The week I spent in Minessota while I was travelling with Up With People had a lasting impact on me. I was staying with an old school teacher, who I admittedly didnt like very much, Im not sure why. Maybe she was too ordinary, or maybe I had this deep fear that I may end up like her. An old, lonely school teacher. She was a widow and lived by herself. Anyway, it was early September and on the first day of school, she took me with her so I could see how schools in America look like and function and so I could meet her students and her colleagues etc. What was really impressive was, that on the first day of school, a "MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER" came to animate the school staff. It sounds weird, but it was awesome! Its been 7 years, and I can still see him, standing in front of a quite large crowd of people, his voice filling the amphitheater room. He was African American, really really tall and slender and he had a jazzy voice, perfect for motivating people.
Although my memory of him is so vivid, its been too long to recall exactly what his words were. At the end of the speech, he gave us a wallet-sized card, with some of his best quotes, to carry with us all the time and read it when we are in need of a bit of inspiration. I loved that idea and carried the card with me everywhere, looking at it from time to time and smiling, remembering his tall figure leaning back and forth as he expressively tried to motivate a bunch of teachers to do their job right.
That card was stolen, with my wallet when I was in Japan.. I had a lot of important losses that day, but I still miss that card...
I do remember one phrase though, that I dont think I will ever forget.
"Dont let anyone steal your joy".
Dont let anyone steal your joy. Dont let them. Steal your joy. Your joy.
Thank you motivational speaker! Its a simple phrase, a wonderful metaphor, a good advice. I will not, let anyone, steal my joy. Its mine. Its my joy. And noone can steal it. Cause its mine and I want it.
Oh life...
ps: There was another good phrase. I think of that one from time to time. "If you can look up, you can get up". So when I wake up and cannot for the life of Jesus drag myself out of bed, I think of this phrase. And I tell myself "get up and live. And dont let anyone steal your joy".
Although my memory of him is so vivid, its been too long to recall exactly what his words were. At the end of the speech, he gave us a wallet-sized card, with some of his best quotes, to carry with us all the time and read it when we are in need of a bit of inspiration. I loved that idea and carried the card with me everywhere, looking at it from time to time and smiling, remembering his tall figure leaning back and forth as he expressively tried to motivate a bunch of teachers to do their job right.
That card was stolen, with my wallet when I was in Japan.. I had a lot of important losses that day, but I still miss that card...
I do remember one phrase though, that I dont think I will ever forget.
"Dont let anyone steal your joy".
Dont let anyone steal your joy. Dont let them. Steal your joy. Your joy.
Thank you motivational speaker! Its a simple phrase, a wonderful metaphor, a good advice. I will not, let anyone, steal my joy. Its mine. Its my joy. And noone can steal it. Cause its mine and I want it.
Oh life...
ps: There was another good phrase. I think of that one from time to time. "If you can look up, you can get up". So when I wake up and cannot for the life of Jesus drag myself out of bed, I think of this phrase. And I tell myself "get up and live. And dont let anyone steal your joy".
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