September 6, 2013

"I have to process my grief, Orion.  I'm sorry to lay this on you." It's what I'm here for, John-boy. Tell me," my old friend said. "Z was a teacher and a soul mate. She taught me about acceptance. She had suffered three horrible seizures. In her last few minutes when she was blind and unable to stand, she smiled when she felt Priscilla and me with her.  She was at peace in our arms. When I am at life's end, I want that kind of acceptance and peace. She seemed to be saying, 'hey, I have no regrets. I'm glad you're here with me.'"

September 4, 2013

"Hi, Orion, is ZZ girl up there with you now?" "No, not yet," my old friend said.  "You're not finished with her spirit yet, and her spirit isn't finished with you yet. You will know when she joins me in heaven." "Thanks, old friend," I said. "I'm sorry I haven't written in so long." "Not to worry, Grasshopper," Orion responded. "You just needed a new reason.  Welcome back."

September 14, 2012

"What are you working on these days, Grasshopper?" Orion asked me this morning.  "I am once again working on presence, being in the moment to allow my mind to be exposed to information that is not cognitive so my intuition can kick in.  Does that sound corny?" "No, not corny," Orion said.  "Deep." "What I'm learning, with help from my coach, is that being more present is NOT being aware of what is around me, but being more aware of what is inside me."

August 5, 2012

"The Olympics sure motivate me," I told Orion this morning. "What about it?" Orion asked.  "To see the physical and mental excellence reminds me how important the mind-body connection is in all that we do throughout our lives.  I am as impressed with the mental focus as I am with the physical conditioning and how hard the work is on both fronts. Very few of us make the Olympics, but all of us have the capacity for the same kind of excellence.  Never give up!  Never surrender!"

July14, 2012

"I'm tired," I told Orion this morning.  "You certainly should be after conducting a two-day executive retreat with scientists and engineers," Orion responded.  "What did you learn?" "I think the biggest thing I learned, is that when I receive feedback about activities that they didn't like, it does NOT mean I shouldn't have done them. It is almost the opposite.  Because my intent is to force them out of their linear comfort zones, maybe the more they don't like, the better for them."

June 26,2012

"Hey, Orion," I said. "I figured out why the staff of the Department of Environmental Quality in Saipan like it when I visit."  "Okay, I'll bite," answered Orion. "Why do they like it when you come out?" "Because they use my visit as a justification for rewarding the staff.  This trip they reserved a conference room at a resort hotel, including refreshments morning and afternoon, and a huge buffet lunch.  This is a way to reward hard working staff who earn an average of $12 to 15K in salary."  "I'm sure the staff enjoys that," Orion said.  "Do you think they also get a lot out of what you are teaching them?" "Well, I guess there might be a little of that.  One person, who remembered me from 7 years ago, gave me a hug and said 'welcome home, John.'"

June 24, 2012

"Hi, Orion," I said, as I drink a beer at 4:30 p.m. in Saipan. "We haven't talked in a long time, like two months," Orion answered.  "Anything wrong?" "I have to admit, I started feeling silly talking to a constellation of stars," I said. "That sounds like a normal thing to think," Orion responded.  "Why are you talking to me now?" "I feel a little down, maybe a little lonely." "So here's the thing, john-boy, you tell all of your coaching clients that they have their own answers inside them, right? And what you do is bring out their own wisdom, right? Isn't that kind of what you use me for?  To bring out your own wisdom?"  "I guess so," I said. "So what's up now that is causing you to be down?"  "I just finished a stressful week in Guam with a resistant boss, and now I face a week working with 50 people, all by myself."  "We've got lots to talk about, grasshopper!"