Note from Louise: I know this is a little long, but the way you will be touched by the end of it is well worth the read.

Story retold by Ajay Kapoor on his Peace and Love page on Facebook. Also see his website at zmeditation.com.

At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves learning-disabled children, the father of one of the students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question: ‘When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does is done with perfection. Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do. Where is the natural order of things in my son?’

The audience was stilled by the query.

The father continued. ‘I believe that when a child like Shay, physically and mentally handicapped comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes in the way other people treat that child.’

Then he told the following story:

Shay and his father had walked past a park where some boys were playing baseball. Shay asked, ‘Do you think they’ll let me play?’ Shay’s father knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but the father also understood that if his son were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps.

Shay’s father approached one of the boys on the field and asked (not expecting much) if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance and said, ‘We’re losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we’ll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning.’

Shay struggled over to the team’s bench and, with a broad smile, put on a team shirt . His father watched with a small tear in his eye and warmth in his heart. The boys saw the father’s joy at his son being accepted. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay’s team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as his father waved to him from the stands. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay’s team scored again. Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat.

At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game? Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible because Shay didn’t even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball.

However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognizing that the other team was putting winning aside for this moment in Shay’s life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least make contact. The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher.

The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game.

Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the first baseman’s head, out of reach of all team mates. Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, ‘Shay, run to first! Run to first!’ Never in his life had Shay ever run that far, but he made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled.

Everyone yelled, ‘Run to second, run to second!’ Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming and struggling to make it to the base. By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball. He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher’s intentions so he, too, intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman’s head. Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases toward home.

All were screaming, ‘Shay, Shay, Shay, all the way Shay!’

Shay reached third base because the opposing shortstop ran to help him by turning him in the direction of third base, and shouted, ‘Run to third, Shay, run to third!’

As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams, and the spectators, were on their feet screaming, ‘Shay, run home! Run home!’ Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the hero who hit the grand slam and won the game for his team.

‘That day’, said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, ‘the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world’.

Young Shay would never forget what it felt like to be a hero that day.

Neither would the other boys.

“The decency of any society can be measured by how it treats its most vulnerable citizens.”

One of the highest compliments an individual can receive is to be called a person of character — a class act! Thomas Leonard’s Class Act 100 assessment is designed to help you understand where you are along this path and to give you ideas for areas worth developing. While there are 100 points in total, I will post one section of the assessment: 10 statements under a specific category.

Hot to use this assessment. As you read each statement, circle 1, 2 or 3. A “1″ means the statement is SOMETIMES true. A “2″ means the statement is OFTEN true. A “3″ means the statement is ALWAYS true.

E. EFFECTIVENESS

1 2 3 Bandwidth/Absorption. I easily handle/assimilate lots of input from any source.
1 2 3 Vision. I see clearly what is possible for people and am oriented around that.
1 2 3 Mastery. I am at the top of my game at work.
1 2 3 Productive. I easily get more done in a day than most people get done in a week.
1 2 3 Accomplished. I have a track record and doing well and contributing to life.
1 2 3 Causal/Initiating. I create my own path and do not wait for others to direct me.
1 2 3 Interest. I can easily help others make choices about what they really want.
1 2 3 Investing. I consciously invest in people, concepts, equipment and opportunities.
1 2 3 Effective. What I work on, gets done.
1 2 3 Practical. I have excellent common sense.

_____ Score (30 max)

____________________________
From The Class Act 100 Program developed by Thomas J. Leonard and Coach U, Inc. Modified by LMK.

One of the highest compliments an individual can receive is to be called a person of character — a class act! Thomas Leonard’s Class Act 100 assessment is designed to help you understand where you are along this path and to give you ideas for areas worth developing. While there are 100 points in total, I will post one section of the assessment: 10 statements under a specific category.

Hot to use this assessment. As you read each statement, circle 1, 2 or 3. A “1″ means the statement is SOMETIMES true. A “2″ means the statement is OFTEN true. A “3″ means the statement is ALWAYS true.

C. PERSONAL STYLE

1 2 3 Excellence. I only buy and deliver quality.
1 2 3 Trusting. I handle my dealings with others on the basis that people are trustworthy.
1 2 3 Polished. I come across as polished.
1 2 3 Clean. I maintain the highest standard of personal hygiene.
1 2 3 Well-dressed. I always look exceptionally good, even if very casual.
1 2 3 Gracious. I am always charming and warm, and offer appropriate courtesies.
1 2 3 Appropriate. I am sensitive to “timing.”
1 2 3 Passionate. It’s clear to all what I feel strongly about and what I most enjoy or believe in.
1 2 3 Consistent. People know what to expect from me. I am predictable when it matters.
1 2 3 Resilient. I bounce back from adversity quickly (2-48 hours) and/or willingly. I recover.

_____ Score (30 max)

____________________________
From The Class Act 100 Program developed by Thomas J. Leonard and Coach U, Inc. Modified by LMK.

Virginia Satyr, noted American author and pscyhotherapist, provided this response to a 15-year-old girl’s question, “How can I prepare myself for a fulfilling life?”

I am me. In all the world, there is no one else exactly like me. There are people who have some parts like me but no one adds up exactly like me. Therefore, everything that comes out of me is authentically mine because I alone choose it.

