Grain of Sand

Imagine for a moment, that movie theaters had no marquis. That's right, no names in the bright lights, no posters on the front doors. You enter the theater, sit down, and must watch whatever appears on the giant screen!

Now imagine, that you are the main character in each movie! "What? How did I get in this flick?" you would always ask yourself! "I must be dreaming!" The truth is, you would be dreaming!

We close our eyes each night and are escorted into a theater where we have no idea what scenes are about to take place. Most likely, we are the main character, speaking lines and playing a part that we have not rehearsed.

The other night I closed my eyes and was eascorted to my seat in this theater. The scene opened, and standing before me was my first love, wearing a wedding dress and white flowers in her hair. She had aged the many years that lie between us, but had that youthful look in her eyes. A voice spoke loud, "You may now kiss the bride". In the same instant a narrative explained that we met later on in life and were now being wed!"At Last" I breathed,as we both slowly leaned towards each other. Our lips met,and I could feel the warmth and tenderness of this special kiss. As our lips parted, I took her hand and placed it on my heart heart. I smiled and said, "look how fast my heart beats from your kiss". There was a twinkle in her eyes, and a smile on her face as she said "you remembered".

In the next instant I was jumping out bed, beads of sweat running down my neck and my heart racing as if I swallowed a bottle of rocket fuel! In my altered state I went straight to the bathroom and turned the shower to full blast. "What was that?" I mutered to myself as the water pounded down on my head. "What was that?" ....Puzzled like a person who lands in foreign country and can't speak a word of their language.

I replayed the dream over and over, very careful not to edit or embellish, as if it was going to be evidence that would be submitted in court. I was locked in this altered state, unable to sort out the meaning. Her last words "you remembered" haunted me. What was it that I remembered? What was it that she thought I had forgotten? What could have created this whole scenario? Slowly, the truth began to emerge, not all at once, but slowly, like the sun rising over the horizon.

When we close our eyes and enter the arena of sleep, we let go of reality. Once reality is tucked away, a cinema that we are not aware of begins playing. The doors to our heart open and many emotions come pouring out seeking a direction.. If we are lucky, the heart will take them to place in time when great changes occured in our lives. If we are really lucky, they return to the point where the toe of innocense made its fist step into the sea of love.

My rapidly beating heart occured at our first kiss.We always ask ourself when engaging in that first kiss,"what does he/she think?" There was no denying thet her kiss could make my heart pound and I was happy to show her. She always responded, "yeah, but will you say that tomorrow?"

What I had forgotten in reality, I remembered in a dream!

Only in a dream can one be returned to place where all the broken promises are put back together to form an unbreakable vow.

So, as you wander through your days and close your eyes at night, just know, that someone, somwhere has placed you in their cinema, reassembled all the broken promises and remembers what reality has taken away. May you rise in the morning knowing,there exists a place where there are unbreakable vows.

Marc

The newspapers are loaded with the back to school advertisements. As the school bells ring they signal not only the start of a new school year, but they signal the end of summer.

The first day of school was always exciting. It was a time to take the new sneakers out of the box, to sport a new outfit and the new lunch box! The first day was all about introductions. The teacher introducing herself, her expectations and her groundwork which had to be followed. It was a time to introduce yourself to your new classmates. In each new grade, the same exercise was imposed upon us by the teacher. "I want you to stand up, introduce yourself and tell the class briefly what you did this summer"

There was one year, many years ago, that I couldn't wait to stand up and boast to my friends about my summer! I took a deep breath, "My name is Marc and this summer I visited my family in Los Angeles. I went to 5 Dodger games, saw Sandy Koufax pitch a no-hitter, went to Disneyland and Knotts Berry Farm. Spent a lot of time at Santa Monica beach,learned how to body surf on big waves. I went to Carmel California where I visited the Hearst Castle. Went to a drive in movie theater a few times. Visited the production lot of Twentieth Century Fox and saw them film the TV shows "WagonTrain" & "The Lucille Ball Show". Had lunch in the commisary and Rock Hudson was sitting at the table next to mine! Flew in a big jet, and that was my summer!

I remember getting my share of attention from the girls at the mention of Rock Hudsons name. It was resonated like Pavlovs theory. I employed it often.

