As time passes in recent days and years, what was once considered normal and consistent is taking on a new meaning. While the predictions and projections of this world's demise, i.e. the world is coming to an end, or Jesus is coming soon, are not new, however, the political, social and economic climates have been giving people pause and wonderings of late. Despite all, God is constant as is His word; thus they have not changed. Therefore, He continues to compel His children to impact the world regardless of what may or may not be happening in it.As believers in Jesus Christ, we have been given the "Great Commission" to go into all the world and proclaim the Good News for the purpose of winning souls for the kingdom of God. Some would ask, "How can a mere person as myself do something like that?" With such a charge, God has not left us ill equipped to accomplish such a feat. From the newest believer in Jesus Christ, to the most eloquently seasoned minister of the gospel, each has been given spiritual gifts to further God's kingdom building plan. Stirring Up Spiritual Gifts is a biblically based, practical guide that establishes a foundation for its readers to: -Identify what are the spiritual gifts-Gain insight of how the gifts were and are still being used today-Identify one's own spiritual gift(s) and be compelled to utilize these God-given tools while there is yet time to do so.
Stop complaining! Stop wishing and hoping! Stop whining! This is your answer to your life of fulfillment! This is the definitive book for those who want to take the guesswork out of living a fulfilled life. The following pages will bring together a wealth of insight and information from a cross-section of individuals, faiths, and religions extolling the virtues of and validating the process for living a life of fulfillment. Starting with being "Authentically Honest" to explaining peace as the "Intangible Tangible Power," this book succinctly lays out a realistic process for anyone to follow for achieving a life dominated by peace, success, and happiness. Part motivational, part spiritual, and part instructional, The Trifecta of Fulfillment hits all points. It covers all ground for those frustrated by books promising to reveal the "secret to happiness." The principles in this book are doable; they are understandable. There is no religious indoctrination or proselytizing in this book. The Trifecta of Fulfillment pages contains concrete, factual information that is tested and proven over centuries to aid in developing personal peace, success, and happiness. The Trifecta of Fulfillment is the definitive book and is a must-have in the library of all patrons of motivation, success, self-help, and spiritual exploration. There are now no more excuses for living in misery. Now you have the information you need to dramatically change the trajectory of your life for the better. Use it! The choice is yours.
A hard-core inspector of the police fraternity pledges to nab criminals behind human organ thefts in his little town, Mufulira, Zambia . Mwango puts in place tight police patrols to trap them - his superiors deny him a warrant of arrest for the offenders on a brink of action. In desperation, the criminals plan to eliminate any police officer in their path of operation. Situations become tense - inspector Mwango loses a colleague and friend. Frustrated by the turn of events he goes on a war of vengeance alone. He pursues the dangerous criminals in the savannah bushes of Mufulira on a full moon night... Will he survive this dangerous mission?
This book comprises the complete essays from the Philosophy Crush podcast, a miscellany of reflections and intellectual venturings that hold some relevance for our times. With topics ranging from "Philosophy as a way of life" to "Bring back the existentialists," "The importance of reading books," "Free speech 101," "What makes innovation possible?," "The individual against the mass," "Where are we going?," "The search for meaning," and "Why is Bob Dylan the greatest songwriter?," the 75 essays that make up this book are "essais" in Montaigne's sense-"attempts," with an emphasis on brevity, subjectivity, and accessibility to a general audience.
The author writes this book about recovering from the disease of addiction in an effort to help other people who are also struggling. He has put a great deal of thought and effort into telling it like it was in order to allow people to understand that recovery is possible. Not only can this book help others addicted but it also can help family members understand the nature of the disease of addiction and the recovery process. God has used the author in an effort to help others so that he may continue on in his own personal process of recovery.
Christopher Shaw met Jon Cody in 1972 when he moved to Stony Creek, New York, a remote hamlet in the southern Adirondacks. Their close and at times rocky friendship lasted until Cody's death in 2015. In this sprawling, at times piercingly honest and direct memoir, Shaw recounts how Cody, the older one-armed dope dealer and fine leather craftsman, exasperated, supported, and goaded him, and how he found only late in their time together how Cody held the key to one of Shaw's biggest childhood mysteries. What starts reading like a quaint regional narrative soon takes a number of surprising turns. It all takes place in the Adirondack backcountry and tourist meccas, enlivened by scenes from its wilds and its barrooms, and by the often confused expressions of love between men.
