A Legend Retires

Since I was very young, I would study great pioneers in our history and culture. Most people who know me know that I love the study greats such as Benjamin Franklin, Ronald Reagan, P.L Travers, Celine Dion, Michael Jackson, Lucille Ball, and Walt Disney, to name a few. Not just follow their work, but really study the lives and work ethic of these people. One of those people is Barbara Walters. I always knew who she was, but just never realized when I was real young, exactly who this person was.

I remember seeing a few episodes of The View on television, I remember her interviewing Michael J. Fox when I was in the fourth grade when he was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease, I remember watching her interview that same year interview Christopher Reeves after his horseback accident, and when I was on vacation in Massachusetts my family and I watched her interview with Monica Lewinsky, which is up to today the MOST famous interview in journalism HISTORY.

In my freshman year I was put into a Journalism class, and became a very serious and talented journalist. But the true inspiration was after watching a video of A&E's Biography on Barbara Walters. How I identified with her work ethic, and the nerve she had to ask questions and do things that NO ONE ever had done before, and of course being a woman pioneer as well. Since then I watched EVERY single Barbara Walters interview and special, I even recorded many of them, and watched them continuously.

I am a trained counselor, and in my style of counseling, I use the form of questioning just like Barbara Walters. She was also known as doing tremendous and thorough amount of homework and research, which I identify with in my own work, especially in my  martial arts training. There is no doubt that in the business, Barbara Walters is THE BEST.

The above video shows Barbara Walters on her show that she created, The View which she announced that she would be retiring from appearing on television at all. The week of May 12-16 was her final week on television. I have been watching her for so many years, I cannot believe she will no longer be on ABC. She had great friends like Martin Short, Bette Midler, Michael Douglas, and Hillary Clinton all came to honor this pioneer.

Thursday, May 15, for the first time in television history, every single co-host from The View was on the show together. The show originated 17 years, most talk shows today are just re-creations of The View itself. The show originated with Joy Behar, Lisa Ling, Meredith Vierra, Star Jones, and Debbie Matenopolous. After several years other co-hosts joined the View such as Elizabeth Hasselback, Rosie O'Donnell, Sherri Sherpherd, Whoopie Goldberg, and recently Jenny McCarthy. Barbara looked like Jesus at the last supper, as noted by Joy Behar.

To see all of the co-hosts on at the same time was very cool for me. I love huge reunions, and these women have such great history with the show but we the audience have NEVER seen them all together. The how itself has had plenty of controversy and conflict, but none of that ever tainted her relationships with the ladies and it was such a treat and beautiful event to see them ALL together for the end of Barbara's career.

ALL eleven co-hosts EVER together on The View for the first time in television history on May 15, 2014: Whoopie Goldberg, Meredith Vierra, Star Jones, Debbie Matenopolous, Joy Behar, Barbara Walters, Lisa Ling, Elizabeth Hasselback, Rosie O'Donnell, Jenny McCarthy, and Sherri Shepherd.

One the final day, May 16, 2014, Hillary Clinton and Michael Douglas were on the show. There was also a clip from the special that was played that night about Barbara's career which I think I knew every single detail of the special. But one of my favorite moments, and I just KNEW this would happen on the last day, was when Oprah Winfrey surprised Barbara by coming onto the show.

I LOVE stories when people are inspired by certain role models and end up actually meeting and working with their idols and even receiving mentor ship by them. Just like Carol Burnett and Lucille Ball, Kelly Clarkson and Reba, Nicole Kidman and Meryl Streep, Celine Dion and Barbara Streisand, Usher and Michael Jackson, etc. Well the story of Oprah and Barbara Walters is one of my favorites as well as I tell it very often.

Oprah wanted to be on television because of Barbara Walters. When asked at 13 years old for a contest who she wanted to be like, Oprah's answer was "Barbara Walters." When Oprah first interviewed for jobs, she would imitate Barbara Walters for all of her interviews for several years before finally being herself. SHe ended being interviewed by her idol on day, and she even presented the Television Lifetime Achievement award to her own mentor. When Barbara Walters stepped down as anchor of 20/20 after 25 years, it was Oprah who got the interview with Barbara. So it only seemed fitting that Oprah would be there for the sending off of her career as well.

