The 49ers - Kyle, David, and Alex

My beloved San Francisco 49ers, much like my beloved San Francisco Giants have reached the pinnacle of their sport yet again.  For the Niners, this is their 6th trip to the Super Bowl, and the first in quite a long time.  Many fans today weren't born when the Niners were great in the 80s and 90s, much less terrible in mid-70's when  I was a kid.

The time has me reflective of people, not so much of another trophy or winning or celebrations, but of people.  People like Kyle Williams, David Akers, and Alex Smith.  Sure, most fans would think of Colin Kaepernick, Frank Gore, Justin Smith, and Patrick Willis ... the current STARs of the team, and I do too, and have much love and respect for all of them.  But it's Kyle, David, and Alex that I think about at this moment.

For Kyle Williams, the guy who everyone blamed for last year's NFC Championship loss, "We're one Kyle Williams fumble away from a Super Bowl Title" ... I posted my prayers on Facebook the day after it happened, prayed for Kyle to be strong and to make it through.  And he came back strong this year, played well, but got injured and is now watching from the sidelines while the team is moving forward.

For David Akers, a guy who was a Pro-Bowl Kicker last year, and has gone through so much personal trauma, injury, and the like ... for whatever reason, the guy is struggling this year, and once again the point of a lot of blame.  "We're one David Akers kick from beating the Rams".  And to top it off, crazy people, like they did for Kyle Williams, lobbed death threats at the poor guy throughout the season, when he missed a kick.  My prayers also to David Akers, that he have a great Super Bowl, be the hero we know he can be and win a title for the Niners.  And if not, it's okay, he's our guy ... through thick and thin ... at least for this year, in the competitive football world.

For Alex Smith, I have to say I've never met a person with more heart, with more courage.  Like Jesus said about the Centurion that asked to heal his servant from afar, Alex is much like that to me.  Given all that he's gone through, given all the tough times ... including now, when his place was taken away (and rightfully so in the brutal football world) ... he conducts himself with class, the consummate teammate.  People wonder why the 49ers are such a "good team" ... it's because of leaders like Alex Smith, and how he handles himself.

I'm sure there are plenty of other folks involved that deserve some mention, but those are who I think of at this moment.  And you know what?  Whatever happens in this Super Bowl is really irrelevant.  Whoever wins is really irrelevant.  Sure, we always want to win, we always complain about losing.  But, in the end ... no matter how many games or titles you win or lose, it's really how you live your life that matters.  And for me, guys like Kyle, David, and Alex ... who have fought through adversity with class and dignity are foremost on my mind.

Good luck Niners and all of the Niner Fans!  Have a great Super Bowl!  :)

Ah, technology ... a two-edged sword

As an engineer, I'm at the forefront of the specification and design of many new products, designed to make our lives more convenient, more modern, and supposedly better quality.  And while there are many good things about technology that we have to be thankful for, I can't help but think this all comes at a huge cost.

Recently, I've experienced first hand the dangers of technology, social media, rapid and instant communication on my life.  So many bad things happen when people interpret what is written on texts, emails, or social media sites, so you have to be careful not only what you write today, but what you've written in the past.  Your words stand out to be seen, dissected, interpreted, and misinterpreted by so many people out there, it's so difficult to know what it "safe" to write.

In essence, we become accountable for everything we write ...over time, and that makes it very challenging.  I mean our actions stand on their own, and we're definitely responsible for them.  If you act illegally or immorally, then you'll pay the price for your actions surely.  But if you simply write some innocent comment, without any ill feelings or issues, you really need to be careful how those words are interpreted.  Because they can come back and bite you later on.

For me, I made some major changes to my social media exposure, and will be very careful in the future about exposing my thoughts out there, for fear of the retribution that can occur.  I don't blame technology for any of this, it's really on me for writing whatever I wrote, although I know my intention at the time wasn't meant to harm, hurt, or even influence anyone ... just written, that's all.  And to those who take such words with harshness, confusion, or misinterpretation, my prayers go out to you, that you can find peace knowing that those words were simple that ... words.  Not meant to hurt or harm, but just words.

May God Bless You All ... and I hope you take care and avoid some of the mishaps and pitfalls I've experienced with the technology that we've been blessed with, and use it solely for man's greater good.

Compassion

What a gift, to have someone as wise and as kind as the Dalai Lama to share his views on grand topics.  This is an excerpt from the book, "My Spiritual Journey" where the Dalai Lama shares his views on the meaning of life itself.

For me, in my own my search for happiness, I've found this to be so true.  The happiest times in my life involved deeply servicing and helping others.  And this continues to this day, as my new purpose and calling.

Enjoy!

Compassion, path to my happiness

A big question underlies our experience, whether or not we are aware of it: What is the meaning of life?  I have thought about this, and I would like to share my thoughts on this subject.

I believe that the aim of life is to be happy.  From birth, every human being aspires to happiness and does not want to suffer.  Social conditions, education, and ideology do not affect these tendencies of our deepest being.  That is why it is important to find out what will bring us the most happiness.

First, we divide happiness and suffering into two main categories, mental and physical.  But it is the mind that exercises the most influence over us.  Unless we are seriously ill or deprived of necessities, our physical condition plays a secondary role in life.  When the body is satisfied, we’re almost not aware of it.  The mind, on the other hand, registers the slightest event, no matter how minor it is.  So we must devote our effort to developing peace of mind.

According to my own experience, the highest level of inner calm comes from the development of love and compassion.  The more concerned we are with the happiness of others, the more we increase our own well-being.  Friendliness and warmth toward others relax mental tensions and help us to dissipate fears or insecurity so that we can overcome obstacles.  That is the ultimate source of success in life.