A staggering number of children receive an ADHD diagnosis. An estimated 6.1 million American children ages 2-17 have received that diagnosis of, representing 9.4% of this total age group nationwide as of 2016 (Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 2018) These young children, their parents and educators deserve as much information as possible about their condition so that the children can thrive and succeed. Another atypical Distinctively different Hilariously happy Delightful day is directed to readers ages 8-12 who have received this diagnosis, their parents, friends and educators. The book focuses on the positives associated with ADHD. When the young boy in the book receives his ADHD diagnosis he is not discouraged but instead is motivated to try to figure out how his brain works. Watching his thoughts whiz by, he compares his thinking process to a speeding race car with no brakes. Recognizing his brain's unique assets, he enthusiastically describes in great detail some of his ADHD superpowers. Wisely acknowledging the traits that he needs to work on, he adds asking for help to his expanding list of superpowers.
Ernestine Terrell is the CEO and Founder of Life After Death Ministries and Ernestine Terrell Ministries. She is the Author of "Life After Death" (published in 2008) and is now divulging more in "Life After Death Part II." The Author explains: "Part II had to be written to help those who made their exodus out of their personal hell! In my first book (Part 1) I shared some of my most horrific experiences. This book will take you back into my past because I needed to revisit the place called pain. There were so many suppressed memories that had to be remembered, so I could be totally free from my past!" "This book comes to help others who may have locked up the memory of their past. Those hurtful and painful times need to be unlocked in your mind. I encourage you to find that key to unlock your mind. Go and confront your past! Deal with IT!" "Once you forgive yourself and the ones who caused the pain, then and only then will you be totally free to LIVE YOUR LIFE AFTER DEATH."
UFOs: how do you explain them? A logical explanation to describe a strange, unknown streak of light crossing the night sky maybe a drone or a top secret military aircraft...Or consider something illogical, it could be a crew of unlikely misfits set on an incredible quest to venture beyond what is thought to be possible. Could this crew fly an aircraft as a sign from God? An annual backyard camp out features all the experiences one would come to expect. It is hosted by youth pastor Billy, whom gathers the youth around the campfire. He begins to tell the tale of Garis, a man living in a village long ago in a time of invention and discovery. After Garis is exiled from his village for not sharing his village's beliefs, he ventures to the great city of UR. Without regard to how it may sound, Garis shared his passion of traveling to heaven and meet God to a hand full of people who would listen. Beyond all odds a small group banded together to make it a reality but how can they overcome the challenges they face. The Flying Ark is special read worth spending time with the identifiable characters and how they represent the champion in you.
This is a spiritual teaching book that will not disappoint even the most serious student. It is chalked full of vital, insightful and timely spiritual truth. The angles that it uses are unique and original--far from your average New Age ideologies.
A wordsmith can forge words into thoughts inspirational. Reflections are a deeper sometimes imaginative look into the meaning of common words. This is an attempt to provide the reader with an expanded meaning of a single word. Should this work out as intended, you may never think of words as ordinary again.
