make money at it.=94 Though = clich=E9 as=20 it may sound, I believe it, because I=92m living it. I concluded = my most=20 recent gift book, Simple Truths
of Life with the comparison of = life to=20 a jigsaw puzzle. Every crossed path, every person, event and phase = of our=20 lives adds yet another
=93piece=94 to our puzzle. The = whole picture=20 becomes clearer and better understood as we determine where each of our = pieces=20 =93fit.=94 Working
in the corporate world allowed me to = add many=20 pieces to my puzzle and gave me not only many experiences to write = about, but=20 the
realization that my personality could not be constrained to = the=20 walls of a cubicle. Though for many years I turned my back on my = yearning=20
to write, for fear of losing that steady and dependable income, = I=20 finally had to face the fact that I was extremely unhappy and restrained = in
passion. Though I won=92t lie and say I do not benefit = from the=20 income derived from the sales of my inspirational books, I can honestly, = and
hearts=20 have been touched by my words. Knowing that my writings will live = on long=20 after the footprints their creator has left on earth have
faded, is=20 what continues to provide encouragement for me.
However, I=92ve = always had=20 trouble when people ask me for advice based on my =93success.=94 = Partially due=20 to the fact that the word =93success=94
is defined as follows: = the=20 achievement of something planned or attempted. Frankly, my current = success=20 was neither planned nor
attempted. It was more recognized = and=20 cultivated: recognized because I perceived, and capitalized upon, = an=20 opportunity which required
me to venture into a world = completely out of=20 the realm of my training and experience and cultivated because I = believed in it=20 enough to
devote my time, energy, and most importantly, my = heart, to=20 its development, growth and success.
Most columnists doling out = advice on=20 success would undoubtedly mention how important it is to
set goals = and have a=20 strategy to help you achieve and accomplish each. I, too, feel it is = important=20 to set goals, yet I feel it is equally
important to remain = flexible and=20 fully aware of opportunities that arise during life=92s journey that may = not=20 follow suit with rigid plans and goals.
I believe that often, = following=20 your passion, instead of the plans and goals you=92ve set should they = differ, will=20 lead you to your own road to
success, if not financially, in = personal=20 fulfillment. In a poem to my daughter many years ago, I=20 wrote:
&nb= sp; &nbs= p; = ; = &= nbsp; &n= bsp;not=20 in what you will buy or=20 own=85
= ; = &= nbsp; &n= bsp; &nb= sp; &nbs= p; but=20 in the pride you=20 feel,
= &= nbsp; &n= bsp; &nb= sp; &nbs= p; = ; in=20 the person you=92re=20 with
&= nbsp; &n= bsp; &nb= sp; &nbs= p; = ; = when=20 you are all alone=85
personal=20 fulfillment in what you do, instead of just going through motions to = receive a=20 paycheck. It comes down to making a life versus
making a = living.
| The New=20
York Optimist |
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Linda Ellis |
lived in New York for several years. =
with her family and a menagerie of pets. She spent years = working=20 in the corporate world, but after her first poem was shared on a = syndicated
Because no promotion or raise received from her boss = could=20 ever equal the satisfaction she felt when she would hear from those = whose
through=20 her poems. Linda focuses on writing about real life, including all of = its joys=20 and sorrows. Thus, as each new phase of her life is
experienced, so are=20 new feelings, thoughts and ideas that she feels compelled to express = through her=20 poetry.
Her poetry has been featured in best-selling books and = magazines=20 such as Family Circle, US News and World Report, WOW Professional
(News = 10), CBS=20 News (KLASTV), NBC (WXIA) and on hundreds of radio programs, including = Radio=20 Delilah.