"If there wasn't a Barbara Walters, there would never have been a me in television."-Oprah Winfrey, 2006; Oprah on The View for Barbara's last day.

Oprah told Barbara how she meant the world to her and thanked her for the the pioneer she was. She also thanked her for paving the way for women in television history in journalism. And then, one of the most touching things in television history. Oprah introduced every single major woman anchor of a network news program one by one. Everyone from Diane Sawyer, Robin Roberts, Kathy Lee Gifford, Elizabeth Vargas, Katie Couric, Gayle King, Connie Chung, There must have been over 20 of these women who came out and lined up to hug and thank the journalism legend.

What a fantastic moment! "We all stand on your shoulders, Barbara Walters," said Oprah. One of the women you could hear saying to Barbara, "You paved the way for us. You are one of a kind." Barbara with tears in her eyes said "This is my legacy!"

Barbara Walters taught me how to ask the right questions, for the answer is not important unless you ask the right question. She taught me how to get to the core issue. She taught me to be proud of your work and share it, as she always plugged her specials and interviews. Why work hard if you don't share it with everybody!? And she taught me to work hard and to persevere even when you feel like you're failing. 

Of course I cried watching this. I have known her story and related much to it. I felt her story, I understood her work ethic, and I was sentimental myself because of what this woman has meant to me. I followed her most of my life, as I have been influenced by her very much in my career in business and teaching as well. I remember the times of my life when watching her. I know some people love singers and movie stars, but for me, Barbara Walters was my movie star. And I thank Barbara for all she has done and what she has done for me. And I look forward to expressing that when we meet. (BOWS)

Yours in service,
MASTER A TRENTO

Keep On Keeping On

One day I was rummaging through my Facebook page and I saw a video of Ellen DeGeneres and she makes me laugh all the time. I also love what she does for people through laughter, just like my friend Mary. So I watched the video and I had no clue what to expect and it made me laugh and feel warm inside at the same time.

Ellen had this segment on her show where people would call in and leave messages with advice and encouragement and answers to questions Ellen would pose. She got one message that stood out and played it for everyone. It was an 88 year old woman from Austin, Texas named Gladys. She called in to tell her to move a spiky plant that made her look like Alfalfa. So Ellen thought it would be a great laugh to call her back. But little did she know it was going to be Gladys with all the laughs.

This woman was thrilled to hear Ellen on the other side of the phone and she had Ellen and the audience cracking up from beginning to end. She went right on rambling with a few stories. The best quote from her that got the longest gut laugh was this:

At the end of the video, which you can find at the bottom, she then has a serious moment where she thanks Ellen for all she does and is happy even to have a little part of it, bringing happiness to everyone. I must have seen almost every video where Ellen calls Gladys or Gladys calls in and it makes me smile and laugh and very happy. But at the end of each phone call she has with Ellen, she says this: Keep on Keeping on!

Without fail, Gladys says just keep on keeping on. And that goes for all of us. No matter what, life goes on, so we must find a way to keep on keeping on with it. How often do we have moments where we just want to call it quits. It's hard to remind ourselves to pick ourselves up on keep on moving. But Gladys, at 88 years old (must be older by now) keeps reminding us to keep on keeping on! So I have been saying it to others so I keep hearing it myself, so I can do it myself as well. Keep on keeping on! Keep on keeping on! Keep on Keeping on! (BOWS)

Yours in service,
MASTER A TRENTO

 WATCH THE WHOLE THING, YOU'LL LOVE IT!

 

A C.A.R.E-full Weekend

Last summer I went to Appalachin, NY to do an Intensive weekend to learn the Raindrop and Vitaflex using Young Living Essential Oils. This weekend course was sponsored by the Center of Aromatherapy Research and Education (CARE) and taught by two certified CARE Instructors who happened to be husband and wife. They were Mer and Joanna Barrrett.