This is a personal and social changing mental health plan in a book - with a "one-minute a day" "action" guide to a better life and more empowered citizenship. Each of the 12 months of the year is branded with one colorful habit-forming value like resolve conflicts, help others, and be more positive. There are 12. One for each month. The 365 one-minute motivationals, are grouped to focus on helping the reader to form one good habit per month. Each day's reading has a little different perspective on the month's habit, a daily affirmation, several inspirational quotes and a daily "action" tip. In this era of conflict and division in America, this book offers readers a personal tool for staying focused on what we have power over; improving ourselves, our relationships and the healthy choices we make.As an MBA and former corporate executive who wanted to help people get along better, author, Elaine Parke came up with this 12 month, "one-value-a-month" game plan. She's been waging it in schools and communities for 30 years. In this format, the 12 unity habits campaign was promoted much like holidays are; with radio, TV, posters, flyers, and group events, celebrations, and activities. The campaign reached several million people in Pittsburgh and western Pennsylvania and results were evaluated by nine independent studies. It was named a Social Invention by the London Institute. Overall, 72% of surveyed citizens said they felt more connected to others. 37% said they'd improved their behaviors. Student conflicts were reduced by up to 62% in less than two years and academics improved. One student said, "I'm now nice to the people I used to be mean to. This is COOL. I might even get better grades too"That's why Parke wrote this book. She's led a successful initiative for 30 years and now this book will reach many more Americans. More than a book, it's a mission to heal America one citizen at a time - and it needs help from readers across America. All proceeds from book sales will go towards expanding the awareness of the 12 monthly mental health themes all across America. Starting right now, today, we can build the momentum towards more equality and unity in America - while uplifting our own lives too. This is the win-win cliché of all time - together we don't fall down, we all lift up. If we haven't learned much else from social media, we've learned that shared thoughts, for good or bad, that are truth or fake, become powerful beyond measure when they reach lots of people at the same time and are repeated over and over again.Remember, This isn't a book ABOUT habits - it is a HABIT-FORMING book. When readers take it home and begin their "one-minute-a day" habit building adventure, their lives and outlooks will brighten. "Now more than ever, America needs this unifying year-round mental health plan, deemed a social invention by the London Institute and already proven successful by social transformation visionary, Elaine Parke." - Melvin Steals, EdD, Educator and Internationally Celebrated Song Writer
Once viewed as a novelty, the field of sport psychology has grown tremendously over the last half century. Today, many elite athletes and teams work with sport psychology specialists to improve their mental games and behind this practical work is an extensive research base. Sport psychology specialists also help to make the youth sports experience a positive one and have become central to coaches' education efforts.Dan Gould has been involved in the field for the last 50 years, witnessing its tremendous growth. He is known world-wide for his research and professional practice work having lectured in over 30 countries, published hundreds of research studies, conducted over 1000 coaching clinic sessions and authored numerous books. Organizations such as the US Olympic Committee, the US Tennis Association, and the National Wrestling Coaches Association have funded his work. As a mental skills training specialist, Dan attended the Nagano Olympic Games with the US Ski team and has worked with numerous athletes from a variety of sports. In addition to working with elite athletes, Dan has also focused much of his career in the youth sports arena, having served as the Director of the Institute for the Study of Youth Sports at Michigan State University where he is the Gwen Norrell Professor of Youth Sports and Student Athlete Well-being.Besides his research and consulting interests, Dan is a devoted educator. He has introduced thousands of undergraduate students to the field and mentored over 40 doctoral students, many of whom have become leaders in the field.Dan wanted to give back to the field that has been so good to him. Hence, the writing of Reflections from a Career in Sport Psychology. The book is designed to convey many of the lessons Dan has learned over his career. Organized around three sections, Part I of the book contains an autobiographical examination of Dan and his career in sport psychology discussing how his familial and personal experiences as well as experiences as an athlete, student and professional shaped his work and view of the field. This provides a rare and candid look at his personality, motivations as well as his strengths and weaknesses as a person and professional. Part II is the most extensive part of the book. It focuses on the personal and professional practice lessons Dan learned over his career and provides guidelines for anyone hoping to pursue a career in sport psychology. Specific chapters focus on: general life lessons learned on a range of topics from dealing with travel and jet lag to personal finances and work-life balance; professional practice lessons focused on conducting state-of-the art impactful research; lessons identified from teaching university courses in sport psychology; coaching education lessons; mental skills training consultant guidelines generated from working with hundreds of athletes ranging from novice youth athletes to Olympic champions and from consulting in the business community; and, lessons focused on mentoring students pursuing a career in the field. Part III of the book is composed of an epilogue with Dan's final reflections. If you want to or are currently pursuing a career in sport psychology this book is a must read. Not only are the guidelines and lessons learned invaluable, but each chapter ends with a series of questions and exercises where the reader can reflect on what is written in the chapter and then contextualize the material to one's own career and circumstances.