One thought provocation often leads to another, my mind has intervened and asked me point blank.."O.K. Marc, please stand up and tell the class what you have done in the summer of 2008"

(kness cracking as I slowing rise).... I purchased a Blackberry, Also purchased a compact car that gets over 30 miles to to the gallon. Had my first MRI, a hearing exam which revealed a hearing loss,. Got new glasses, stronger prescription, switched to decaffinated coffee. Between the blistering heat and smoke from summer fires and the soaring gas prices, spent quality time indoors. Painting doors, rearranging the pantry and closets.Dropped the Blackberry in the toilet. Went to a ballgame,caught the same fish twice in the same day! (I guess even fish can get bored). Scheduled a colonoscopy.

WHAT???? "I can't believe this" I murmed to myself. "I want to be 12 again!!".

There are pills, longevity diet plans, elixers, etc that all promise the "Fountain Of Youth". Nothing can turn back the hands of time....no nothing. The worst part about growing older is when you feel older.While there isn't a cure for aging,there is something that keeps the spirit vital and vibrant. The walk down the road of time should always be with chin up and the world in view.

This is best achieved with a simple dance, so if any of you ladies care to join in, my good friend Frank will serenade us while we slowly dance....

by the way,,,did I ever tell you that I once sat next to Rock Hudson?

...on 3 Frank..."1,2,3"

Fairy tales can come true, it can happen to you
If you're young at heart
For its hard, you will find, to be narrow of mind
If youre young at heart

You can go to extremes with impossible schemes
You can laugh when your dreams fall apart at the seams
And life gets more exciting with each passing day
And love is either in your heart or on its way

Dont you know that its worth every treasure on earth
To be young at heart
For as rich as you are, its much better by far
To be young at heart

And if you should survive to 105
Look at all youll derive out of being alive
Then here is the best part
You have a head start
If you are among the very young at heart.

