“All the same, we take our chances, laughed at by time, tricked by circumstances. Plus ca change, plus c’est la meme chose.  The more that things change, the more they stay the same.”      - Geddy Lee, musician, & Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr, journalist and critic

Stumble through this quote, and you’ll swear Yogi Berra concocted yet another puzzler. And though the labyrinth of lyrics wax ironic, the message nails the undercurrent of life in one fell swoop, regardless the language.  Change and her relentless rhythm unashamedly convicts and collectively connects us as we stand in awe of the seeming bombardment of negative events that the past decade has delivered: The tragedy of 9-11, the failing markets, the additional violence throughout America, the war in the Middle East.  You name it and it’s more than just front page worthy. And as the media cumulatively frightens the bejeezus out of us, many of us find ourselves re-evaluating, re-booting, and re-promising to re-unite and make this world a better place.  Geez, what’s the scurry all about, now?  Why are we feverishly trying to concoct our own band-aid therapy, while still fearing that the worst has yet to come down on us?

Folks, whether it’s  the 21st century or the 1930s, the barefaced backdrop may have changed along with the countless events of devastation, but we as a nation remain the same. We’re all still just a bunch of folks living on a big plot of land called America.  That said, there has never been a right time to share fellowship, take care of each other, go to church, invest in ourselves, our families, and our businesses; respect our elders, donate to charities, take time off, question our value system, show our emotions, pray for one another, or stand together.  Every day is the right time. So, fling open the doors, settle down and keep the home fires burning.  Change your perspective and, believe me, you’ll see how it doesn’t really matter where your assigned seat is.

Copyright 2000-2010 by Kimberlie Dykeman. This article contains a copyrighted excerpt from Kimberlie Dykeman’s book PURE SOAPBOX.

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“I was determined to know beans.”     – Henry David Thoreau, author, historian, transcendentalist

Whether it’s beans, Jack, or squat, for that matter… fifty bucks says at least one person has javelined a presumptuous phrase that spotlighted your erroneous exhibit of education.  And regardless if the announcer aimed to shine his self-endowed crown of wisdom or honestly point out that which you do not know for your own good, your preened feathers were ruffled and defenses immediately fired up.  Sound embarrassingly familiar, yes?  Well, next time, before you begin projecting words you’ll soon regret, let alone have no ammo of tangible evidence to debunk the claim, perhaps you pull out a notepad and take some notes, my friend.  There’s a strong chance your perceived “opponent” has a stash of golden nuggets he’s willing, if not earnest, to share, if only you retract your ego and play student for a spell.  This humble listening then reveals a path for your own diligent investigation and excited accumulation of all the right stuff.  And when paired with your own inventory of learned and logged info, the living library you create will pale in comparison to the experiences you had while stacking the shelves…of Jack, squat, or beans. 

Copyright 2000-2010 by Kimberlie Dykeman.        SUBSCRIBE to FREE feed/email  HERE!
“Pure Soapbox“ available nationwide & audiobook available on iTUNES & Audible.com!  A portion of the proceeds of all book sales is donated to LIVESTRONG. 

BOOK KIMBERLIE TO MOTIVATE  your peeps!  info@puresoapbox.com / 310- 500- 9587

“Life is mostly froth and bubble, two things stand like stone – kindness in another’s trouble, courage in your own.”   - Adam L. Gordon, Australian poet, jockey and politician 

The ultimate win-win situation, yes?  Lending a hand to someone in need.  Anyone.  Any circumstance.  Be it plates of food or pints of blood, the poetic powers of good prevailing to alleviate ailments, fix fences, revive relationships and salvage spirits.  And magic ensues… for both the giver and receiver benefit beyond words, simply because hardship is a stranger to none of us.  Think of your own spells of strife when, amidst the despair, deep down there still churned a fire of faith that proclaimed help would indeed find you!  And, low and behold, it did!  But know this: along with your saving grace of hope grew your bold voice of bravery that stoked you to face the lions while asking for a lifeline.  And so the cycle continues…as it always has and always will.  Just as change is the only constant, kindness and courage shall each emerge as the future dictates your present.  Share this wisdom with others and the proverbial pay-it-forward chain shall never be broken.

Copyright 2000-2010 by Kimberlie Dykeman.        SUBSCRIBE to FREE feed/email  HERE!
“Pure Soapbox“ available nationwide & audiobook available on iTUNES & Audible.com!  A portion of the proceeds of all book sales is donated to LIVESTRONG. 

BOOK KIMBERLIE TO MOTIVATE  your peeps!  info@puresoapbox.com / 310- 500- 9587

“I don’t even know what street Canada is on.”     -  Al Capone, actor

Needless to say, I’m not taking a cheap pot-shot at good ole Scarface.  Nope, instead it’s a blatant jab at all of you oblivious, frantically-focused-on-me-and-mine people out there (and yes, we’re all guilty at times!) …whose tunnel-vision scope of the world is often your biggest shortcoming.  Left unaddressed, that microscopic, micro-managed viewpoint can infect all sacred spheres of your life.  The blind-siding result?  A self-defeating stumbling block that leaves quite a mark when you finally stand-up and shake off the fumble.  I know it sounds extreme, but the reality is too true when you “get real” with yourself.  Yeah, you know there’s an election…but do you know the issues?  You know there’s this thing called environmentalism, but do you know your carbon footprint?  You know your zip code but do you even know your neighbors’ names?  You know your kid’s school, but do you know what her favorite subject is?  It’s more than the old adage “what you don’t know might hurt you”  ringing it’s reminder bell.  Thinking the whole world revolves around you, then choosing to ignore it CAN’T NOT catch up with you!  You matter to society, to the environment, to your neighbors, to your family!  SO, choose to rotate your perspective, reel your sense of self-importance back into orbit, and participate in them all.  You’ll experience a whirlwind of understanding that brings balance and appreciation for just how valuable the sum of the parts really is to your life the rest of this thing called earth.

Copyright 2000-2010 by Kimberlie Dykeman.        SUBSCRIBE to FREE feed/email  HERE!
“Pure Soapbox“ available nationwide & audiobook available on iTUNES & Audible.com!  A portion of the proceeds of all book sales is donated to LIVESTRONG. 

BOOK KIMBERLIE TO MOTIVATE  your peeps!  info@puresoapbox.com / 310- 500- 9587