I had a gruesome month of events leading up before this pilgrimage. On the three hour drive there, I did have my own epiphany to what some of the things I can do for the far future from some of the experiences I was having. I remember wanting to share it with my best friend, but he didn't want to hear about it, and it was upsetting to me. The time then was very confusing and hurtful so this weekend was a weekend of learning and at first was just a big distraction for myself.

I went alone. I don't mind going on trips and excursions by myself as I can enjoy an experience alone just as much as if I had someone with me. But sometimes we are meant to stand alone for an experience that awaits us for a greater purpose, especially when we don't know what that purpose is. I loved Mer and Joanna. They were a great team and so very knowledgeable about their craft and run a very successful center with phenomenal results. But when they two of them were doing something together it was like watching a good vaudeville act!

At one point the married couple had a small disagreement about something and one of them said to the other "It's okay you have the right to be wrong." That struck me so funny. Joanna, like myself, is not the greatest with technology and one time she was having computer problems. She would call "MER!" And he would come over and fix the problem. Then a second time. "MER!" He would fix it again. Then a third. A fourth. By the fifth time Mer called out to Joanna and she heard "Joanna, you need peace and blessings!" Joanna gasped in relief, "Oh my goodness, Yes! I would love some peace and blessings! Thank youy!" And Mer cracked up and said "NO! I said PC LESSONS!" That good a good laugh too.

The weekend was full of SEVERAL courses. The first was Healing Oils of the Bible taught by Joanna which really set a great slate for the rest of the weekends. Mer taught a Chemistry class, which I was not enthused to do, but he made it very interesting, and who knew that I would end up buying a Chemistry book for anything! We also learned not only historical origin background but hands on practice of the Vitaflex techniques and the Raindrop technique.

The Raindrop technique is a mixture of massage and Vitaflex that detoxes the body, reduces inflammation in the body, boosts the immune system of the body, realigns the spine without manipulating it in any way, and balances the energy centers of the body. The use of certain Young Living Essential Oils (BY THE WAY Young Living is a completely separate company from CARE and CARE will ONLY use Young Living oils as they are the ONLY pure grade essential oils in the continent!) and particular methods such as feather stroking along the back, etc, have a great result.

People I have worked on have gotten over colds they had for weeks at a time, allergies that were bothering them, of infections their body had and couldn't shake off. SO yes, the essential oils have amazing properties and results in themselves, and combined in the right way only intensifies the results in a positive manner. But besides the Bible Oils Class, the Chemistry class, the Vitaflex class, and the Raindrop class, the final class was very intense in itself.

Emotional Releasing can be tricky business. You have to be very honest with yourself. You have to learn the opposites sides of an emotion in order to transform it. And remember, emotions can affect our organs and our bodies and be trapped in places that cause great ailments, as says with Chinese medicine. Like I said, I was very depressed at this time, and a day or two earlier I privately went to Joanna asking her if she could give me something from her oils case that could help me because I was getting very boo hooey and was developing great anxiety. The first thing she did was give me a hug which is probably the best medicine in itself (HUGS= Helping Us Grow Spiritually).

I never verbalized it, but I believe spiritually I connected to Joanna to let her n know if she did an Emotional Release demonstration, I wanted to be the one to be demonstrated on. I knew I needed it. I wanted it. I was afraid. But I had to face it. The core issues at hand were being abandoned and left behind. I layed on the table and she scanned me, the same way we do in Qigong therapy. Right away I knew she could feel energy. I was even more impressed when she told me to put purification oil on my liver. Purification oil is for the emotion anger, the oppositie emotion of anger is laughter, and anger affects the Liver, just as in Chinese medicine. I was sold.

She intuitively used certain oils in different places. I felt energetically charged, but then before I knew  it, it caught me so off guard I was in shock: I began to cry hysterically. It was a very hard, painful, agonizing cry. I could not believe what was happening. I didn't care there was a whole class watching this, I needed it. Joanna gave me prayers and affirmations and had me throw a lot of it off my chest. It was a lot. It took a while. but it was amazing as I did what she said, I began to calm down. The release was unbelievable.

