T. S. Elliot

In the room the women come and go

Talking of Michelangelo.

— T. S. Elliot

American Poet

1888 - 1965

When I was introduced to the poetry of T. S. Elliot in college, I fell in love with his work.  One of my favorite poems still today is The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock from which these two lines are taken.

We are a nation of talkers and storytellers.  We always have something to say even when it has no value or frame of reference.  People come into our lives and share their opinions on art and the world before taking their leave and going elsewhere.  Sometimes we give too much importance to the ideas and opinions of others.  We need to listen to ourselves first.  Often the opinions of others are not as valid as we are led to believe.  In fact, their opinions can be dead wrong.  

Are you trapped in a room and forced to listen to the negative opinions of others?  Break out!  Find a new room with people who will support and help you.  Avoid the negative people who try to steal your energy and enthusiasm.  

Here is a link to the full text version of The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock: (Read and enjoy.)

http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/20220

Listen to this fabulous reading of the poem by Anthony Hopkins.

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Moliere

"The greater the obstacle, the more the glory in overcoming it."

— Moliere

French Playwright & Actor

1622 - 1673

We have all faced obstacles in our lives — some big, some small, some real and some imagined.  Sometimes these obstacles defeat us and sometimes we are victorious.  The winners never give up.  There is always a way either over or under or around or through the obstacle.  I have often backed up and found another route around the obstacle.  Sometimes I have plowed right through the obstacle smashing it.  On other occasions I have been able to leap over the obstacle or even dig a tunnel beneath it.  The key is not to let the obstacle stop you.  And the bigger the obstacle, the greater the joy in victory.  What obstacles stand in your way today?  How are you going to overcome them?

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Lucille Ball

"One of the things I learned the hard way was that it doesn't pay to get discouraged.  Keeping busy and making optimism a way of life can restore your faith in yourself."

— Lucille Ball

American Actress

1911 - 1989

It is very easy for creative leaders to become discouraged and depressed when their ideas don't work out.  Yet what good does it do to wallow in self-pity and discouragement?  We become less productive and might even stop creating all together.  The challenge is to find ways to keep our chin up and to keep moving forward.  Having spent the first 35 years of my life as a pessimist, I know it takes work to become an optimist.  And it is easy to backslide.  Being down on ourselves does us no good.  We need to keep the faith.  We need to believe in ourselves.

Here's part one of a documentary of Lucille Ball's life.

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Tecumseh

"When you rise in the morning, give thanks for the light, for your life, for your strength.  Give thanks for your food and the joy of living.  If you see no reason to give thanks, the fault lies in yourself."

— Tecumseh

Shawnee Chief

(1768 - 1813)

This week someone in one of my audiences expressed concern about all the negativity we hear  in our society.  She was concerned about the future.  And it is easy to see why she feels that way.  We live in a time when many of our leaders gravitate towards the negative.  Turn on any news channel and all you hear are negative stories and even worse — negative opinions.  Much of what passes for news today is actually opinion.  Read any newspaper and your heart fills with dread.  It takes a lot to remain positive and thankful in this negative world.  And yet thankful we must be for we are still alive.  Thankful we must be for we woke to see the sun again.  So give thanks every day this week that you have been given another day to write a poem, paint a picture or write a story.  No one knows if he will wake up tomorrow morning.  Be thankful that you can see another sunrise.

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Charles Kuralt

"The everyday kindness of the back roads more than makes up for the acts of greed in the headlines."

— Charles Kuralt

American Journalist

1934 - 1997

Most of the stories one finds in the media create a very negative image of people as greedy, corrupt and immoral.  The truth is that only a small segment of society fits that image.  Most people are by nature kind and generous and go out of their way to help others in their time of need.  

Given the stories that we hear every day, it is easy to lose faith in people and the institutions they manage.  Yet, for every corrupt, greedy person, there are thousands of kind, caring people who shovel the sidewalks of their neighbors, serve food to the homeless and share car rides to work.  Remember most people have good hearts and give of themselves to help others.  Don't let the greedy few distort your view of the world.

Here is an update to one of Charles Kuralt's famous stories about the Chandler family.

  

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Robert Frost

"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on."

— Robert Frost

American Poet

1874 - 1963

In the fall of  1967, I was a freshman in college and felt the world about to come to an end.  The Vietnam War raged on and on.  Riots were occurring in the streets of big cities.  The world was burning and I was convinced that it would all be over in five years.  But like Frost, I have learned that life does go on.  

Some people today feel the world is about to end.  We face economic upheaval and poverty, political corruption and stalemate, as well as religious hatred and global warming.  Will the world still be here in five years?  I have learned that life goes on.  Or in the words of another cliche: This too shall pass.

