Tracks In The Dust

A Father's Advice About Learning the Mission of Life

Archive for the category “Doing Things That Will Change Your Life”

15 Nov 2013

Wearing A Disguise

I think there is always something to be considered about how people see each other, but how we see ourselves may be even more of a challenge.

We can see the outer people in our lives. We see what people want us to see. But it could be that we are practicing what we are in the process. Perhaps we want to conjure up an image of what we think other people want us to be.

But in the end that it seems to be really hard to keep doing. We can take life as “what it is” – and be what we are without wearing a disguise. Our potential to be someone significant may be at risk, getting approval from all of those around us. But maybe we could have more time to just be something important to ourselves. What other people think is going to have to suffice to just “be”.

Maybe they won’t like us, or maybe they aren’t going to care. What a shock that would be, but then perhaps we should ask the question: do we like ourselves.

Be true to yourself – be sure you know who and what you are. Seems so darned easy, and yet often we can work hard to try to be what others think we should be. And then we convince ourselves that we are that person.

Related Tracks Posts

Who Are You?

What it is to be Authentic

13 Nov 2013

Your Favorite Pizza

Often enough I run into Internet articles that are all about pizza. What is the best kind, where you can find it, who has created a new version. Always with opinions on what makes a pizza good.

When I was a kid there was this great Italian-American part of town where you could find a variety of pizza. We used to call them pizza parlors. If you ordered take out they would put it on a cardboard wheel and then cut it, and then bag it with a paper bag that would often have a generic looking guy in a chefs hat that looked a little like Chef Boyardee – complete with the pinched fingers up in the air (for those of you in the US).

Amazingly even between all of those restaurants there was a variety of sauces and crusts, but the crusts were almost always very thin. Nearly always crispy arround the edges, and sometimes cracker thin even in the middle. But man they were tasty.

Which leads me to the point. All of us foodies and non-foodies that love pizza have an idea what makes up an ideal pizza pie. Crusts, sauces, toppings and just the general look of one. If you live in New York City it is different from Chicago, can you fold the slice, or do you need a fork to cut into the deep dish goodness?

What do you like?
What makes it your favorite?
Does it make a difference where you live as to what defines PIZZA to you? Tell me what you think.

Posted in Doing Things That Will Change Your Life and tagged Favorite Foods, Favorite Pizza, Food, Italian American, Memories, Opinion, Pizza, pizza parlors

05 Nov 2013

A Simple Grain Of Sand

I have learned, never take a day for granted. My dad used to say “the world is your oyster”. There are plenty of pearls I suppose out there. But it all starts with a grain of sand.

Microscopic view of sand on the beach

Our lives have to mean something while we are here on earth. The one grain of truth can be shared to make a beautiful thing or can ignite hate and fear. One simple thought can generate the grace of the spirit or it could be something that contributes to the darkness of wasted time and an energy that leads nowhere.

So we have a choice, to make the best of each day whether it starts with the smallest things or is full of events that make up your life. Staying at home behind your doors and drowning in the circumstance of life can waste away the gift of the time we have and wear away at the spirit of our being.

So whatever life we have left ( a minute, a day, a year, many years?) is ours to do with what we want. Choose grace. Choose to let each grain of sand become a pearl that will last much longer than you will be allowed. It is what matters most I think. Of course that depends on your perspective.

Posted in Doing Things That Will Change Your Life, Learning Lessons Along the Journey Of Life and tagged Acceptance, Faith, Grace, Happiness, Joy, Memories, Philosophy, Reality Check, Sprituality, The World is Your Oyster, tracks in the dust

27 Oct 2013

The Influence of Lou Reed

Lou Reed. Rest In Peace.

I know that I was not the kind of fanatic follower of Lou Reed. I mean I knew instantly that I heard Velvet Underground that he along with his compatriots were on to a sound that “needed” to happen at that time of rock history. I always thought the way that he made songs were those songs that spoke to the people who needed the opposite things from the pop-revolution that was flooding the airwaves back then. ( there are always those pioneers who change where music is going aren’t there?)

When a friend of mine brought “Transformer” over to my house and put it in the turn-table, we already had a love affair with the stuff that was called “glam-rock” at the time. Spiders from Mars, Mick Ronson, Mott the Hoople. Bowie was just changing things so much. But Lou Reeds Transformer album was just wildly different. Sure there was the Wild Side song… yeah we got that. But there was so much more magic in every song. I actually wore out my copy and finally gave it to someone to listen to and never got it back.

When I was in a band in high school, we used to play “Sweet Jane” – somehow reaching back to our roots. And we played the “live” version (from Rock N Roll Animal) with the Intro that was just a great instrumental piece on its own. It was our favorite song even when we were playing so many other more classic pop songs back then. There was a night that we played it in a big auditorium and our guitar player must have had it turned up to 11. The crowd loved it, even those kids that we knew didn’t really know who Lou Reed was. There was an edge to his music, to the subject matter he wrote about.

So my hat’s off to the late great Lou Reed, passing today at 71 years old. His passing really made me reflect on things: He was more of an influence in what I listened to then and what I listen to now that I guess I realized.

In Memoriam | Lou Reed Dead At 71 | 1942 – 2013 (jambase.com)

Posted in Doing Things That Will Change Your Life and tagged being remembered, David Bowie, Glam Rock, life is precious, Lou Reed, Lou Reeds Transformer, Memories, Mick Ronson, moments, Music, Rock music, Rolling Stone, Sweet Jane, Transformer, Velvet Underground, Wild Side

25 Oct 2013

Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt

Fear, uncertainty and doubt. The FUD factor.

It is really the basis for a lot of decisions in our life. It plays on us – chips away at the confidence of a decision. It can influence the paths we take, the things we say, the attempts we make on the important things we do and the trivial things.

Recognizing it is part of the challenge. Some times our brave selves, our fearless selves get in the way and can let us go ahead with a bad idea as well. It is a great equalizer.

Even those people who you know who seem fearless, who tread ahead without regard for the outcome. They have their own fears and doubts. Even they are uncertain at times. Quietly they may approach some things that others are amazed. But there are deep-seated fears there.

Fear, uncertainty and doubt. It can rule you or you can adjust. You can have trust where you didn’t before, You can look at things in a different way, you can step out of your comfort zone and prove something to yourself. If there are failures, looking at them as short-term set backs may be right. Taking another whack at things isn’t out of the question many times. You can convince yourself there is no 2nd chance. But that is possibly FUD happening again.

So let’s face it 🙂 there are many obstacles in your way. Creating more isn’t a good idea. I am working on over coming my FUD factors – it is something that is going to take constant reminding – starting from ME. Remembering that HE is there for me always. Taking the time to make the time to be ready.

Now how about you? It starts with you.