Her most famous poem to date is The Dash, which has been = enjoyed=20 by millions over the last 14 years. It is now the subject of a beautiful =
Dash poem=20 is responsible for changing attitudes and subsequently, thousands of = lives=20 around the world. She has incorporated the concept
of the dash = (that=20 little line in between your dates of birth and death which represents = all the=20 days you=92ll live on earth) into an inspirational
speech that = will no=20 doubt touch your heart and get you thinking differently about life and = what=92s=20 truly important.
give 110% of myself = in order=20 to be noticed and promoted to the next rung on that corporate ladder. = As a=20 hobby, I=92d always written
creatively, even as a child. = I began=20 sending my poems to a syndicated radio show here in Atlanta and before = long my=20 work was a regular
feature of the show. This, in a way, = fanned a=20 flame for me as slowly my interest in writing expanded. Years = after, I=20 wrote a poem titled: The
Dash, and though I cringe at the = thought of=20 being regarded as a =93one-hit wonder=94 because of the many = inspirational poems and=20 stories I=92ve
written, I cannot deny that writing this poem is = the=20 single most pivotal point in my life regarding the direction of my=20 career.
For those who are not familiar with the poem, it is based = on that=20 little line on a tombstone, between the dates of birth and death. = Every=20 day
we spend on earth is ultimately represented in that little = =93dash.=94=20 I was complimented in an interview recently, where the gentleman = said in=20
reference to sales in the hundreds of thousands of my first = book based=20 on that poem, "It's very impressive where you've taken The Dash
poem."=20 I replied, "It's more impressive where The Dash poem has taken = me..."=20 I compare it to a seed I'd planted many years ago, which
quickly=20 sprouted and continues to grow exponentially being constantly cultivated = by the=20 millions of souls inspired by its message. It's
unfathomable to=20 me the number of loving legacies, rerouted journeys, smiles worn and = tears shed=20 as a result of my words. But, out of the
millions of = lives that=20 have been touched and changed, I firmly believe that my own has been = altered=20 more substantially than any other. The
people I=92ve met = and the=20 opportunities I=92ve been afforded because of my chosen combination of = written=20 words, are blessings I realize and
cherish every day.
field = well-known for=20 being profitable and I had two children to think about. However, = the more=20 I tried to deny the opportunity, the louder it
knocked on my = door.=20 I was taking orders for my poems in the ladies room at work and = doing=20 radio interviews in my boss=92s office before I
finally made = the decision=20 to take the leap. But I did, and I=92ve been blessed since.
winner, had actually = tattooed the=20 last stanza of your poem, "The Dash" onto his = arm?
prominently displayed in ink on his forearm! = It=20 felt as though my heart was smiling as I read the reason he had gotten = this=20 tattoo: The
Dash had been read at the funeral of his brother. = The=20 words had apparently impacted him so much that he wanted to carry them = with him=20
every day. I was reminded again how powerful words can be = and how=20 very often they take a direct route to the heart. As a rational =
has = a unique=20 purpose and a reason for its creation and existence. Maybe = propelled by a=20 higher power or force of nature, or maybe just
sheer = coincidence, but=20 how else can one explain its enormous effect on the world having been = originated=20 by one woman without the
wherewithal or resources at the time = to launch=20 such an explosive inspiration into the world? I was busy living my = own=20 dash, while the poem
was out working its magic. It took = me many=20 years, and countless stories of this inspiration reaching the lives of = those who=20 need it, when
they need it, to truly believe in its power. = Though=20 still bewildered, I no longer doubt its abilities.
time. It was during a = period=20 when I was working for the top executives of a very large and successful = corporation. It was a strict company
with a tense working = environment=20 and I began to notice how the priorities in many lives there had become, = what I=20 considered, misaligned.
It seemed to me there were far too many = worrying far too much about that which was inconsequential in the scope = of life.=20 But also,
resonating in the back of my mind were the words from = a=20 letter which had been previously routed around the office. It had been = written=20 by
the wife of an employee who was aware that she was dying. I = was so=20 moved by that letter that I saved a copy of it and continue to live by =
so on. It didn=92t matter. It all works = out and=20 it would have worked out without the worries and the tears. If I = would=20 have known then what I
know now. But I did and so do you. = We're all going to die. Stop worrying and start loving and=20 living."