I own everything about me – my body, including everything it does; my mind, including all my thoughts and ideas; my eyes, including the images of all they behold; my feelings, whatever they might be – anger, joy, frustration, love, disappointment, excitement; my mouth and all the words that come out of it – polite, sweet and rough, correct or incorrect; my voice, loud and soft; all my actions, whether they be to others or myself. I own my fantasies, my dreams, my hopes, my fears. I own all my triumphs and successes, all my failures and mistakes.

Because I own all of me, I can become intimately acquainted with me in all my parts. I can love me and be friendly with me in all my parts; I can then make it possible for all of me to work in my best interests. I know there are aspects about myself that puzzle me, and other aspects that I do not know. But as long as I am friendly and loving to myself, I can courageously and hopefully look for the solutions to the puzzles and for ways to find out more about me. However I look and sound, whatever I say and do, and whatever I think and feel at a given moment in time, is me. This is authentic and represents where I am at that moment in time.

When I review later how I looked and sounded, what I said and did, and how I thought and felt, some parts may turn out to be unfitting. I can discard that which is unfitting, keep that which proved fitting, and invent something new for that which I discarded. I can see, hear, feel, think, say and do. I have the tools to survive, to be close to others, to be productive, to make sense and order out of the world of people and things outside of me. I own me and therefore I can engineer me.

I am me and I am okay.

[Louise_Kaelin_Radio_Show_ 1_Jan_2010.mp3] Listen to me being interviewed by Barbara Reynolds’ on her blogtalkradio show “Answers to Life’s Questions”.

Barbara is a life coach and spiritual healer with a gentle yet powerful coaching style. We both work with people to help remove the blocks preventing us from being our true best self, the self we want to be.

Please visit Barbara’s divinelyguidedhealing.com website.

You can also listen to other of her weekly broadcasts on blogtalkradio.com

1. Demonstrate strong commitment.
Be totally committed to your resolution. Use self-talk that announces your commitment to reach your objectives. Burn the bridges that are attached to doubt and hesitancy. Consider the words of Ella Wilcox: “There is no chance, no destiny, no fate that can circumvent or hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul.”

2. Act on your goal at the first opportunity.
Do not procrastinate progress. Review your goals and determine what the initial or next step should be—then, take that step the first chance you get.

3. Practice daily.
Reaching high levels of productivity is a skill that requires practice like any other developing skill. Let the realization of your goals be a daily activity. Remember that life happens day-by-day, event-by-event. Plan something today that gets you closer to your ideal. the size of the step is unimportant —the direction is all important.

4. Never let an exception occur.
Exceptions are diversions and roadblocks. Don’t allow them unless and until your new habit is firmly rooted and is in your comfort zone. Diversions should be short and planned for—don’t lose sight of your objective.

There is a wonderful feeling that comes from making the shift from the problems in life to “getting” that life is pretty good. This shift may take time, development and a high score on the Personal Foundation program, but you’ll get there! We promise!

When a Person Comes from a Positive Place in Life

• They still live in reality, but choose to live a better way.
• They create more positive things happening to them.

What Happens Until One Makes This Shift

• Nothing is good enough, especially oneself.
• Problems are attracted, like bees to honey.

THE 10 SHIFTS TO MAKE TO COME-FROM THIS PLACE

❑ From not-enough to being enormously grateful, always.
❑ From having problems to being a PFZ (problem-free zone)
❑ From just getting by to having a healthy reserve of time, love, money and space.
❑ From fighting, resisting, denying the circumstances, problems and disturbances in life to realizing that you had a lot to do with whatever is happening.
❑ From doubting yourself to trusting your inklings/intuition.
❑ From being complacent to making the choice to be fully alive.
❑ From being passive, waiting, to always initiating, being at cause and creating your life.
❑ From putting others first to becoming healthfully Selfish.
❑ From talking or being “about” life, to being actively “for” life.
❑ From thinking you’re alone to developing a relationship with God, Self, Spirit, Soul (or the term you wish).

_____ Number of checked boxes (10 max)

____________________________
From The Personal Foundation 100-Point Assessment developed by Thomas J. Leonard and Coach U, Inc. Modified by LMK.

A client of mine forward this video to me (Thanks again, Michael!). I dare you to watch this and come out still believing that the reasons you have for achieving your dreams are appropriate!

In his book The Power of Intention, Dr. Wayne Dyer defines intention as a force in the universe that allows the act of creation to take place. The book explores intention, not as something you do, but as an energy you’re a part of. In addition, Dr. Dyer provides an intention guide with specific ways to apply the co-creating principles into your daily life.

Some important points about this intention:

• A universal characteristic of genius is humility. The genius has always attributed his insights to some higher influence. Genius is an expression of the divine.
• The process of appreciating your genius involves trusting those inner flashes of creative insight that are worthy of expression.
• Every person you interact with should feel the inner glow that comes for being appreciated, particularly for the ways in which they express their creativity.

A few ways Dr. Dyer suggests for appreciating and expressing the genius that you are..

• Declare your intention to be a genius!
• Remove resistance to actualizing your genius.
• Simplify your life. Genius thrives in a contemplative environment.

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