badly enough, then it’ll happen.”

• Love Everybody
Jerry loves everybody. That does two things. Makes them
feel good. And also helps him mind his own business.
I think it's great advice.