Groomed for Greatness

Our experiences in this life will ultimately lead to our successes or our failures. The person you are today is a culmination of all the things you have gone through in life whether good or bad. The wonderful thing about it is that you can use both sides of your coin to be the fuel for your achievements. My pastor always tells us, "It's not how you start, it's how you finish." I believe that.

Most successful people grew up in the most deplorable and depraved circumstances, but they found the wherewithal to tell themselves that they were going to be something someday. Even though they didn't have anyone to do it for them, they were internally grooming themselves for greatness. I find it fascinating when people can still have the tenacity to overcome their circumstances against all odds. Where do they find this drive? Surely what they see outside their window isn't reflective of an affluent lifestyle.

They found the drive in themselves. They were their own cheerleader. They were their own fan club. In a lot of us if we look back the thread of survival is in our forefathers. I personally had a grandfather that barely had an elementary school education. He was an elder brother and when his father died, he had to assume the role of provider along with his other siblings. He picked cotton, and whatever else he had to do to keep food on the table. Once he became old enough he went to work for the railroad as a Pullman porter and later to Western Electric. With each job he took he strove to get further in life than he was before.

He stressed the importance of education and hard work. Even with his limited education he was a shrewd business man. What he didn't possess in formal education, he possessed in wisdom. Wisdom is more important than all the college degrees in the world. One of the life lessons that I continually attempt to implement in my life is being a person of my word. My grandfather said at the end of the day even if you don't have any money you should have your word, and it should mean something. He grew up during the Great Depression, World War I & II, so he knew what lean times were like. Many times all you had to eat with was your word. Your word that you would pay your tab at the general store. He is no longer here, but little did he know he was weaving a thread of greatness in our family.

The thread was deeper than I thought. I come from a lineage of great men and women. My great great grandparents and great grandparents were grooming their children for greatness. Every night that the house servants snuck books to the field servants they were empowering themselves and our later generations for greatness. My family is a strong one. They held a lot of pride. I don't know many of them that weren't in business for themselves. I have an 89 year old great aunt that is still in business for her self. She still goes to work everyday. It is at her feet that I am learning the extent to which our family was groomed and the rich heritage I come from.

It makes sense to me now why my mother was the way that she was with me. She really didn't have a choice. She was born into the Hammond's lineage and she must govern herself accordingly to not tarnish the legacy and not have our ancestors turning over in their graves for the way we conduct ourselves. Even though every one's story isn't my own we as a people have to take time to groom our children for greatness. Expose them to things beyond their front door. The world isn't our neighborhoods. It is far more vast than that. Take your children to expensive restaurants so they will learn how to conduct themselves in that type of environment. Take yourself if you have never been to an upscale restaurant. Experience a symphony, an opera, a Japanese tea house, etc.

In order to be able to interact in certain social circles you have to be groomed for them. The world is an awesome place to behold. Broaden your mind and allow yourself to be groomed for greatness.

Out of the Abundance of the Heart the Mouth Speaks

Well, as you can tell by now my blogs deal with emotions and interactions with other people. I am a firm believer that whatever is in your heart will eventually find it's way out of your mouth. In some regards, that could be a good thing. I think people need to learn to be more expressive. In an age of text messages, emails, and tweets I believe the art of conversation is slowly falling by the wayside.

Individuals would rather text or email as opposed to having a real conversation. I am sorry I don't think texting is a real conversation. How can you hear the emotion in some one's voice if you don't hear their voice? The deplorable truth is that some people carry on relationships this way. I don't know about anyone else, but I prefer to hear the baritone in my sweetheart's voice. It's calming. It's soothing. It is the music that tames the savage beast within me.

I know I am part of a dying breed. I still send thank you cards for gifts. I write notes and give special cards to the ones that I love. How did we as a people become so emotionally detached? When did this disease of emotional separatism creep in? I am personally going to continue to make time to have a real conversation. A real conversation for me is intoxicating. It is exhilarating. It does something to me to have a poignant conversation.

Moreover what I have resolved for myself this year is to mean what I say and say what I mean. However I may be feeling I am going to express it. I am not going to be offensive, however I will be intentional in what I say. How many times have we said to ourselves "I wish I would have told them...." whatever you neglected to say. I am attempting to live a life of no regrets and that means paying homage to those that it is due or scolding those that may be deserving of that as well. Whatever that case may be if it is in your heart it should come out. Don't hold on to it. You will feel ten thousand times lighter when you release something that you have been holding on to.

I feel so much better having released some emotional baggage that I carried around toward a family member and a friend. Now the burden is off my shoulder. Whatever they decide to do with the knowledge is now their responsibility. It is off my hands. My mind is clear and my heart is clean.