Category: Lunar Letter (English)

The chronicles of time confirm we can make possible the impossible…

Man has been romping around on earth in some way, shape, or form for some 6 to 8 million years.  In the last 200 years we have achieved things which were once “im”possible such as railways, automobiles and airplanes.  It is now possible for two or more people anywhere in the world to communicate in real time.  We have reached the moon and then some exploring the greatness of space and our universe.  During practically the whole time we have inhabited the planet, simple things such as having a cup of coffee and reading the newspaper were “im”possible.

There is no doubt we can make possible the impossible, but…

How can we do it?

Enthusiasm, drive and tenacity tend to be the difference between dreams which remain so and a burning desire which becomes reality.  Let’s look at these incisive words which confirm the importance of perseverance.

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

~ Theodore Roosevelt

The impossible becomes possible through effort and tenacity; not through apathy and laziness.  Those who live the life others only dream of are those who are audacious in thought and action.  They are those who know what they want and go get it.

What is your “im”possible?

What do you most want and desire in your life?

It could be:

A better marital or romantic relationship
Moving to another city or country
A new position or company
Your own house
A car

We all want something and surely there is someone on the planet who has what we want.  Many have overcome worse circumstances and have suffered greater difficulties than ours.  Nevertheless, they have achieved what was “im”possible and now have what it is we have always wanted to have or wanted to be.

It’s time to push excuses aside and to finally take control of our destiny.  The road to live a better life is not somewhere out there rather deep inside our own soul.  Starting today we can look to the horizon of our own “im”possibility and with our boots strapped on, our hands firmly on the reigns and with a bright burning fire which lights our inner desire begin to make possible the impossible.

∞ Rob McBride ∞
LL III 31

Life is a question of decision and each decision we make directs our destiny.

Frequently we think our destiny is predetermined and we have no options.  We believe we are like a ship on the high seas with no motor, sail or rudder.  The truth is we have always had a motor, sail and rudder.  Whether we use them or not is an entirely different story.  While it is true we cannot control the wind, we can utilize what we have at hand to take control of our direction.

Let’s look at three everyday examples about our options and how our decisions affect and/or determine our direction.

1) Coffee

Many enjoy having a nice cup of coffee in the morning.  At the same time most people, if not all, also like to have white teeth.

Nevertheless, have you seen how coffee stains things?

If coffee stains a cup of coffee, can you imagine what it does to our teeth?

So armed with this knowledge we can make a decision; if we don’t want to stain our teeth with coffee, we can choose not to drink it…

I know what you may be thinking, “I prefer to drink my coffee!”

If this is the case, we can brush our teeth well each time we drink coffee or pay later for a special treatment to whiten our teeth if it is important to us.  Life is a decision, we can choose to drink coffee and then do something to whiten our teeth or, simply not drink coffee.

2) Happiness

Though it may sound somewhat like looking into a crystal ball, we can “predict the future” with the decisions we make.  My friend Francisco Novoa is fond of saying, “You can be right or you can be happy but you can’t always be both.”

By making a decision that, “We must always be right,” more than likely we are setting ourselves up for times when we will not be happy because someone else will also want to be right and have a different way of thinking.  As an alternative, we can instead simply make the following decision:

“It is not always necessary for me to be right; instead I choose to be happy.”

3) Punctuality

In our professional lives we can also “predict the future” with what we do.  The great majority of people choose to be “On Time” for their meetings and other important obligations.  If we know it takes 45 minutes to get to work with no obstacles or other inconveniences and if we leave 45 minutes ahead of the stipulated time, we will be “On Time” if nothing goes wrong.  But, if anything out of the ordinary happens, we will surely arrive late.

Wouldn’t it be better to decide to take measures to arrive 15 to 20 minutes ahead of time for our appointments and other important obligations, including work?

If there are no inconveniences, we can take advantage of the time we have by arriving early by reading, preparing for whatever it is we will be doing, or by just relaxing and playing over in our mind a video of the results we desire.  If, on the other hand, there is some kind of inconvenience, we have a margin of error which will still allow us to get on time if the obstacle is not too great.

As an added benefit, those who arrive early tend to be those who are more productive, better compensated, more respected and more successful in any organization.  They are better prepared for what may come and better manage trouble along the way.

Is it necessary to be on time to be successful?

In the literal sense, it is not, though it is highly recommendable.  Those who consistently arrive late will have to work two or three times harder to achieve the same success as someone who habitually arrives on time.

Life doesn’t have to be so complicated and, in its essence, is really quite simple.  By making smart decisions with regards to those things we must do, we can achieve what we have always desired because life is question of decision.

∞ Rob McBride ∞
LL III 30

What happened yesterday is a distant memory, what comes tomorrow is an uncertain promise and what we have today our only reality.  While it is normal to lament what once was or fear what is to come, the only thing which will influence tomorrow is what we do or do not do today.