Dash, but it = is also=20 the underlying theme for much of my work. From The Dash:
the cars=85the house=85the cash. What = matters is=20 how we live and love and how we spend our dash. |
manner, he=92d often say that it = would be=20 better if we were all born with expiration dates stamped on our = forehead, like a=20 carton of milk. In
that way, we could better plan the route we = choose=20 to take during our journey on earth, as we would then know definitively = the date=20 of
our ultimate departure. He always had a unique way of = getting his=20 point across.
In 2003, my father informed me that the doctors had = given=20 him only a few months to live. I went to stay with him in Florida to = help care=20 for
him during the latter stages of his cancer. The lessons I = learned=20 during this chapter of my life have since changed my attitude, my views =
One example of his remarkable outlook and disposition = during=20 this time was the way he referenced the gravesite he had chosen for
I really didn=92t comprehend = this statement=20 until I sat motionless beside his open grave on the day of his funeral. = With=20 silent and
continuous tears rolling down my face and the = preacher=92s=20 comments fading into a dull, monotonous tone in the back of my mind, I =
final=20 resting place. I managed a smile of acknowledgment as I nodded my head = in=20 understanding and silently uttered the words to
myself=85=93Yeah pop, you=20 finally did get your waterfront property=85=94
In essence, my = father taught=20 me invaluable lessons about truly living my life while he was in the = midst of=20 losing his own. He taught me that
we are not guaranteed a = tomorrow and=20 that many of us will not have the opportunity that he was given to know = our=20 approximate
=93expiration date.=94 We need to tell our loved = ones often how=20 we feel and not wait until tomorrow. These days are so hectic and busy = and
life = and=20 appreciate the blessings with which we are granted. =
were cut into pieces with a knife, then = every=20 single day would be =85a single slice of life. And we=92d be = certain of=20 the days we have to laugh, to love=85to = live, knowing just=20 how much to take from life ...and just how much to give |
me to speak at their conventions and = conferences.=20 Though I=92ve done many radio interviews, and the statistics for = visitors to=20 my poetry
web sites total more than 40 million, the speaking=20 engagements allow me to experience that one-on-one with people. = They give=20 me the
opportunity to see the expressions, shake the hands and = accept=20 the hugs from those who have been touched by my words. The book =
sadness=20 and joy. Though the economy has had an effect on this facet of my = work, I=20 anxiously look forward to each appearance and
strive to inspire = the=20 =93dash=94 of everyone who attends.
right now is a sponge in = desperate=20 need to soak up as much inspiration as it can hold. The need for=20 motivation, encouragement and
mind stimulation is as great as = it ever=20 has been. Life is so hectic and just performing day-to-day tasks = is=20 exhausting for most of us.
Because of our = responsibilities, we=20 sometimes forget to just =93be.=94 Often, a combination of written = words can=20 add that spark we need to
remind us that, as John Lennon said: = =93Life is=20 what happens to you while you're busy making other = plans..=94
I=92ve recently=20 signed with a literary agent, which will enable me to reach more people = with my=20 =93sparks=94 of inspiration. Though we have
many projects = we are=20 discussing, my hope is that the next project will expand upon my latest = poem,=20 titled: =93Tomorrow=92s Yesterday=94 as it
embodies so = much of how I=20 feel about life=85
as we walk=85and laugh=85and = sleep, accumulating=20 into minutes that we can use, but never keep. Today is here, = but=20 only once,a blessing=85merely ours to borrow, for it = will soon=20 turn into yesterday... just as it was once, = tomorrow. Minutes to=20 hours, hours to days, no secret or mystery... our =93now=94 = in turn,=20 becomes our =93then=94 =85a part of our life=92s = history. Live for=20 today=85live for your =93now,=94 make memories that will = last; paint bold=20 colors of your present to the canvas of your past=85 |
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