I have had people have emotional releases when working on them with either raindrop or qigong. But I have never done an emotional release session like I went through. And it couldn't have happened at a more needed time for me. I share this because I believe people can benefit from this kind of experience and release the inner emotions that burden us, and we can be taught to change emotions into their opposites if we just understand the opposites.

We can store our emotions and hold them because it's all we know. What would happen if we let them go? Would we actually be happy? Would we actually live life better? Would we actually like our perpetrators from our lives? Would we actually see opportunity over struggle? I need another Emotional Release like that one I had. I don't want to hold on anymore. I never used to and don't want to anymore. I want you to do the same. So I will do it too. Let's do it together. Let's take CARE of ourselves. (BOWS)

Yours in service,
MASTER A TRENTO

Feelings False About our Stories

You know there is a lot of studies correlating one's feelings and one's thoughts. When I learned the law of attraction in my teens, I learned how we have 60,000 thoughts a day, and there'd be no way to know exactly each thought we have. As human beings we have the power to think. We are always thinking, therefore the law of attraction is always in action.

But to know every single thought we have is absurd, but we can tell if we have good thoughts or bad thoughts because of how we FEEL. Our feelings serve as a feedback mechanism and tell us if we are having good thoughts or bad thoughts and we know the difference because one makes us feel good and one makes us feel bad. But it is US and us only that can control those thoughts. So our thoughts create our feelings.

In one of my favorite movie clips from The Iron Lady, Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher says "Watch your thoughts for they become your words. Watch your words for they become your actions. Your action become your habits, your habits become your character, and your character becomes our destiny! We become our thoughts!" This is the truest and greatest way to explain the law of attraction. She says this as a rant that too many people worry about feelings and lose attention on thoughts and ideas.

In the last couple of years I have experienced and observed many instances where my friends or myself or people I worked with will feel a certain way about a situation and our behavior that followed would be out of our interpretation of those feelings.The scary thing is that 70 percent of the time we are absolutely completely wrong. Whatever the circumstances are making us feel is NOT what is happening. It is only the sotiy we make about the situation in our own minds. We need to be careful of our choices that follow, for they can be irrational.

It makes us judgmental. It makes us just mental. We torture ourselves because we think people are acting in a certain way because of some story we make out of it, or a reference point of a past event that was the case to what we experienced before. But we cannot allow the stories we create in our minds be our destiny if they do not serve us in  a positive way. Now i am not saying this is ALWAYS the case. Sometimes our instincts are right on the money. But we have to have a higher level of awareness in our thinking that will allow us to evaluate a better judgement call on our parts.

I remember once a mutual friend I had through someone else was going on and on for over a year about how a certain person was behaving even after this letter she wrote to this person and every action and decision this person made, she would go on rant because she felt she absolutely knew what his passive aggressive behavior was toward her. In the end, the truth was this person NEVER read the letter, so for over a year, all the actions and behaviors were wrong!

I am ashamed at how many times I began doing this the last couple of years myself. I put a lot of effort when I have a feeling that causes a sinking feeling in my stomach to NOT act out of it unless I 100% for sure KNOW. Sometimes I could be 100% right but I will d omy best to STILL not respond or act or behave in any which way where my judgement can be false due to my own subjective view. I say to many of my friends when we get into those siotuations "But we DON'T KNOW". Yeah we may be right, but in the end WE DON'T KNOW.

So for all reading this, let's work together on this. I promise I won't act or behave out of any stories my stupid hypothalamus makes up for me if you don't! We will all be a lot happier that way! Let's make stories up in our minds of how everything is going right for us, and everyone is out to help us and miracles come our way all the time! Let's make THAT our experience! Not how people are out to get you, being passive aggressive, or trying to hurt us! I like miracle minds better! (BOWS)

Yours in service,
MASTER A TRENTO

The Crying Scene

One of the funniest scenes from a movie ever is the 3 minute long crying scene by Diane Keaton in the movie Something's Gotta Give where she co-stars with Jack Nicholson. Diane Keaton is a brilliant and well known play-writer who is very sure of herself and very matter-of-fact about life. Jack Nicholson plays a playboy older gentleman with several recording businesses and dates the younger ladies. These two totally opposites end up falling in love like never before, and as any movie circumstances make them drift apart and you hopefully see them magically come together in a Hollywood fashion.

