I must admit that I have been staring at this blank spot in this memo trying to fill it with something that might be appropriate for these challenging times. Another fact that I don’t like to admit is that much of what I write is written for myself. In other words, I write advice to myself and let you read over my shoulder, that is, if you have a mind to. Right now I need a whole lot of uplifting. Well here goes.
In 1979 I spoke at a Success Rally in the hockey rink located on I-94 in Kalamazoo, Michigan. A full house. Shared the platform with five other well known speakers. In the locker room where we gathered, I asked the group there just what did they think this audience was looking for. With his tongue in his cheek, I learned, a popular psychologist said, “Art, a lot of these people have bad problems in their lives. Some are having trouble with alcohol and drugs. Some are going through really nasty divorces, some bankruptcy, some have just lost their jobs. What they want is for you, in about 45 minutes, to give them the secret, the keys to success and happiness and to attaining riches and happiness and instantly change their lives.” I replied, “Well that’s easy. But I think we’ve got the wrong audience. Many of these folks should have been taught that already when they were children being hugged by their moms and dads. This is really a giant rehabilitation meeting,” By the time I said it I realized that I had made a great discovery. Most of us in that locker room went back home and began working on ideas for parents to teach children success concepts.
Just a few months later I visited my daughter in Madrid and while we wandered around Spain for a couple of weeks I came up with my first children’s book titled “The Three Robots”. (A book for parents to read to their kids while they hugged them.)
By 1981 I had started writing and publishing a mess of children’s books and doing presentations for kids in the schools. I wrote some poems and songs too and one song titled” “I’m Somebody”, went “I’m happy, I’m healthy, I’m Somebody, not a sad Nobody,I’m Somebody! And I wear a smile just to let the whole world know that this somebody’s happy inside.”
So now I’m 90 and I started singing that same song again. I’m still Happy, I’m Healthy, I’m somebody! Not a sad nobody. I’m somebody! Yes I wear a smile just to let the whole world know, that THIS SOMEBODY’S HAPPY INSIDE!. I think that is important… that we all find some happy song to sing out loud. Do it in the shower to test it out. Try the song “Singing in the Rain.” Aw, certainly there is a happy song you can pull up from your past. Come on America! It is time for a song. Put on a happy face. Smiling,. when it is sincere is contagious. Better that you get caught with a smile than a virus. Sing your song and then share it.
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