Today we can begin to live the life we have always wanted to live…

Let’s see what we can do starting today to create our destiny tomorrow:

Today is the day I advance instead of staying still.

Today is the day I begin to bounce with joy to greet each new day.

Today is the day I commence building bridges rather than creating obstacles.

Today is the day I develop the very best in me to discover the very best in others.

Today is the day I enunciate my dreams to the world and take firm steps ahead.

Today is the day I feed my mind with seeds of greatness to achieve my desire.

Today is the day I greet each day with the glory each miracle of life brings.

Today is the day I help others achieve the goals they want to achieve.

Today is the day I initiate the path which takes me where I want to go.

Today is the day I join together my best qualities to make this a marvelous day.

Today is the day I kill others with kindness even when they are unkind to me.

Today is the day I launch myself into the game of life with enthusiasm.

Today is the day I make my own road to find a much better way.

Today is the day I navigate the oceans of uncertainty.

Today is the day I open myself to opportunity.

Today is the day I put into practice what I have learned.

Today is the day I quit complaining and commence enjoying.

Today is the day I refute limiting beliefs which hold me back.

Today is the day I sustain confidence in myself to resolve challenge.

Today is the day I take the reins of emotion to drive positive change.

Today is the day I unify the effort of those who join me in my journey.

Today is the day I value each second, minute and hour of existence.

Today is the day I say “Wow!” to each and every wonder of life.

Today is the day I mix a little bit of sunshine in all I do.

Today is the day I yield to the greatness I have inside.

Today is the day I zealously strive for greatness.

In short, there is nothing we want to do or achieve which cannot be started in some way today.  Today is the day when we determine our direction and direct our destiny.  When we begin today to create the life we have always wanted to live, there is nothing which can get in our way.

∞ Rob McBride ∞
LL III 29

With the rocks in our road we can either build bridges or create barriers.

Why are some people destroyed by adversity while others prosper in mayhem?

From the time we are young, we are taught, trained and even domesticated to think and act in certain ways.  Unfortunately a very small and powerful word forms an integral part of many of these teachings and this word is: “No!”

1. No, I don’t want to play, I’m too tired.
2. No, don’t run, you are going to hurt yourself.
3. No, don’t make so much noise, the neighbors are sleeping.
4. No, you can’t go to the dance, you are doing terribly in school.

The result of hearing “No” so many times when we are young, estimated to be between 90,000 and 100,000 times in the first years of our lives, assures we “Cannot” do many things.

What if we exchange this negative pattern for a positive one?

We can practice saying, “Yes you can!”

For example, we can say:

1. Yes I do want to play ball with you, first let me rest for a few minutes and I will be ready in about 20 minutes.
2. Yes you can run, first please go outside so you don’t hurt yourself.
3. Yes you can make noise, first let’s go read a book and talk about all the ways you can make noise tomorrow morning when everyone else is awake.
4. Yes, you can go to the dance, first you need to start doing better in school.  What can I do to help?

While this concept is quite simple, it is far from easy.  When we start to say “Yes” to our kids, family and colleagues, we begin to open ourselves to a whole new world of opportunities.  The word “No” limits our reach and turns off our creative engine, while the word “Yes” extends our reach and starts the ignition to our creative power.

When we think we can do a certain task or solve a situation, we create roads instead of roadblocks and possibilities instead of excuses.  Each time we answer the question, “Can I do this?” we sculpt our character for better or worse.  If the response tends to be “No,” the scars and burdens of life will become evident.  If, on the contrary, the usual answer is “Yes,” we open the floodgates of creativity and energy without regard to time or age.

Obviously, there are exceptions and we can’t say “Yes” to everything in life, though we can to the great majority.

Can you fly to the moon?

Yes you can!  First you need to study a lot and find out the process.  While it’s not easy, it is possible!

Can you find the spouse of your dreams?

Yes you can!  First you might have to experience a few nightmares before finding your dream mate, though he or she is out there looking for you right now.

Our mind is a marvelous machine which follows the instructions we give it to the letter.  It is the chisel which sculpts our character.  If we say, “No I cannot go to the moon or find my perfect mate,” our mind will obey and take a rest because it knows there is “No” possibility of success.

Life is made up of so many little challenges.  Adversity sculpts our character through the questions we ask and the answers we give in each conversation we have and each decision we make.  Let’s make sure that through adversity we sculpt the work of art we have always wanted to create.

∞ Rob McBride ∞
LL III 28

There is an undeniable law:

What we give, we receive.

Albeit not always in the moment, and not necessarily the way we would like, eventually in life we get what we give.

