Maddie's Mission

Something has changed within me Something is not the same I'm through with playing by the rules Of someone else's game Too late for second-guessing Too late to go back to sleep It's time to trust my instincts Close my eyes: and leap! It's time to try Defying gravity I think I'll try Defying gravity And you can't pull me down! I'm through accepting limits cause someone says they're so Some things I cannot change But till I try, I'll never know! I never committed to having the steadiest hand in the crowd, but was sure I had this one. I thought about getting a tripod, but this was just another school concert. I’d been to many before and would attend many in the future. I expected her to sing just another song, but as soon as the first words came out it was clear I was wrong. What I heard was more than a solo. It was a statement. A statement of courage from a little girl who decided to look life in the eye and say, I will not be held ...

Images of broken light, which  Dance before me like a million eyes, They call me on and on across the universe. Thoughts meander like a Restless wind inside a letter box They tumble blindly as they make their way across the universe. Nothing's gonna change my world Nothing's gonna change my world Nothing's gonna change my world Nothing's gonna change my world Many years ago he told me it took him his whole life to find out what he really wanted to be. At first it sounded a bit sad, but when you saw the joy in his eyes and heard the excitement in his voice, any hint of sadness was washed away and replaced with a broad smile. Years after playing the corporate game with the politics and repetition, he had found peace in a new profession. Who could have guessed it would be at age 70 and as a volunteer fireman? As you may have read in blog posts before, we have become active supporters of the MDA: speaking at events, gathering with friends to raise money, and meeting some w...

Do you believe in magic in a young girl's heart How the music can free her, whenever it starts And it's magic, if the music is groovy It makes you feel happy like an old-time movie I'll tell you about the magic, and it'll free your soul I was in 5th grade when I first saw magic happen in Philadelphia and I never thought it would be repeated. Boy was I wrong! As a young boy, living in Southern California, my knowledge about Philadelphia was limited to two things. The first is what we had learned in Social Studies class and the second was what was happening on the basketball court. Like everyone else, we learned all about the Liberty Bell and the Declaration of Independence. While interesting, something that happened 200 years ago seemed like ancient history considering that every LA building he saw was no more than 30 years old. However, the second thing about Philly was very real to a kid who loved basketball: his name was Dr. J. During basketball season, th...

Once there was a way to get back homeward Once there was a way to get back home Sleep pretty darling do not cry  And I will sing a lullaby  Golden slumbers fill your eyes  Smiles awake you when you rise  Sleep pretty darling do not cry  And I will sing a lullaby  It must have been that discussion with the UPS driver that made me think about it. After all it was just another Saturday morning.  I was up earlier than the rest of the clan so I could enjoy the quiet house and for some reason decided to start early yard work.  Don't get me wrong, I was more than happy to get outside because it was spring.  There is something about the combination of cool spring air, morning sun creeping through the trees, and fresh cut grass that has always helped cleared my head.  The worries of the week are left behind as the weekend world comes alive.  It was just like so many suburban Saturday mornings with one exception, the UPS d...

Old friends, Old friends, Sat on their park bench like bookends A newspaper blown through the grass Falls on the round toes, of the high shoes, of the old friends Old friends, Winter companions, the old men Lost in their overcoats, waiting for the sunset The sounds of the city sifting through trees Settle like dust on the shoulders of the old friends Can you imagine us years from today, sharing a park bench quietly? How terribly strange to be seventy I spend quite a bit of time in the car.  Driving from one appointment to another can take hours.  To pass the time I like to listen to music, a bit of talk radio, but most of all I like to talk with my mom in California.  For some reason, having a chat with mom is the perfect way to finish off a long day.  It kind of reminds me of being a little kid, sitting at the kitchen table, pretending to do homework and rambling on as mom cleaned up after dinner.  In those da...

It's poetry in motion He turned his presentation to me As deep as any ocean As sweet as any harmony Mmm - but He blinded me with science "He blinded me with science!" And failed me in biology When I'm listening close to him "Blinding me with science - science!" I can smell the chemicals "Blinding me with science - science!" He blinded me with science And failed me in chemistry A lifetime ago I decided that I wanted to be a doctor, at least for a while. Now, this was after I ruled out policeman, fireman, musician, and all the other cool things young boys wanted to be at the time. I'd seen a few doctors in my time and they seemed like normal people with a good memory and lots of reference books. With a little smarts and a lot of confidence, I told myself it could be done.   It all made sense until...He Blinded Me With Science. As high school faded and college became a reality, my Dad reminded me that ...

In your eyes The light the heat In your eyes I am complete In your eyes I see the doorway to a thousand churches In your eyes The resolution of all the fruitless searches In your eyes I see the light and the heat In your eyes Oh, I want to be that complete I want to touch the light The heat I see in your eyes Every so often you have an experience that has an impact on your soul. It could be a day of sadness, a day of joy, or a day of reflection. Whichever it is, hopefully you are wise enough to recognize it and note it down in your book of life so you will remember it for the rest of your days. While these experiences don't appear too often, I believe they reside all around us, waiting for recognition. Last Sunday was such a day, a day when I did not only see the impact with my eyes. I saw it through the eyes of others. For those who attended, I saw it, In Your Eyes . Last year's event was such a great time we committed to do it again. Donna and I started our...