The crying scene is obviously between the two and the heartbroken Diane Keaton. I have had a long period of my life where this hilarious scene has been my sad reality. No exaggeration. The part where as soon as she wakes up from what looks like a restful sleep and bursts into tears (which is very funny in the clip and movie) is something I had done many times before, and those times weren't funny at all.

One point in the movie she said "Yeah its my new thing." I remember saying that it was a new hobby of mine at the time too. Three times in my life I had a period of time like this. Those times when people experience times like these can be devastating. The stress, the anxiety, the depression, it all sucks so bad. Some people aren't able to function at all. Some people function, but not well at all. And some people begin to function and go about being busy, and the second that busy ends, they return to that point where there is no where else to go.

There is a difference between going forward, and moving on. Some people go forward. You know the saying "Going forward...blah blah blah." And the people just MOVE ON. It's hurtful to be stuck, especially when you rigorously struggle and fight. Remember Stress produces cortisol and adrenaline that affects your body in numerous ways. Don't be ashamed to let it all out. Express your feelings. A good cry can be good. Even if it's for months, for a year, for the duration of writing a play, or a book, or building a house. Do what you gotta do. (BOWS)

Yours in service,
MASTER A TRENTO

Laughing with Mary

My brother Thomas, our dear friend Mary, and me in 2006.

This is my dear friend Mary Scrittorale. Mary is a friend of my Aunt Lisa. They have been friends for thirty plus years. But Mary is more than a dear friend to my family. Mary is family to us. My cousins Patrick, Kaitlyn, and Samantha refer to her as "Aunt" Mary, but Mary wasn't just the adopted aunt to my Aunt Lisa's kids, she was the adopted aunt to us all!

If there is one thing you must know about Mary it is this: Mary equals laughter. When you are with Mary, you do nothing but laugh and laugh, and then when you're done laughing, you laugh some more. I grew up with this lady at every family party or get together, and when I would sit with her, we would do nothing but laugh. Her laugh is very contagious as well. It begins as a high pitch scream into a cackling HAHAHA! A sound that is treasured by my entire family.

One time, I was probably 6 years old, I was making pretend newspapers as I was playing on the porch. She was over my house with my Aunt Lisa, my mother must have had made dinner for everyone, and I brought it out to show her. She made it seem to me, at 6 years old, that it was the greatest thing ever and she gave me a dollar for it! At six years old, I thought it was the most thrilling thing that someone thought my newspaper, with folded printer paper and silly pen drawings, kept together at the folded seams with scotch tape was worthy of a dollar! At six years old, I was rich!

When I was 10-11 years old, I would sit next to her at family get togethers and we would exchange jokes. She would laugh hysterically! This became a tradition that I seriously prepared and researched a bunch of new jokes to bring to her when I would see her next! Her favorite one I told that I would get that cackling laugh was : "Why did the elephant cross the road?" "It wasn't to get to the other side like the damn chicken?" "No! Chicken had the day off!" And she bust into that laugh of hers!

Mary also had us laughing with stories about her children, or her husband, or her other family members. But many had to do with my crazy Aunt Lisa also. Aunt Lisa you could say was Lucy, and Mary was Ethel! One story she always told was when her nephew looked at her and she said "HEY! Pastafasoul!" And her nephew would cry and say through tears "I'm not a Pastafasoul!!" And she would crack up! "He didn't know it was macaroni! He thought I was calling him a bad name!" That became our trademark expression. "AH, PASTAFASOUL!"

Mary and I at my cousin Kaitlyn's Communion.

