Good morning, afternoon or good day to you! Thank you for popping in to read this post – “Fourteen is a nice number” – it really is!
I have excellent reasons for liking the number 14 and it’s beyond the email notice from WordPress today that my blog is now 14 years old ! ? This is post number 878 ♥
My first blog post was about a mentor to many, so linking this post to that one is completely appropriate – Aunt Elinore – Always a Kind Word
I definitely do not spend as much time blogging as I used to and that’s a good thing for my health but I regret that now I am away from my computer more I miss out on reading blog posts that you invest your time and energy in. My loss and I know it, and feel some guilt there.
The time I spend away from the computer I try to spend it on people and my health. I do that in a variety of ways including time with my two grandchildren. I have a watch that counts steps and if it could tazer me to get going some days I would use that function also.
Fourteen is also a nice number because it was the number my son, my wingman above, wore throughout the different sports he played in his school years. As I sat on the bleachers, here and there and everywhere, I looked for his shirt with 14 on the back and now it seems second nature to always cheer for 14.
Fourteen is the day of the month that my patient, and encouraging wife was born! (confetti here!)
Fourteen is the day of the month that my sweet daughter was born (fireworks here!)
So you betcha I am glad about the number 14 !
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Speech – Reach For the Sky
Recently I did a short speech at Toastmasters and the theme of that speech I have looked forward to sharing with you. It was one part children’s story and one part unpacked meaning.
It’s a important theme, and I hope you have time to reflect on it before heading on with your day.
The theme was to relate how being a protege has effected me. Mentoring is a speech theme I have talked about before HOWEVER this speech objective was to have me relate from a different perspective; the protege experience – the mentee.
I gave it a great deal of thought, I have never had an “official” mentor in my life – I have never had a senior experienced individual take on that role formally.
Nevertheless I have concluded that I have been a protege my whole life.
How could I have been a protege without having an formal mentor?
Looking over my life it was obvious to me that my life has been blessed with mentors of all types: informal, inadvertent and even at a distance.
It’s true for everyone; as I, and you, walk through life we observe and change our behavior based on what we experience.
It could be swerving to avoid the metaphorical pothole ahead or the LITERAL one 🙂
Whom of us has not heeded a warning or taken the advantage of superior advice even if it was non-verbal?
Many examples come to mind now of informal mentors.
I had a boss who demonstrated the importance of showing appreciation in more than words and unexpectedly.
I have a friend who demonstrated generosity beyond measurement.
I have witnessed kindness and communication that I have tried to copy.
The list goes on but my time to share does not and so, to wrap up
– I want to unpack one last thought for you. This is YOU!
That is to underline that you are a teacher, and mentor without doubt. It may be informally but there truthfully are people, many people, who in relation to you would say ” I will never forget that time.………” , and ” ………… showed me the importance of ……….. when they did …………”
Sadly these acknowledgements are often never vocalized until times of eulogies but it doesn’t have to be that way. That’s my challenge now, to not wait and to acknowledge now when people inspire me and I am doing that now with my fellow bloggers.
Thank you fellow bloggers~
– you inspire me!
Thank you readers who like and comment – you encourage me every day!
Thank you for allowing me to be your inadvertent, informal protege. ♥
Life and Random Thinking 
There’s nothing like a good story in teaching; I thought you would share yours with us! Congratulations on prioritizing to be “present in the moment.” That is such an overused phrase, but a good one. One day will you look back and say, “I wish I had spent more time blogging” or will you reminisce about the wonderful times you spent with your family?
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I agree that stories capture our attention and memory. The children’s story portion is about the lessons that Simon who is a tiny sunflower seed learns from Mother Nature. To do his best, to be patient, and to be positive (reach for the sky)
Thanks Linda for how you encourage and inspire me. Sincerely, David
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David, that sounds like a sweet story. Who doesn’t love sunflowers? THEY are inspiring!
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14 reasons to be Thankful. Thank you,
Ernie Sheridan http://www.LiveInTheOk.com http://www.LiveInTheOk.com
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Hi Ernie, I hope you are feeling well and thank you for following my blog and being inspiring!
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Good morning, good afternoon or good evening to you too, whichever maybe be applicable. 14 years of blogging! That’s amazing. Congratulations. At times, real life does have to take precedence. I’m glad that you’re choosing to spend time with your loved ones. 14 is a very good number indeed. That’s a lot of coincidences. That’s a beautiful picture.
It could be swerving to avoid the metaphorical pothole ahead or the LITERAL one 🙂
I loved this! Indeed, in life we do end up having many unofficial, inadvertent or long distance mentors. It’s up to us to imbibe all the wonderful lessons that we can learn. This is a beautiful post to start my day with! And yes, here’s to showing our appreciation for people until they’re too late to understand the difference they made in our lives.
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I appreciate your kind words and congratulations Shweta. Since I posted the blog some other number 14’s have popped their heads – making me smile even more.
I liked your word “imbibe” and certainly it invokes for me the picture of us enjoying the luxury, the privilege of the lessons, the ideas “sparked” that enable us to learn.
I agree, it’s important to share while we are able both whom and why we appreciate them – if we do BOTH, then our recognition will really be meaningful to them. I feel the same about thank you – the expression of appreciation can sound perfunctory without the explanation – the explanation is what makes thank you significant. – Hugs Shweta, you sparked more thoughts and ideas! – David
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I like the way you are picturing the word “imbibe”. You have a very valid point. Explanation can make the appreciation seem much more memorable. I’m glad that my comment has sparked many more thoughts and ideas. Hope you have a great day, David 😊
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I think my previous comment might have ended up in your spam folder
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I’ll fix that! 🙂
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Thank you 🙂
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Wonderful thoughts as always my friend! You are simply a high quality person that the world is lucky to have. And the pictures are beautiful too. Keep on bloggin’
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Hugs to you Krystal – another informal mentor. You are an amazing communicator. Thank you for seeing the light always!
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Glad to see that you are doing well and enjoying time with your grandkids! There’s nothing better!
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Hello Debra, yes I will never regret a single moment spent with my grandkids. The two year is strong and loves to play and the two month old is sweeter every day. Hugs !
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Dave
Nice pictures of your son.
Cheers Raymond
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Hello Ray! I thought I saw you in town a few days ago but you were in a truck I think? I hope you are doing well in every respect. I appreciate you following my blog and taking the time to comment. – Dave
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Hi Dave
I will be dropping into one of the club’s meeting this week or next week. I would like to thank the club for helping me to achieve my DTM. I applied last week. Hope to find out soon. Maybe I can give a speech. I have a very interesting speech about a human event that happened while in high school. The speech is entitled “The Squat Brothers Diddly and Quasy.” It has become my favorite speech.
Cheers
Raymond
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Congratulations Ray on the DTM – that’s a huge achievement.
Our meetings have been very full with members doing speeches and working on Pathways and there is no available time in our agenda for a speech from a guest as it would take an opportunity away from a paid member.
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Ok see you
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Hope you are doing well.
Sent from Mail for Windows
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I vent a little now and then but am doing well and I realize that. – Thanks Bob.
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Good stories and even mean comments from others teach us. May you read lots of good fiction, and non-fiction this year. Never mind all the comments, just enjoy. Nobody ever tells the truth and the truth may often be thought of as fiction and with that, enjoy your Sunday.
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I am still learning and your comment made me smile and think – BOTH.. ♥
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That is good! I will take that as an early Christmas present!
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