#4 Things I wish I had taught my son... And still can
Write... And write... And write... Until it feels right.
I've written award winning ads and commercials. I've written songs for commercials, they used to call them jingles (a term I hated). I've written many songs for my wife, your mom. I've written a few songs for you along with your brothers and sisters to sing on Mother's Day. I've even written a Christian song with you and about 9 others. I've written poems which I have never shared with you. And perhaps I never will.
From 1998 to 2000, if memory serves me right, I wrote a daily email diary that I shared with my brothers, sisters and parents. I have those on some obscure backup drive stashed away.
I've written a book... A book that nobody read. Not even my wife or any of my children. When we were courting, I wrote a daily letter to my girlfriend, your mom, when I was in Austin, Texas and she was in Laredo, Texas and later San Antonio. She also wrote back to me every day.
And now I'm writing my "I wish I had taught my son" emails to you.
What you may not know is that when I was your age, I despised writing. My first three essay grades in English totaled 75. 25 each. I thought I would be thrown out of college because I couldn’t write. I had no clue about grammar. My vocabulary was pitiful. And all those ideas I had... They were trapped in my head with no possible way of jumping out to a page or a screen.
I struggled through college even though I had great grades. And I just wanted to get all my writing over with. Or so I thought.
Becoming a writer of stuff was not in my plans but I now thank God every day that he blessed me with the ability to finally understand how to organize my thoughts into something readable.
The lesson today is that you make writing a priority. It is a time machine. A portal. A journey. A friend.
Write on!
Your papi
I've written award winning ads and commercials. I've written songs for commercials, they used to call them jingles (a term I hated). I've written many songs for my wife, your mom. I've written a few songs for you along with your brothers and sisters to sing on Mother's Day. I've even written a Christian song with you and about 9 others. I've written poems which I have never shared with you. And perhaps I never will.
From 1998 to 2000, if memory serves me right, I wrote a daily email diary that I shared with my brothers, sisters and parents. I have those on some obscure backup drive stashed away.
I've written a book... A book that nobody read. Not even my wife or any of my children. When we were courting, I wrote a daily letter to my girlfriend, your mom, when I was in Austin, Texas and she was in Laredo, Texas and later San Antonio. She also wrote back to me every day.
And now I'm writing my "I wish I had taught my son" emails to you.
What you may not know is that when I was your age, I despised writing. My first three essay grades in English totaled 75. 25 each. I thought I would be thrown out of college because I couldn’t write. I had no clue about grammar. My vocabulary was pitiful. And all those ideas I had... They were trapped in my head with no possible way of jumping out to a page or a screen.
I struggled through college even though I had great grades. And I just wanted to get all my writing over with. Or so I thought.
Becoming a writer of stuff was not in my plans but I now thank God every day that he blessed me with the ability to finally understand how to organize my thoughts into something readable.
The lesson today is that you make writing a priority. It is a time machine. A portal. A journey. A friend.
Write on!
Your papi
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#3 Things I wish I had taught my son... And still can
When the bank is the predator...
Today I found out that you're checking account is overdrawn. Remember my lesson on balance just two days ago? It applies to your checkbook too, your online account, whatever they call it these days.
Over the course of your life you will lose tens of thousands of dollars to carelessness mismanaged plans, and downright robbery from banks. (Who would have thought that banks would be robbing us?) Some of your losses will be valuable learning like today. Most of it will be just waste. I'm sort of glad that you had this overdrawn lesson on the first day of college. So here goes the lesson that accompanies "balance."
We live in an information universe where you can receive your daily balance on your phone every single day of the year. I do. And you should set that up right away. You should also select all the other tools like "low balance", deductions over $$, etc. This wasn't available when I was in college but banks weren't so predatory either. Nowadays, banks want to steal your money even though they're supposed to be safekeeping it. They are not your friends. Use them and take advantage of their organizational products but never turn your back on them. They love overdrafters and disorganized customers. Fraud is now something to worry about. Pay attention to the activity on your account and help the police catch the criminals. Unless you are diligent with your finances, you won't know and they'll get away with your money. And as Santa, your little baby sister would say, "that's not nice!"
Checking out,
Your papi
Today I found out that you're checking account is overdrawn. Remember my lesson on balance just two days ago? It applies to your checkbook too, your online account, whatever they call it these days.
Over the course of your life you will lose tens of thousands of dollars to carelessness mismanaged plans, and downright robbery from banks. (Who would have thought that banks would be robbing us?) Some of your losses will be valuable learning like today. Most of it will be just waste. I'm sort of glad that you had this overdrawn lesson on the first day of college. So here goes the lesson that accompanies "balance."
We live in an information universe where you can receive your daily balance on your phone every single day of the year. I do. And you should set that up right away. You should also select all the other tools like "low balance", deductions over $$, etc. This wasn't available when I was in college but banks weren't so predatory either. Nowadays, banks want to steal your money even though they're supposed to be safekeeping it. They are not your friends. Use them and take advantage of their organizational products but never turn your back on them. They love overdrafters and disorganized customers. Fraud is now something to worry about. Pay attention to the activity on your account and help the police catch the criminals. Unless you are diligent with your finances, you won't know and they'll get away with your money. And as Santa, your little baby sister would say, "that's not nice!"
Checking out,
Your papi
#2 Things I wish I had taught my son... And still can
Aug/28/2008 07:04 AM Filed in: Relationships | Ancient Wisdom
If you're not going to say something spirit building...
Don Miguel Ruiz the famous author of the Four Agreements calls it... Be Impeccable with your words.