Mary is always full of life! A couple of years ago, Mary came down with dementia. They had to sell her house, and she moved down to Florida to live with her son. We miss Mary up here in New Jersey. But she is doing well. I called her on Christmas Day this year but she didn't know who I was. "I'm Lisa's nephew!" "Ohhhh, my Lisa! I love my Lisa!" It's okay. It didn't bother me that she didn't know who I was over the phone, because the spirit and personality was not tainted in the slightest. She was bubbly, cracking jokes, and still was full of life.

Last year in July, when I was in Florida for the nationals, Lisa, Andrew, and my mother were at my parents condo. Mary and her son came to visit us. That night sitting at our dining room table was one of the most treasured memories I will have with Mary. When she saw me she screamed into that laugh and we talked and laughed some more on the couch! She told the Pastafasoul story again! She and I looked out of the balcony at the beautiful view and she spoke something in Italian. I said to her "That's beautiful! What does it mean?" She answered "A pound of salt." We bust out laughing so hard our stomachs hurt.

She was animated and telling stories, just making us laugh all night. I was so happy Andrew and Lisa were there to meet this very special person from our lives. Mary began telling stories from when she was younger and growing up very poor, but my mother made a comment to Mary saying "But you know Mary, even through all those times in your life, it seemed you would do nothing but laugh." Mary acknowledged yes they had nothing, but to laugh was a lot of something, and there was no reason not to. And that's something Mary has always represented in our lives, finding the laughter in life no matter what. Then, the most profound thing came out of her mouth that night:

"It doesn't take money to make you laugh, it takes money to make you cry."

-Mary Scrittorale, age 86

I know for some of us at that table, it was something said that stays close to our hearts and minds. She is absolutely right. I want to share this wisdom from Mary to everyone. Mary taught me and my family to always laugh. Our best memories are with Mary because her laughter and ability to make us laugh was contagious. You can't allow the struggles of the world, many that have to do with money, ever bring you down and have you stop laughing.

I have always said, and sometimes have to be reminded myself, as long as you can step out of yourself and find something to laugh about, you know you're going to be okay. I want to tell all my friends in business, or people I have business relationships with, this very advice. In Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, Scrooge said to the ghost of Jacob Marley "But you were always a good man of business." And Marley's ghost explodes "BUSINESS?! MANKIND WAS MY BUSINESS!"

I think Mary contributed greatly to the business of mankind with her laughter. And we should always put that value before anything else in life. Our business is to share the good things in this world, and we can offer that through keeping each other happy and healthy through the power of laughter. It is a service that goes beyond all selfish needs, such as money. Because it doesn't take money to laugh, it takes money to make you cry. 

Before Mary left that night, she was fighting with her son to stay. But even at 86 years old, Mary was doing prat falls. She let herself fall back with no warning right onto the couch behind her and cackling into that laugh of hers. Mary is a beautiful soul, and her spirit can never be tainted. This August Mary will be turning 87 and is still full of life and energy. I love Mary and will be visiting her this summer. But I thank her for her laughter which I treasure so much and am so grateful for those words of wisdom. And I hope her advice can touch you all who read this, and may your laughter be as contagious as hers! (BOWS)

Mary and I doing what we did best: Laughing.

Yours in service,

MASTER A TRENTO

We All Have Hard

Two years ago I wrote a blog on The Hard. It was a concept based on the diaologue of one of my favorite movies, A League of Their Own. Here is the dialogue:

Jimmy Dugan: Taking a little day trip?
Dottie Hinson: No, Bob and I are driving home. To Oregon.
Jimmy Dugan: [long pause] You know, I really thought you were a ballplayer.
Dottie Hinson: Well, you were wrong.
Jimmy Dugan: Was I?
Dottie Hinson: Yeah. It is only a game, Jimmy. It's only a game, and, and, I don't need this. I have Bob; I don't need this. At all.
Jimmy Dugan: I, I gave away five years at the end my career to drink. Five years. And now there isn't anything I wouldn't give to get back any one day of it.
Dottie Hinson: Well, we're different.
Jimmy Dugan: Shit, Dottie, if you want to go back to Oregon and make a hundred babies, great, I'm in no position to tell anyone how to live. But sneaking out like this, quitting, you'll regret it for the rest of your life. Baseball is what gets inside you. It's what lights you up, you can't deny that.
Dottie Hinson: It just got too hard.
Jimmy Dugan : It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard... is what makes it great. 