In this world, where we are bound to encounter difficulties, if we lose hope and become discouraged, we reduce our ability to face things.  What’s more, if we remember that everyone, not just ourselves, has to experience suffering, this realistic perspective reinforces our determination and our ability to overcome difficulty.  In fact, with this attitude, every new obstacle will be regarded as a good opportunity to improve our state of mind!

That is how we can gradually strive for more compassion- by cultivating both real sympathy when faced with suffering of others and a desire to help them free themselves of it.  In this way our own serenity and inner strength will increase.

--Dalai Lama, From the book “My Spiritual Journey”

It's okay to be, not okay to stay

I've been thinking quite a bit about life's issues and problems, the things we all face that cause us stress, anxiety, worry, and all kinds of negative emotions.  Of course, these things, left unchecked, have physiological effects on us, cause our bodies and minds harm, and generally are not good for us.

What's given me peace lately are some words I just happened upon.  I don't really know if I made this up myself, if I heard from some other person, or read it somewhere.  In the end, it doesn't matter, just take the meaning of the words, and what type of positive effect it can have, and make it work for you.

It's okay to be mad, but not okay to stay mad.
It's okay to be hurt, but not okay to stay hurt.
It's okay to be selfish, but not okay to stay selfish. 
It's okay to be jealous, but not okay to stay jealous.
It's okay to be unhappy, but not okay to stay unhappy.

You get the point?  On the opposite end, of course, I think it's perfectly fine to strive to always be calm, pain-free, giving, understanding, and happy.  There's nothing wrong with that.  But, I think the message for me is to accept the times in my life where I am imperfect, and therefore accept the times in my life when other people or events are imperfect.  Accept them for what they are, be okay with them.  But, then, get on with life's beauty and positive energy, and move forward toward something better.

To me, it's okay to have or experience negative energy, it's natural, it's going to happen.  I should welcome those times and events with open arms, greet them like an old friend, invite them in for nice meal and a warm drink and friendly conversation.  And accept them for their value, lesson, and effect on my life.  But, then when the time comes, say goodbye and wish them well, and make room for the million other visitors that bring positive energy to my life, and welcome them in exactly the same way.

My dear friend who may be reading this, I pray for you, that you may accept life's hardships, no matter how they come at you, and deal with them as God would, lovingly accept them, be at peace, and move forward to the best and brightest of life's many moments.  May God Bless you always.  :)

Giving for the sake of Giving

I was recently asked by a friend of mine to translate a very famous Buddhist poem and describe it's meaning.  Being quite a formidable challenge, my friend said I could expect quite a reward if I was indeed able to accurately translate and demonstrate a complete understanding of the poem. Of course, in my humility, I mentioned to my friend that I wouldn't expect any reward at all, but my curiosity was peaked, mostly because I wanted to understand why that poem was chosen, why it was a favorite of my friend, and it's deep and famous meaning.

Suffice it to say, with a bit of effort, I was able to find the information necessary to understand how to piece the information together to form a coherent theory.  And with a bit more work, craft an explanation describing the history behind the poem, as well as my interpretation of it.  My friend was quite impressed with the work, and mentioned again about the reward promised.  I answered that I would not ask for anything at all, because it would defeat the purpose of the poem itself, which discussed "Giving for the sake of Giving".  For me, examining my heart and soul, it felt like the right thing to do, simply to solve the challenge.  Give, if you will, a very humble answer, and then follow the true meaning of the message the challenge was trying to convey by having no expectation or reward for accomplishing the goal.

Even this very blog entry goes against the poem itself, because really I shouldn't be touting anything I've done.  But, on the other hand, I want my children and one-day, my grandchildren, to understand this because it meant a lot to me.  I know you will ask what the poem was, that's something I will keep to myself.  But suffice to say, it's one of the most beautiful poems I've ever happened upon.

I pray for you, my friend, who may be reading this.  That you may be blessed to have the opportunity to give simply for the sake of giving, not expecting anything in return, but purely for the act of giving itself, because it is the right thing to do.  May God Bless You Always.

Keeping Your Promise

My youngest daughter and I spent the better part of the afternoon together, just the two of us.  Of course, I promised her the day before it would just be me and her, and she was looking forward to it.  Her sisters both had parties to attend, so it was just the two of us, and a long weekend day, sunny and beautiful to spend it together.  I had been out late the night before, celebrating with friends, so I was a bit tired.  I had gotten up early on just a few hours of sleep, to run an exercise bootcamp I'm quite proud of.  So, suffice to say, come mid-afternoon, my energy levels were depleted and my promise of spending time with daughter now in the balance, I gave a hint of hesitation.

Needless to say, I saw my daughter's body language, slumped shoulders, sad face, energy sapped from her, tears starting to flow, and I asked her if she was okay.  And of course, she wasn't.  She wasn't bummed that we were may not go to the movies or get what she wanted, she was bummed because I promised her something, and I was hesitant.

I guess when you want something so bad, in this case, my daugther wanting to spend time with her daddy, when it's taken away, it hurts.  I understand that, and that's why I thought it over, gathered up my energy, and said, "You know what ... let's go!"  and it was the best decision I've made in a long while.

My friend who may be reading this ... for your own well being, try to keep your promises and hold true to your word.  We are all imperfect by nature, which is fine, but in realizing how our thoughts and actions can affect another person, we can strive to be more compassionate, and in turn, be better ourselves.

Solomon

If I ever have a son, his name will be "Solomon".  And here's why:

Kings 3:5-15

5 At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”

6 Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day.

7 “Now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. 

8 Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number.  

9 So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”

10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this.

11 So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice,  

12 I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be.

13 Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both riches and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings.

14 And if you walk in my ways and obey my statutes and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.”

15 Then Solomon awoke—and he realized it had been a dream.