Readers will find in this book a range of thoughts and perspectives on issues with which America has recently faced and continues to face. It provides a view of America in the context of today's problems of societal division, anarchy, destruction of the rule of law and irresponsibility. It documents efforts of some to change America into something it was never intended to be. By contrast, some pieces demonstrate what life is like when unaffected by society's ills. There are forces that seek to destroy America and rebuild it in some fashion that is only vaguely envisioned. Opposing them are forces committed to preserving the Republic as envisioned by the framers of America's Constitution. Whichever force prevails will determine the country's future. This book examines these forces through essays, short stories, poems and humor.
Has Sarah lost her mind? Boarding a plane and going west was never in her life's plan. Then again, what she was living through was never a part of her life's plan either. Heading to her friend Ruth's family ranch, Sarah wasn't sure if she was running away from her past or running toward a new future. On the plane, Sarah felt as if she was heading in the right direction on putting her life back together. Upon arrival, Ruth's brother, Caleb, caused her confidence in her decision to falter when he was not pleased to see Sarah arrive at the ranch. Hearing Caleb's angry rant to Ruth, Sarah was ready to head home. Through a strange, but funny, twist of events, Sarah ended up cooking for the family and ranch hands as she sorted out whether she would stay or if she would rush back to Virginia. As Sarah explored the ranch with Ruth, Sarah discovered there were numerous hiding places along the river. Sarah wondered if she could find her a secret haven along the river. Is this where she was meant to be? Could there be life after . . .
An aging trapper in the North Woods of Maine needs help on his trapline. The rural community is apprehensive when he chooses a quiet stranger from Kentucky who has been to prison. The Old Man is convinced of Bob Baker's strong character despite his rumored past. The two men become fast companions. What brutal circumstances led to a quality man doing prison time? As the seasons change in the splendid North Woods of Maine, so too do the seasons of life pass for these personal characters. Bob Baker must use his common man, outdoor skills to navigate the currents of his past and the realities of the present moment. The importance of family bonds and human decency ring through. Join their adventures as they take on the elements, rogue beekeepers, behaviorally challenged kids, and life's hardships. Bob Baker is an unforgettable tale of second chances, family bonds, healthy eating, human compassion, and respect for nature. As the characters interact, there are moments of enjoyment, friendship, and sadness- ultimately positive and uplifting. Ordinary people doing the best they can with the circumstances at hand.
We want money, as much as possible. However, having a lot, we are still poor or rich, depending on how we earn and spend it. How do we earn money?Some people will do anything, even illegal or immoral for money. They will step on others if necessary. Earning lot this way, we are still "poor." We earn money by providing a useful service to others. In the process, truly rich people help all related people earn and eventually become rich. They deserve their wealth. How do we spend?We should not spend lavishly, showing off our wealth while people around us struggle to put foods on the table. Should we be proud of having a lot of money? No, no reason to be proud of. Such pride is a sign of "poverty." Truly rich people spend just enough to satisfy their needs, using extra wealth to help less fortunate people to have better lives. Earning a lot empowers us to do meaningful activities. Truly rich people are not proud of their wealth but happy to have abundant means to help others. They feel genuinely happy. Truly rich people know their lives have a divine purpose and are fulfilling it. Their wealth is the result of pursuing this purpose, rendering some profoundly useful service to the community. Then, whatever comes and goes around them, including wealth, does not matter. They feel genuinely satisfied. That is fulfillment. So, accumulation of a lot of wealth does not necessarily make one truly rich. Truly rich people earn abundance, feel deserving, happy, and fulfilled.However, poverty is still a world problem! In October 2020, about 689 million people or 9.20% of world population live in extreme poverty. They earn less than $1.90 a day, according to the World Bank. Many people around the world, in less developed and developed countries alike, are struggling daily to earn a decent living. This book offers a way to alleviate the world poverty and assist a person to become truly rich.How?Leveraging on the power of natural laws, we can get what we want. Everything happening around us and in the universe is controlled by natural laws. The earth, so heavy an object, leaning on nothing, has floated around the sun for billion years. The power of a natural law is behind it. With bare hands, Saint Gandhi Mahatma of India mobilized two hundred millions of Indians to defeat the fully armed British army to liberate his country because he leveraged on a natural power of mob psychology.Earning money is both difficult and easy. Not complying with related natural laws, our tasks become difficult and fail. Complying with them, our tasks become easy and succeed.Yet, natural laws unveil themselves daily around us in everything. If we greets people we meet with a cheerful attitude and loving kindness from our heart, people have the tendency to treat us with the same attitude. On the other hand, if we show a bad attitude towards others or treat them badly, they have the tendency to have bad attitude towards us or treat us badly. That is the working of the law of attraction. The power of natural laws is manifesting around us at all times. A blooming flower, a wind blows and shakes a tree's foliage, seasons repeat one after another every year, all manifest according to the power of natural laws, no exception. Just pay attention, we will perceive nature's power and apply it to render our daily activities easier and successful.The important law of "giving and receiving" reveals how to comfortably earn money. Basically, if we provide a useful service to others, we earn money. In addition, the better the service (i.e., more quantity and more quality) we provide, the higher we earn. Hence, beside learning to provide a useful service, we have to find ways to improve our ability to serve.