What he means is never to inflict pain on anyone with your words. That's because whether positive or negative they are powerful.
Words make or break a young child's spirit. Words break hearts. Words leave scars that hurt a lifetime.
But it seems, because people insult one another so often, that we are impermeable to "put downs". Not true. The child inside of us still gets damaged when somebody cuts us down. Some people will carry the baggage of insults with them to their grave. Families have been destroyed by what seemed like a little joke.
There is a cliché that older people use. They use it because it is wisdom. They say... "If you're not going to say something good about someone, then don't say anything at all." It's not cool to not insult. it's sort of like an "in" thing. But insulting is like stealing life from somebody.
Take Don Miguel Ruiz's shamanic advice and build people's spirit with your words. If a put down session is already taking place and somebody you know is the one who is being ground down to mince meat, don't participate. Don't add your two cents worth of insults. If you do participate, your "so-called" friends will expect you to be mean-spirited and they will eventually fear that mean spirit that lives and grows within you.
Word,
Your papi
Don Miguel Ruiz the famous author of the Four Agreements calls it... Be Impeccable with your words.
What he means is never to inflict pain on anyone with your words. That's because whether positive or negative they are powerful.
Words make or break a young child's spirit. Words break hearts. Words leave scars that hurt a lifetime.
But it seems, because people insult one another so often, that we are impermeable to "put downs". Not true. The child inside of us still gets damaged when somebody cuts us down. Some people will carry the baggage of insults with them to their grave. Families have been destroyed by what seemed like a little joke.
There is a cliché that older people use. They use it because it is wisdom. They say... "If you're not going to say something good about someone, then don't say anything at all." It's not cool to not insult. it's sort of like an "in" thing. But insulting is like stealing life from somebody.
Take Don Miguel Ruiz's shamanic advice and build people's spirit with your words. If a put down session is already taking place and somebody you know is the one who is being ground down to mince meat, don't participate. Don't add your two cents worth of insults. If you do participate, your "so-called" friends will expect you to be mean-spirited and they will eventually fear that mean spirit that lives and grows within you.
Word,
Your papi
#1 Things I wish I had taught my son... And still can
Aug/26/2008 07:02 AM Filed in: Life Lessons | Relationships
The Balancing Act
For 20 years I have heard of a concept which at first I didn't get. I thought it was a nice to have, not a gotta have. Reflecting back I think my unconscious did pay attention to that valuable lesson. Reflecting back, I think it is what drives me now, keeps me in check. What is that lesson that I have been learning for the better part of my adult life?
Balance.
I have suffered when I have gone to extremes in anything. Work, play, study, anything. I have been saved by my will to maintain a balance between family and work, God and science, the intellect and intuition, listening and speaking, tradition and change, music and silence, light and darkness, relaxation and determination, health and leisure, etc...
Balance.
It's not a concept anymore for me. It is my context. It is the invisible framework that guides me through my day, through my life.
I had a different plan in mind on what and how I would impart some of my acquired wisdom. I didn't think you were interested in your high school years. Now that you are away and in a semi contemplative place where you look to define your life, I will periodically send some "things" that you can accept or reject. But at least I will have passed on something more valuable than money or material possessions.
Life is a classroom,
Your papi.
Intro Comment:
Things I wish I had taught my son... And still can is a daily email that I started sending my son when he left for college in early September. I felt that there was so much left to pass on. I thought the medium of email would be the best way to reach him. These emails include life lessons, business lessons, how-tos, found wisdom, and words of encouragement for the interesting life ahead.
I am the father of 8 children with a beautiful challenge at juggling life, health, family, career, entrepreneurship, etc. I believe in learning by teaching. Therefore, I am investing quality time everyday writing these emails so that they can serve my oldest son, and so that they can also serve all my other children. All but the youngest three are reading along. At the prompting of some friends, I have made these emails public. I got permission from my son...
And the journey begins.
For 20 years I have heard of a concept which at first I didn't get. I thought it was a nice to have, not a gotta have. Reflecting back I think my unconscious did pay attention to that valuable lesson. Reflecting back, I think it is what drives me now, keeps me in check. What is that lesson that I have been learning for the better part of my adult life?
Balance.
I have suffered when I have gone to extremes in anything. Work, play, study, anything. I have been saved by my will to maintain a balance between family and work, God and science, the intellect and intuition, listening and speaking, tradition and change, music and silence, light and darkness, relaxation and determination, health and leisure, etc...
Balance.
It's not a concept anymore for me. It is my context. It is the invisible framework that guides me through my day, through my life.
I had a different plan in mind on what and how I would impart some of my acquired wisdom. I didn't think you were interested in your high school years. Now that you are away and in a semi contemplative place where you look to define your life, I will periodically send some "things" that you can accept or reject. But at least I will have passed on something more valuable than money or material possessions.
Life is a classroom,
Your papi.
Intro Comment:
Things I wish I had taught my son... And still can is a daily email that I started sending my son when he left for college in early September. I felt that there was so much left to pass on. I thought the medium of email would be the best way to reach him. These emails include life lessons, business lessons, how-tos, found wisdom, and words of encouragement for the interesting life ahead.
I am the father of 8 children with a beautiful challenge at juggling life, health, family, career, entrepreneurship, etc. I believe in learning by teaching. Therefore, I am investing quality time everyday writing these emails so that they can serve my oldest son, and so that they can also serve all my other children. All but the youngest three are reading along. At the prompting of some friends, I have made these emails public. I got permission from my son...
And the journey begins.