To live with conviction. This month, I want to move more in the direction of my calling.

Lately, I've come to understand my human experience much better and from a different point of view. And I think I'm losing patience with the day-to-day stuff of "living" in Silicon Valley. Because when I do that, I live a small life. I live from paycheck to paycheck. For the weekend. To make enough to pay my rent, fuel my car, and feed myself. But that's not living.

Martin Luther King once said, "Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will.”

Now that’s a calling. That was a man who was so secure in the knowledge of what he was doing, that his own longevity did not matter. And look what that conviction of heart made possible.

Now imagine what could happen if we all stood with that kind of conviction for what we know in our heart of hearts, in our souls, to be what’s right.

Close your eyes and just imagine.

Come to think of it, that’s my wish for this month.

People. I tend to believe that everybody is coming from a place of heart and honesty. Sometimes this gets me in a bit of trouble, but I'd much rather believe the best in people and take the consequences.

Seems like a good day to play it. Enjoy.

I'm most happy when I let go and embrace the moment. Thinking back, when I've been most happy is when I let go of what has happened, what might happen, and just been in the moment. Laughing with my kids or my friends, kissing like there's no tomorrow, sculpting, writing, taking photographs, or making love are all much sweeter when I let go of everything that is not that moment.

Skip ahead to about 1:10 into the video. That's where the song begins.
I just love the simplicity of the things discussed in this song. It's about what really makes folks like me happy.

I'm a big fan of following your own passions. That said, I have gotten the most from coaching and working with kids. To me, keeping the hopes, fires, passions, and dreams alive for young people is one of the greatest and most rewarding things you can do. Even though I did most of my work with kids seven or more years ago, I'm still Coach Mark to a lot of the kids and their parents.

Best of all, it makes my kids proud of their dad.

Every now and again, a song jumps out at me. Usually it's because they're talking about something I'm going through (can you tell that I'm all about the lyrics?).

Today it was this one by Montgomery Gentry. Yes, it's another country song, but it speaks to me.



Here are some of the lyrics. Kind of powerful stuff.

Wake up in the morning
Get to living my life
Making sure that Im all that I can be
Went to church on Sunday
There was a moment that came
I swear it was like the Lord spoke right to me

So now I'm slowing it down and I'm looking around
And I'm lovin' this town and I'm doing alright
Aint' worried 'bout nothing cept for the man I wanna be
I'm thinking maybe it's time to be livin' the rhyme
When I'm singing a song about nothing but right
And it'd sure be nice if you would roll with me

Aint worried 'bout nothing 'cept for the man I wanna be...
Good way to be.