It's 1968, and a devasting double betrayal propels Brencie Jessup out of her hometown in Texas, desperately seeking a geographic cure for her broken heart. She leaves her job at NASA and accepts a position with the U.S. Air Force in Germany, only to discover she isn't that far from home. Ten years after the official end of the World War II allied occupation, a thriving American sub-culture still exists in Wiesbaden. Thirty-five thousand expats enjoy a post-war raj. Times are good, living is cheap, and the rules are soft.Bearing secrets, Brencie arrives in Wiesbaden, and her surroundings impress her, from the cultivated beauty of the town to the imposing Amelia Earhart Hotel, home to single American women such as Brencie. Most of all, she's impressed and delighted by her new friend, free-spirited Lulu Greenholt. Because of her bad luck in love, Brencie has sworn off love, but Lulu says whether Brencie wants it or not, love is likely to find her, in a community where single men out-number single women by three to one.Lulu and Brencie drink too much champagne over breakfast at Lulu's apartment, and she educates Brencie on all the ways the U.S. Department of Defense makes living in abroad comfortable. The champagne flows, and Lulu asks Brencie if she's on the pill. Shocked, Brencie says single women in Friendswood can't get the pill, and some doctors require married women to get their husband's permission. In Wiesbaden, says Lulu, the American hospital dispenses birth control pills, no questions asked. Brencie reveals some details of her past, namely that her ex-fiancé looks disturbingly like her father, Anson Jessup. Anson deserted Brencie and her stepmother, Agnes-Rose Jessup, when Brencie was ten years old. It's clear to Lulu that Brencie's stepmother is a prime player in Brencie's life and history, but Brencie avoids talking about her. Military life is all Lulu has ever known. Her father, a career military man, was stationed in Germany, where Lulu graduated high school. When her family was reassigned to Omaha, Lulu stayed behind and got a job with the U.S. Air Force.Despite Brencie's resolve to leave love behind, she meets Chase Dellasera, a charismatic fighter pilot, whose duties take him away shortly after they meet. On her first day at work, she meets Nolan Hanik, an ambitious Staff Sergeant who plans to re-enroll in law school when his hitch is up. He's focused, determined, a star on the base football team, and immediately taken with Brencie. Her life becomes more complicated, just as Lulu predicted, and more challenging.
Mentoring is the art of lending useful advice to those who seek a sense of direction. A particular mentoring passion of the author is offering professional counsel to those in uniform, as seen here speaking to Syracuse University ROTC Cadets. A mentor acts like a compass for their mentee in terms of helping them navigate through challenges in their decision-making process.
Older Now: Selected Poems 2010-2021 is on its surface a playful collection of poetry piecing together concepts of time, landscape and space to explore what makes us all human. In exploring how we are more connected than not, D. Carlson Lewis uses undercurrents of ethnicity, sexuality, age and education to remind the reader we all love, we all fear and we all desire to be part of something larger than ourselves. While love and relationships are thematic constants throughout the collection, the reader is challenged to reconcile the reality that romanticization of both concepts prevent us from fully understanding one another's unique but collective experiences. For those who seek accessible poetry that speaks to the human condition, this collection is must have for your library.