I know in this movie Tom Hanks as Jimmy Dugan is discussing baseball. But in my previous blog from two years ago, I discussed how the concept of "the hard" is in all aspects of life. Too many people in life face "hard" and run from it. Some will attempt to go through whatever hard is, but then say they "can't take it anymore" and end up running away in the end. 

The greatest people and pioneers of our history, from our culture were people who endured "the hard" no matter what. Many were bruised, scarred, battered, and suffered. But as long as they committed to going through the hard, they succeeded and only the greatest possibilities came through. As a Black Belt, I never give up. Persistence is one of the many overly used qualities I have, which can sometimes be a great fault, but I refuse to see it that way. 

I never give up on possibilities. I want to many times, but I don't. I never give up on people. I want to many times, and probably should. But I don't. Maybe I am naive. Maybe I'm a hopeless romantic. But who is to say my faith in people, my faith in the unseen, my faith in God, my faith in possibility, my faith in myself, although it has dwindled much, is invaluable. Yes it is HARD. But it is the HARD that makes it great. 

LIFE is hard. But Life is also great. Allow yourself to endure the hard, and great things come about. Give up and run away, you miss out on a tremendous amount of greatness. This is why people never truly feel fulfilled. I don't want to be like that anymore. I want to be fulfilled. I have a lot of hard to get through. We all do.

Who is to say that my hard is harder than your hard? Here's the thing, hard is not relative, hard is hard! PERIOD. Everyone wants to compare. There is no harder, there is just hard. We need to stop ranking our hard against everyone else's hard, to make us feel better or worse and just sympathize the fact we all have hard. 

I have written blogs about how people end up wearing masks and avoiding the hard as ways of comfort, to stay away from their false securities and never face their "hard". Little did I know how much I was doing that in certain aspects of my life. I knew the lesson, and applied it to many areas of life. But there were some other areas that completely blinded me. When you don't deal with your "hard", stress builds up. That stress ends up mass producing cortisol and adrenaline that heightens your senses, heart rate quickens, and blood flow to muscles increase, beginning the fight or flight process. A very normal thing.

Stress due to chronic mass production of cortisol and adrenaline leads to depression, anxiety, heart disease, cancer, just to name a few. It is like holding a ticking time bomb inside of you. And you begin to implode from the inside out. That is what happens when you don't deal with your "hard". I experienced this, as all my blogs are leading up a a bigger blog in the future, these lessons are from experience and observation; from successes and failures. 

I get angry when people say "it just got too hard" like Genna Davis did in A League of Their Own and then they give up and run away. But it's normal. I have to learn that it IS an option people take. But knowing as a martial artist that sometimes facing the FEAR of hard means Face Everything And Recover, it does get me angry for anyone to give up. There is nothing TOO hard, there is just HARD. We all have it. And we have to face it. Otherwise, you live with the time bomb inside you. And it pains others to see it happen when they notice. 

Never give up just because life is too hard. People are too hard. Circumstances are too hard. Tasks are too hard. Jobs are too hard. It's the HARD that makes it all great in the end. Don't miss out on the wonderful things that can be. You will never live to fulfillment and limit the great possibilities you deserve. 

Don't run away and give up. Don't think you can never make a difference. Hope means Hold On Possibilities Exist. Faith is Feeling As If There's Hope. Give lots of HUGS, Helping Us Grow Spiritually. That is where we must unite together to help one another. Five fingers separated are not as strong as one single fist once the fingers come together. We are as weak divided as we are strong united. You're not alone when facing "the hard". (BOWS)

Yours in service,
MASTER A TRENTO