If we give love, we will get love

If we give peace, we will get peace

If we give happiness, we will get happiness

In the same way…

If we give criticism, we get criticism

If we give anguish, we will get anguish

If we give bitterness, we will get bitterness

Daily we determine what we will one day receive

We can place any emotion or thought after the phrase, “If we give,” and that is what we will one day “Receive.”  It may take time and it may even be elusive but as sure as the day follows the night, we will get what we give.  We know instinctively this is so because we have learned it since we were young.  Nevertheless, we don’t always act in accordance with this important principle.  Let’s look at an example:

David is the ideal employee, he is young, intelligent and most importantly, he is anxious to conquer the world and excel in his profession.  He sees what many don’t see, and what seems difficult to others, comes easily to him.  He is dedicated and hardworking.  Then, when he least expects it, he encounters Peter, an envious boss.  Peter sees in David what he always wanted to be but for so many reasons, which he could enumerate in a heartbeat, was never able to achieve.  Peter treats David badly and does his best to take away his visions of grandeur assigning him small and insignificant tasks.

How would you react if you were David?

Would you stay put or head for the door?

Our reaction to life’s most difficult circumstances determines our success.  If David starts to treat Peter badly, talking behind his back and lamenting his own situation because of Peter, he will become an exact copy of Peter.  If, on the other hand, David gives forth his best effort in everything he does, he will eventually be recognized for what he does.   The prize may not come from his boss, his company or even the same industry he is currently in, but sooner or later, he will receive his just compensation.

There are people from all walks of life who today live a plentiful and productive life despite having encountered a “Peter” in their path.  The majority of successful people have had someone who has denigrated them, attempting to steal their dream by telling them they were “good for nothing and would amount to nothing.”  No doubt many were actually inspired by these situations to achieve greatness.

It’s not what happens to us, rather how to react to it which is most important.  We can let others influence and mold our character, or we can take the reins of our emotions and give what we would like to receive.  The boss who treats us poorly generally does so because of a lack of vision or understanding.  The reality is it usually has nothing to do with us.  Though it isn’t easy, we should perhaps feel sorry for those whose own self image is so low they feel the need to discourage and put others down.  Faced with this type of person we can keep our heads high, give our best effort, and with as the fruit of our persistence, achieve what others only dream about.

Every master was once a student.  Every artist picked up a brush one day for the first time.  We do not achieve the height of success without first passing through the valley of failure.

People will say what they will say and do what they will do, it isn’t what they say or what they do, rather what we do in return which matters most.  What we give, we receive… it is that simple.  If we want more, we need only give more.

∞ Rob McBride ∞
LL III 27

The world is made up of so many spaces
Spaces are here, spaces are there
Spaces are everywhere!

There are spaces in space
And spaces with little or no space
As well as spaces with lots and lots of space

In each little space, there is so much to see
From sea to shining sea
Let’s look at a tree

From the bottom of the base which braces
To the tippy top which sees so many places
There are insects and bugs in each of its spaces

Life abounds in the soil and on the limbs
And also deep beneath so many skins
Life is everywhere up to the brim

How about a close look at the dirt?
Surely, this can’t hurt

As we look closer
And check things over
There beyond the clover

The soil which sustains the tree
Provides nutrients for free
This we all see

But what lies deeper?
What lies beyond?

Each molecule
And each particle
Comes together as one

As also does our universe
Somehow comes together as one

And like the plant, insect or animal
We each see this as being quite normal

 

Yet, the intricacies which make it all work
Are nothing more than simply sensational

And so, the content of so many small spaces
Forms the foundation and basis
Of spaces in so many places

∞ Rob McBride ∞
LL III 26

It’s really not so difficult to predict the future…

We know, for example, there will come a day when:

• The car won’t start
• The dishwasher breaks
• Our child gets a bad grade
• Someone will treat us unkindly

What’s more, in addition to these events will come more, and worse!  This isn’t “negative thinking” rather being realistic.  Nothing and nobody lasts forever.  A car, like a dishwasher, is a machine made of many parts which in time will eventually wear out with use.  While it is possible to extend the useful life of virtually anything, including ourselves, there is a time when it just won’t work anymore.  What can we do when confronted with this type of situation?

As bright as our kids are, because of course, they inherit our genes; there will come a time when they aren’t prepared for an exam or any other life’s tests.  We can’t always be there to catch them.  What are we going to tell our children when they fall?

In our world, there are 7 billion “little-worlds” which exist in the mind of each human being.  Each of these mini worlds have what seem to be thousands of different situations all occurring at the same time which influence the emotional state of each individual.  Are we going to get upset every time someone looks at us wrong?

What can we do when faced with these and other adversities which are sure to come our way?

First, is to know everything and everyone has a beginning and an end.  As much as we would like for our things, and our loved ones, to last forever, the reality is they will not.  Everything which exists as it is today will change to another state in the future.

