Maddie's Mission

You, who are on the road Must have a code that you can live by And so become yourself B ecause the past is just a good bye. Teach your children well Their father's hell Did slowly go by And feed them on your dreams The one they picks The one you'll know by Don't you ever ask them why If they told you, you will cry So just look at them and sigh And know they love you The answer to the question, "What would you do if you won the lottery?", always intrigued me as it offers a window into a person's true ambitions.  If all financial road blocks were removed and all financial responsibilities were met, what would you do?  The immediate response is usually, "I'd quit!"  OK, but what then?  After all, most of us couldn't just sit on the sofa and watch television for the rest of our lives.  OK, at least some of us couldn't.   For me the answer is simple.  I would spend more time with my family and I would teach.  ...

Wait! Oh yes, wait just a minute Mr. Postman Wait! Wait Mr. Postman Mr. Postman, look and see If there's a letter in your bag for me I've been waiting a long long time Since I heard from that gal of mine A couple of weeks ago my work brought me to New York City.  For those that do not know, NYC can be a tough place to drive unless your car is yellow and says Taxi on top.  So, this time I choose the train.  As I exited Penn Station and stood in line for a taxi to midtown I noticed the historic New York City Post Office which as you can see looks like a building you are more likely to see in Europe. When admiring the building amongst the hustle and bustle of the street, my eyes were drawn to the words carved above the columns.   Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these  couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds. I've heard these words on a TV ad or two in the past, but like som...

It was late last night I was feeling something wasn't right There was not another soul in sight Only you, only you Then you gazed up at me and the answer was plain to see 'Cause I saw the light in your eyes When I opened the door that morning I just knew this was going to be perfect. I had talked to Levi on the phone a few weeks before and was very impressed by his professionalism, but more importantly, his true interest and caring about our two girls and our family. I felt this project was an opportunity for him to do much more than just take a few photos. This project was an opportunity for him to use all his skills to capture a moment which would be timeless. It was an opportunity to sit, listen, share, and photograph two girls in such a way that the light that shines from them could be seen by everyone that walked in company's door. I knew this was going to be perfect because, just as I see the light in my kids, I Saw The Light in Levi. A few mon...

Every breath you take
  Every move you make
  Every bond you break
  Every step you take
  I'll be watching you.

  Every single day
  Every word you say
  Every game you play
  Every night you stay
  I'll be watching you. Before we had a chance to Google Pompe disease or enzyme replacement therapy, we were introduced to the word Pulmonologist. Now, I consider myself a well-educated man and I admit to a somewhat strange interest in the meaning of words so when these were tossed out I thought for sure I could use some grammar tricks and return with a definition in minutes. However, like many times to come I would discover that I had just entered a world which was not designed for quick answers and simple solutions. We had entered a new world we never knew existed nor expected to discover. While others my age would be focusing on their careers or favorite sports team, I would soon find myself very interested in something I thought...

When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me Speaking words of wisdom, let it be And in my hour of darkness she is standing right in front of me Speaking words of wisdom, let it be Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be Whisper words of wisdom, let it be To some it was just a spreadsheet, but to me it was a thing of beauty. Spreadsheets only have numbers and calculations. This had names, dates, times, events, travel details, all in color. I’m not talking just any color. There was a rainbow of colors to separate one item from the next. After all, for a trip like this, the standard white background would not do. This was the Olympics and if I was going to be the planner, I was going to do it in style. Over the years I’ve met a few people who claimed to be experts in organization. They’ve held seminars, written books, and sold recordings. They’ve inspired millions of the organizationally challenged, but none could hold a candle to my mentor. You see, my fat...