When newly hired Principal Clay Mitchell of Brandenburg Elementary, returns to his MIdwest roots, he is thrilled to be closer to his adopted parents and family, and is ready for the move to a smaller town. What he doesn't count on is meeting his heart's desire in the local pub his first night out. Olivia Sheffield is feisty, sexy, sassy and has the most kissable lips he's ever seen, paired with a truly curvaceous body that has his libido running on high. After walking her home, they share a passionate kiss. It's only at that moment, that he finds out she is one of his teachers.Olivia has recently started dating wealthy art gallery dealer, Derek Donaldson, who is well-traveled, smart, gorgeous, and building a strong reputation in his career. Thinking that her path lies with Derek, she is totally thrown off kilter after meeting this new man in town, Clay. A crazy pool game, and a kiss that curls her toes, leads to his quick disappearance off her front porch into the late August evening, prompting her to wonder what his last name is, and if she'll ever see him again.Well, of course, she does--at the first faculty meeting of the school year! Olivia is shocked to find the studly blonde, blue-eyed 6'2" hunk is her boss! Best friend, Sally Litchfield as well as school secretary, Kathy Tiffin, begin noticing sparks flying between the two whenever they're together...and both decide that maybe a little shove..oh hell...a big push... might get these two together. But Clay and Olivia are doing their darndest to avoid each other and to stay "professional". Clay's adopted father, Jeff Graves, is also his school superintendent. When Clay hints that there might be a liaison between two staff members, Graves warns Clay about any fraternizing between staff members, even going so far as to explain that if there is trouble in a staff and the superintendent hears of it from any parents, he would have to fire the teachers. So Clay is caught in a conundrum, not willing for either of them to lose their jobs. As the school year passes, Clay and Olivia, along with their friends and families, experience the highlights of living in a small town. The Fall Festival (where 2nd grader, Gus Kelley, gets misplaced), the Christmas Tree Lighting event where Olivia spills all to her best friend, Sally, a staff Christmas party, an unexpected appendix rupture, and all manner of interactions lead to "unprofessional" albeit tantalizing circumstances. The sudden and unexpected news of the engagement of Olivia to Derek leads Clay to finally realize that he doesn't want a fling with her--he wants a life with her. He enlists Sally, and his buddy, Dave Garrett, to find a way to convince Olivia that she belongs with him, not the ah-so-perfect Derek. Hatching a plan to get Olivia out of town is Clay's last resort to prove to her that he, in fact, is her "Teacher's Pet" and that life with him might be messy, but together they'll score an A+ under the sheets!
After years of litigating child custody disputes in family law, Ms. Lass began a passion project of writing a book for children. This book is written with the goal to help parents and children navigate the new world of divorce, co-parenting and split homes. Ms. Lass' hope is that families will read this, many times if needed, to alleviate the potential perils of child custody litigation in the court system. It is lighthearted, yet touches in the heavy stuff that comes with divorce, and empowers children to hear and understand their voices.
JOINT AUTHORS: Susan Arsht, Vicki Whiting, Sara D'Agostino, Maggie Fischer, Rachel Iverson, Elizabeth Johnson, Cole Polychronis, with Jim McGovernMenlo Innovations is a small boutique software development company in Ann Arbor, Michigan. But the successful and engaging firm, with its 50 or so employees (all known as Menlonians) "punches way above its weight." The company has been on the cover of Fortune. It's been listed on Forbes " America's Best Small Companies." Inc. has called it one of 25 small companies that will change the world.Its mission, grandly, is "to end human suffering in the world as it relates to technology." The guiding star for the company is to create a workplace that people love, where you get to experience pure joy in what you do, the people you do it with, in how you do it, and in the appreciation of deeply satisfied clients and end users.More than 20000 visitors have booked a tour of the Menlo "factory," inauspiciously housed in the basement of a parking garage in downtown Ann Arbor. They come to see the big open space room layout with no offices and no cubicles, where developers work in weekly rotating pairs (one computer, one screen, one mouse, one movable table, two chairs), close by other similar developer pairs working on the same client project. They come to see, and often join in, the Daily Stand Up, where all Menlonians get together each morning at 10 am sharp to give a very brief update on their projects, and any other notes of interest they might want to share. And they watch as the Menlo High Tech Anthropologists, who have been out in the field where the software and technology will actually be used, help clients weave the end users' perspective into the software design and development.A Friday Filled With Joy is a fascinating up close account of one particular day at Menlo Innovations. We track the interactions, challenges, and accomplishments of Rich Sheridan, the CEO, pairs of developers, quality advocates, project managers, High Tech Anthropologists, and other staff members. But we don't just report. We provide a deeper story of the extraordinary culture of Menlo Innovations, how it produces the "mundane magic" that leads to joy, and how you might go about bringing some of that joy into your workplace. What we learn is that joy isn't just for Menlo Innovations. It isn't just for software companies. We all have the capacity to learn lessons from Menlo that we can bring to our own organizations to create a more successful and fulfilling culture.