Second, is to know sometimes the only way to learn an important lesson in life is to experience it.  Though we would like to shelter our kids from adversity and pain, it is a necessary part of their personal development.  When they fall, the best we can do is to simply help them get up and dust themselves off, rather than reprimand them for falling.

Third, is to know each person is in their own “little world” and we should never judge anybody for what they do or say.  We never know what is behind the anguish which causes them to lash out against us.  We never know if perhaps someone has experienced in one day; the car not starting, the dishwasher breaking, a bad grade from their kids and having someone yell at them or any combination of so many other things.

Life is an adventure of fairly predictable events which can be influenced and affected but not necessarily avoided or eliminated.  Things will break, our kids will fall and people will yell at us, but when we expect the unexpected with an excellent attitude, we can flow freely instead of stopping short.

∞ Rob McBride ∞
LL III 25

In our rush to achieve more in less time, we often forget greatness comes not by arriving at a destination but rather by enjoying the journey.  When we do small things great, we not only achieve more, we also enjoy more.

Let’s take a look at how the day starts for many.  The alarm sounds at 5:30 AM but since they went to bed late, they ask for “5 more minutes” of rest.  The five minutes convert into 15 or 20 minutes and suddenly when they realize what time it is, they are instantly in a battle against the clock.  They run to the kid’s bedroom and yell, “Time to get up, it’s getting late!”  They run to the bathroom and do everything like a bat out of hell.  They go back by the kid’s room again and see they are still sleeping.  They shake the kids to wake them and then guide them to the bathroom still half asleep as they rub their eyes.

With this mission complete, they run to the kitchen to see what magic they can do with the little food left in the fridge.  They haven’t had the time or the money to go to the grocery store and the empty refrigerator seems to shout: “Empty!”  They find a couple of things to throw into their lunch buckets from what didn’t disappear the previous night into the mouths of their seemingly constant ravenous children.  They go in search for the kids who are moving in slow motion.   They finish dressing them as the bus calls and says it is already downstairs waiting and to please hurry because they are blocking traffic.

They run down the stairs because the elevator is out of service.  They have the youngest by the hand and suddenly see the older one stops to look at a butterfly perched on a flower.  “Come on son can’t you see the bus is waiting?” they yell.  Without waiting for an answer, they grab the oldest by the arm as the lunch buckets fall to the ground.  As they get to the bus, they see 10 cars behind the bus with irate drivers honking their horns and giving looks which could kill.  They give a quick kiss to each kid and help them onto the bus with a sigh.  And, of course, this is just the start of the day…

How can we change this cycle?

How can we change our perspective?

How can we consistently do small things great?

The alarm sounds at 5:30 AM and, instead of pounding it and snoozing it for five minutes more, we turn it off and become aware of the other sounds of the morning.  The birds by this time have generally initiated their morning chorus and even the sounds nature are all about when we pay attention.  We take five minutes to stretch our body beginning from the tips of our toes and moving to the top of our head with a brief virtual massage which gets
our blood flowing.  At 5:35 we go to the kid’s room and wake them with a big hug and a kiss.  We help them stretch and also teach them to appreciate the sound of the birds singing and the great wonder each new day brings.

We go to the bathroom and as we go through our routine, we are conscious of how incredible life and the human body are.  We are aware of our teeth which grow when we are small and accompany us in spite of the little care we often give them and of our body which ingests, processes, and eliminates food giving us energy.  We shower and take time to cleanse each part of our marvelous body which takes us through life.  As we lather we give a brief massage to each part of our body waking it up and getting it ready for another day of adventure.  We dry ourselves and give thanks to our feet, legs, hands and arms for the work they do daily without compensation.

As we prepare food for the day, we do it with love knowing therein lie the nutrients which will give us the energy we require to give our very best in all we do.  We help our children finish getting ready and grab their things which were carefully prepared the previous night.  We walk out the door with plenty of time and give thanks once again to our legs which enable us to go down the stairs because the elevator isn’t working.  When one of our kids stops to see a butterfly perched on a flower, we also move closer.   We see the beauty of its colors and marvel in wonderful contrast of colors between the butterfly and the flower as it suddenly takes flight and we continue on our way.

We get out to the curb and wait for the bus as we cordially greet those we come across; a neighbor, the watchman and whoever happens to be walking by.  We see the bus coming, embrace our kids and whisper in their ears, “I love you honey, make this the best day of your life!”  We help them onto the bus and continue on our journey.

Those who are happiest are not those with the fewest problems, rather those who flow with each challenge which comes their way.  Life is a decision.  We can enjoy and achieve much more when we make the decision to live our lives with intention and continually do small things great.

∞ Rob McBride ∞
LL III 24