Olympic Size Decisions Are You Wise In The Department Of Choice?

Montaigne's most famous quote, "A wise man never loses anything if he has himself." Why then are so many people glued to the "Black Cloud" of missing socks, keys, undies, tools and dreams come true? Maybe today's journey should begin with asking, "What constitutes a wise man?" Sonia Choquette rips "Intellect" off the map. She believes we overemphasize its purpose and placement. Sonia's teachings are aimed at how "Intellect" isn't the most authentic way of knowing. That job belongs to the heart. The first fifteen seconds of the new Dodge Ram radio commercial drives home a solid message: Going the extra mile isn't measured in distance...its measured in pride, integrity and holding up your end of the deal. I love that! Through well rehearsed copywriting Dodge seems to be building a better self image based on being the "All Knowing" In this case the bright red bricks in the foundation are shattered by the use of sand. Break it down! How many people do you know that live life like they're renting rather than owning the body they stare at in a bathroom mirror? Complete with large feet, scarred knuckles and bad knees, they've attached themselves to the acceptance of ever change calling their experiences the makings of a wise man. The departments of pride, integrity and holding up their end of the deal is relationship not wisdom. Lyrically printed in vocal form in my most recent song titled Next In Line, I lay between no lines, "I've yet to meet the person who doesn't claim to have knowledge. Knowledge doesn't make you wise. To be wise means to be aware. Aware of all things connected to choice." Making good, bad, ugly and brilliant choices is either accepted or unaccepted behavior of everybody we meet or designed to be a part of until eternity is spoken by a preacher man in a quiet small gathering. Then you hear, "They'll finally find peace." Really? Kicking the bucket isn't a destination, preservation or reservation! You have no choice! Inside daily rituals of getting up, eating, brushing, driving then bravely pouring on the power to gas up a workday...no moment arrives where making the right choice isn't challenged. Martial Arts Master's YK Kim and Todd Harris preach, "Winning is a choice." Wise isn't making the right choice or accepting the consequences of a bad choice. If Wise is a man that never loses anything if he has himself...that constitutes a gift from the heart. How often do you "Think" you're making the right choice? When you should know it's the right choice. Name the business in "Any Place" America where downsizing the workforce doesn't also include a physical act of unlocking the docks that once empowered employees. Show me the company whose Department heads, GM's, CEO and Stockholder's haven't fine tuned the craft of deflating the mindset of employees. Their choice to hold back what used to be the hardest working group of people on the planet lends only a part time future to their plans. For the moment just be glad we all have a job. A guaranteed solid future is what we used to do in America. Name the wise man or woman that convinced Apple to create a new Iphone requiring additional hardware that can't be used by past and present products. Which wise person in big city Departments of Transportation made the choice that left hand turning lanes no longer need green arrows but blinking yellow? That's like telling a teen they can't drink alcohol but parents let them steal sips during weekend blast off parties. If going the extra mile isn't measured in distance then why is so much money spent on research? The measurement of pride, integrity and holding up your end of the deal is a choice. Making a wise choice has just enough weight from outside sources to sit in eternal judgment. "A wise man never loses anything if he has himself." If my choice was to share this quote with the stepfather Joe he'd crack the reality whip with, "There's too many people already in world full of themselves." Artist Way author Julia Cameron might have a better view, "Wise is knowing you can live without. Fulfilling your wants without debting is true prosperity." I will always believe in you first... arroe@arroe.net