In this powerful but enchanting novel, a young disillusioned attorney visits his grandmother as an unexpected guest visits their home, and a dark secret is revealed with which the family must grapple and the young attorney faces a new reality of his past and who he really is and the country he had once served
At the age of 19, I stepped aboard a Greyhound bus in my hometown of New Orleans and headed for New York City. My childhood dreams of performing on Broadway had begun. Just like in the movies! When I published my professional website, I wrote an introduction on the home page. When I went back to read what I had just written, it suddenly occurred to me that I just wrote the first paragraph to my (someday-to-be) memoir. Before I take you on this journey of my life, I will share some things about my childhood that put me on that Greyhound bus to New York. When I decided to venture into this process of writing my memoir, I also made the decision that I would write about what influenced me and encouraged me to chase my dream, and how this dream of a career in show business grabbed me by the heart and wouldn''t let go. My motivation for writing this was to share my journey and offer some inspiration to others who may have their own dream, whether it''s to have a career in show business or a dream of becoming an astronaut.
SELECTED TALES: GLIMPSES INTO YORÙBÁ CULTURE VOLUME II''The Genesis of O̩lópè̩é̩rè̩'' tells the history of how the four lands and sixteen villages are combined under the rule of one o̩ba (king) and how Núgà, as the only surviving son of the late baálè̩ (chief) of Agbèlé and apparent o̩ba, chooses instead to lead the new band of warriors charged with protecting the new land. In the ''The Skirmish at Rògòdò'', an o̩ba''s obsession with a betrothed woman leads him to break tradition and sully his reign forever.''My Friend and Comrade'' is a story of revenge against a Balógun (commander) that shows that faith and friendship is stronger than malice. In the ''The Trump Card'', two childhood friends with very different ambitions fall in love with the same woman. In the end, true love, honesty and purity win over avarice, lust and vanity. ''What''s in a Name?'' explains the importance of names not only on the child itself but in culture and family.''A Mother''s Dilemma'' tells the story of triplets separated at birth who are caught in a foster father''s plot to wed one of the sisters. In ''The Power of Love'', the beautiful Salima succumbs to loneliness and gluttony. Only love can save her from her ever-expanding waistline. In ''Kúsa: A Tale of the Three Ks'', a retired customs officer moves in next door to the smuggler he has always failed to fully uncover.''Always Remember, Together We Stand'' tells the story of an ailing father and much younger wife and their unconventional request for the son to give the wife something the husband can no longer provide. In ''The Riddle of the Inheritance'', when a son continually runs from his home and father, it''s not until after his father''s death that he realises his destiny is there all along. The ''Sequel to Usì'' tells of the Yorùbá gods'' second coming to earth to introduce the leaders of the sixteen communities to the ways of Èdùmàrè (Creator of the Heavens and Earth).''Much More Than Footprints'' begins as the story of a lonely funeral but in the end proves that we all can have a mark on someone''s life. In ''Every Dark Cloud Has a Silver Lining'', a childhood fight leads to a lifelong friendship that teaches that everyone should be valued despite their station in life. ''Farouk'' is the story of a blind beggar who is neither blind nor a true beggar.''But for the Office Pushpins'' shows that ingenuity and perseverance are the keys to success. ''His Own Greatest Enemy'' not only recounts the devastation of traditional culture and tribal language by foreign oppressors but also highlights the importance of instilling honourable leadership within the new regime.
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