Don't despair because your writing was rejected by yet another publisher or an art gallery refused to carry your work.  Life goes on.  This too shall pass.

When Robert Frost was 86, he was asked to read a poem at the inauguration of President John F. Kennedy. He was the first poet to read at a presidential inauguration.  In January of 1963 he died from complications from prostate surgery.  In November 1963, Kennedy was assassinated.  Some thought it was the end of the world, but life goes on.

Here is Robert Frost performing The Gift Outright at Kennedy's inauguration in 1961.  He recited the poem from memory.

(Quote Source:  Goodreads.com)

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C. S. Lewis

"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream."

— C. S. Lewis

Irish Writer

1898 - 1963

When we stop dreaming, we start dying.  Life is about discovering our dreams and embarking on a journey to achieve them.  Colonel Harlan Sanders was 65 when he began his journey to build the fast food restaurant chain, Kentucky Fried Chicken.  Immanuel Kant wrote one of his best philosophical works at the age of 74.  Grandma Moses picked up a paintbrush at age 76 and painted over a thousand paintings during the next 25 years.  Jessica Tandy won an Oscar at age 80 for her role in Driving Miss Daisy.  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe finished Faust at 81.  Henry Roth published his first novel when he was 28 and his second when he was 89.

What dreams have you given up on?  What dreams have you not yet dreamed?  Is it time to set another goal?

(Quote source:  Goodreads. com)

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W. S. Merwin

Photo by Matt Valentine

"On the last day of the world 

I would want to plant a tree..."

W. S. Merwin

American Poet

1927 -

From time to time people have predicted the end of the world and their followers have given up their worldly goods and waited — only to find they waited in vain.  Yes, the world as we know it will come to an end one day.  But none of us now living will be here to see it.  In the past, civilizations have come and gone.  Think Mayan, Aztec, Egyptian, Greek, Roman and Chinese.  One day our civilization will also pass into history.  

And even the animals and plants come and go.  Remember the dinosaurs?  The human animal too will disappear from this earth and a new species will appear.  But don't fear neither you nor your children or grandchildren will be here to witness it.

So if by some freak accident, you had the opportunity to be on this earth on the last day before the total destruction of the earth, what would you do?  Would you plant a tree as Merwin suggests?  Talk about optimism in the face of disaster.

Over the last thirty years, Merwin, who lives in Hawaii, has planted more then 4,000 trees on 19 acres that were once considered a wasteland.  He has planted 850 different species of trees. Here is the complete poem from which this quote comes.

Place

by W. S. Merwin

On the last day of the world

I would want to plant a tree

what for

not for the fruit

the tree that bears the fruit

is not the one that was planted

I want the tree that stands

in the earth for the first time

with the sun already

going down

and the water

touching its roots

in the earth full of the dead

and the clouds passing

one by one

over its leaves

Here is W. S. Merwin reading his poem, Yesterday.

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M. Scott Peck

"The quickest way to change your attitude toward pain is to accept the fact that everything that happens to us has been designed for our spiritual growth."

— M. Scott Peck

American Author

1936 - 2005

I think that we can learn valuable lessons from everything that happens to us.  I believe that one of the reasons we are on this earth is to learn and grow as human beings.  Sometimes we do better than others.  And sometimes we fail to learn our lessons again and again.

In 2006 I was diagnosed with prostate cancer and had robotic surgery.  I believed then and still believe today that it was an experience that taught me several things — from humility to gratefulness.  

And while this maybe difficult for some to accept, I think the rejection we experience as creative leaders is meant to teach us valuable lessons.  So the next time you face some challenge in your life, ask yourself what lessons you can learn from this experience.  What gift are you being given?

Here is a poem I wrote in response to my diagnosis of cancer and my surgery.

Surgery

God is in the backyard

playing with the squirrels

and rabbits.  I am barbecuing

steaks for dinner and

the wife is preparing the salad.

Tomorrow I am having surgery

and God has come by to

wish me well.  He says I

should not worry because

He will be there holding

my hand.  I smile and

ask if He wants to take

my place on the operating

table.  He ignores my

request and goes on

chatting about how much

better I will feel when

the cancer has been ripped

from my body.  I flip

the steaks over one more time.

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Hans Hofmann

"I can't understand how anyone is able to paint without optimism.  Despite the general pessimistic attitude in the world today, I am nothing but an optimist."

— Hans Hofmann

German Painter

1880 - 1966

Being an artist, a writer or an actor requires a lot of optimism.  You have to believe that you will be successful.  You may struggle for years with no recognition or money and yet you must keep working.  You must have the faith that one day the world will discover your talent.  Many people give up too soon.  The negativity of the world wears them down.  You must believe in yourself even when no one else does.

The Golden Wall
(1961)

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