May your summer days be filled with dreams that will bring you warmth for years to come!...and may you stay, Young at heart!!!

~~~Marc

From the moment of birth we take countless steps. The paths go off in many different directions and will intersect with other paths, but the last step we take brings us all to the same place, our death..

Imagine for a moment that you were living in 1776, and that you walked through a door and found yourself here in 2008! Highways, cities, cars, planes, cell phones, computers,supermarkets, toilets!! You would be overwhelmed by how far we advanced, but not knowing how we came to the way we currently live, much of this could not be fully appreciated.

We must take the steps, as ordinary as that might be.Some directions we choose, and some are chosen for us. Each is with a reason, whether we are meant to understand it or not. The language of Nature has been open to interpretation since man took his first steps.

Now too retrace some of mine.....

Fifteen years ago to this day, I was dressed in a coaches uniform and was surrounded by my team of 13 year olds, waiting for me to deliver a pregame pep talk. "Guys! Look at me". I commanded. I could see their eyes were focused on the opposing pitcher warming up on the mound. I could hear the boys whisper,"look how fast he is throwing the ball". "Yeah," chimed another, "that's Maudy Hernandez, he hasn't lost a game yet!"..."YET!!" exclaimed Bill Riggans,also a Coach of the team. "Even Nolan Ryan loses games...the best pitchers in baseball always lose games, and today is Maudys turn!"

Bills delivery of inspiration was strong and blunt.He insisted that the boys could beat anyone they wanted to with blindfolds on. I was the methodical one, always giving them a plan of attack. I'm certain if we were alive 5,000 years ago, he would have been the one telling David to kick Goliaths butt. I would have been the one to suggest that he aim between the eyes.

Yes, Maudy Hernandez was one of the best players in our park (along with Jeff Keppinger who now plays for the Reds). Opposing coaches were always in unison in admiring their talents and seeing their potential.

The years rolled by,Bill and I coached a few more years together and shared many great times together. All along, his hopes were for his son to play as long as possible. However, his son Shawn, was never given the opportunity to play in any of his High School games. Against all odds, he walked on at College, and against bigger odds, was drafted by Tampa Bay!

Bill and I stayed in touch over the years and we kept tabs on the boys that played with us and against us. We had lost touch with Maudy Hernandez until last August, when his face appeared on news. Maudy, a detective was shot in the head while stopping a man who was driving erratically. We were devastaed. We knew him not only as a fine athlete, but as a wonderful, very mature young man,who was humble in his victory. No one minded losing to him. His parents and younger brother were fixtures at the park as they watched every game and attended each of his practices.

Maudy was clinging to life, his prognosis was dark.

A few months passed and Maudy was in the news again, against all odds he survived and was being sent home. It was time to take the long road towards redeveloping his life.

Last year, Shawn suffered a season ending injury and could not play for the Rays.This year, against the odds, he recovered, made the team and is thrilled to be playing for a first place team (this too is against the odds, Tampa has never had a winning season!)

A few days ago the Rays came to town, Shawn called to let me know there would be tickets waiting for me at the Marlin Stadium. As I walked through the stadium, chills ran up and down my spine, recalling the pint sized boy with huge dreams, and how his father insisted he could outmatch each and every Goliath that stood in his path.

Bill was seated, I approached and said "your heart has to busting through your shirt!" He smiled, "I can't believe I am here!" "Well", I continued, "you can strike this off your bucket list". "Bucket List? What's that?" I asked if he had seen the movie "The Bucket List" and then began giving him a summary and equated us to the two main characters."Oh yeah, well then I might as well cross off seeing Shawn play at the Marlin stadium, but heck, I still have one long list of things before I kick any bucket!"

Just then our conversation was interrupted by the voice over the loudspeaker system. "Ladies and gentlemen, please draw your attention to the mound,throwing out tonights first pitch of the game is Maudy Hernandez". Bill and I gasped, tears filled our eyes, suddenly being at the stadium that night had nothing to do about Shawn. Maudy dressed in a Marlin shirt raised his arm and fired a strike to the catcher! The stadium rose and gave a standing ovation. Flanked by his parents, Maudy slowly walked off the field . As he was passing the Rays dugout, Shawn Riggans stepped out. Maudy stopped and with a look that his mind was playing tricks he said "Shawn is that you?" Shawn nodded, the two boys embraced, Maudy exclaiming "I can't believe you made it!" and Shawn echoing "I am so happy you made it through!". Shawn, Maudy and his parents chatted for a minute, then exited the field. Just as I was wiping away some straggling tears, the voice came over the loudspeaker once again, "Ladies and Gentlemen, please draw your attention to first base where tonights honorary Marlin is Hollywood actor and film Director, Rob Reiner!" (He directed "The Bucket List"). I looked up into the night sky and smiled "got it".

Within moments of that event, a stadium representative appeared in front of us and explained that Maudy and his family would like for us to come up to his box and say hello. Despite the years that had passed, the memories of all were sharp as we recanted the good old days at he park.

If you put meaning in your steps, they are never washed away by the sea of time.

Bill and I returned to our seats and spent the remainder of the game "coaching from the sidelines". "Come on Carl" Bill screamed "This is your pitch-take it deep". I questioned why Carl why was batting 3rd in the lineup as a matter of fact, I questioned the batting order. Bill said,"Well the Coach is only two rows in front of us, why don't we just walk in the dugout and ask!" ....and as the ump called "ball four" giving the opposing batter a walk I yelled out, "ball four?..It was right there!" Bill questioned my judgement saying I was too far from the plate and didn't have an angle. "I don't need an angle...I know if I was in the batters box , I would have swung at that pitch!" The dialogue continued and it felt like we were transported back in time. Retracing years of steps in the course of one night!

The game ended and as we exited, I could not help but muse on how and why I was there that night. How all the steps that I and others have taken would lead us to this moment...a higher moment. A moment where seeing the extraordinary within the ordinary occurs.

Once again I realized the importance of each step we take. "Fast Forward" doesn't work.It would be like falling asleep on Space Shuutle before it takes off and waking up when its landing in Houston!

There is meaning and purpose in everything and every step you take. Should our paths cross we will see each other at level not imagined.

Its a new day...time for another step. May you step with Peace~ Marc

While checking out the winning lottery numbers in todays paper, uttering that same chant, "please, please, luck find me", an article next to the numbers grabbed my attention.

"Tainted Jars of Peanut Butter being recalled" The article explains that 300 people have been stricken with salmonella poisoning from tainted jars of Peanut Butter. Jars beginning with the number 2111......

I made a dash for the pantry cabinet, picked up a recently purchased jar and read the numbers 2111.....Wow, I've got one! A jar of peanut butter loaded with salmonella!!

At that moment my wife entered the kitchen....."we win the lotto or do I have to go to work today?" she asked with her sacastic chime. "While we didn't win the lottery, we do have a tainted jar Peanut Butter" I proudly replied. "Well, that figures" she continued with the sarcastic chime...."you can't pick the winning lottery numbers but you can pick the jar with tainted peanut butter...whoopie!"

"Well, look at it this way....we could of had made that Thai salad with Spicey peanut Dressing last night and today...we both would not have been going to work!"

Luck....we all get it, not just in the way we want it!

Marc