Cell Phones…

I had a cell phone once. I eventually got rid of it. Now I know that there are those of you who have a cell phone for good reasons. So did I. I was the owner of a painting/finishing company. I needed to be in touch with my general contractors and suppliers and customers. What a great invention! A phone that went with you every where you went. No matter what I was doing anyone could reach me at anytime. Think how fantastic that it is!
With that in mind, one day I went to work by myself. I was hoisted 60 feet in the air in a lift bucket. My phone was down on the ground so as not to get paint all over it. It was bid day. That means I had submitted bids on contracts and I was waiting to hear from contractors to see if I was awarded any of the bids that could be worth up to $16,000.00 for my business.
So, there I was, 60 feet in the air, painting the side of a building, when I heard that digital tone which informed me that I had a phone call. I put down my painting equipment. I maneuvered the hydraulics as quickly as I could to reach the ground. I jumped out of the bucket and ran over to the phone. As soon as I picked it up, it quit ringing. I checked the answering service, no message. I took the phone with me and got a drink of water. Surely, whoever it was would call back. I took the time to go to the bathroom, and get another drink.... no call back. I must have killed a good 15 minutes. Who was it that called and what did they want?
I set the phone closer. I climbed back in the bucket, hoisted myself 60 feet back into the air and began to work. Within 20 minutes, the digital tone went off again. Again, I diligently placed my painting equipment so it wouldn’t dry out or fall. Again, I maneuvered the bucket (as quickly as I could) to the ground. I jumped out of the bucket and dashed to the phone. This time it quit ringing before I picked it up…no message either. I looked around. Was somebody playing a game with me? If they were, it wasn’t funny!
This time, I found an old rag, wrapped up the cell phone and took it with me 60 feet into the air. I had no more than started painting when the phone rang. I snatched it out of the cloth and answered with a frustrated, almost mean "hello!"
It was my wife calling me to ask if I had heard from any of the bids I submitted. That was the last call that I received that day.

That was a frustrating day that I have never forgotten.


P.S. – I lost a $12,000.00 bid because I didn’t get to the phone.

In My Humble Opinion….

I’m opinionated. There, I admitted it. I’ve taken my first step to recovery. It shouldn’t come as a big surprise that I am opinionated. I mean what else would make a graying, middle-aged man publish on the Internet? I’m certainly not making any money at this. I would suppose that I am exhibiting a certain amount of arrogance. (Ha! another step to recovery). Arrogance is what makes me think that my opinion is important enough to publish. My opinion is important enough for you to read.
So I write to the masses to get my opinion heard. Can you hear me?

[Silence]

Hopes are dashed. Hearts are crushed. Dreams are shattered. I’ve been at this a little while now. I would have hoped to have an audience larger than my perish. I believe that I will be successful at whatever I put my hands to. I am a good writer. My blogs are thought provoking. I am accomplishing what I have set out to do. So I write to be heard. Can you hear me?

[Silence]

Hopes are dashed. Hearts are crushed. Dreams are shattered. I narrow my audience focus. I advertise to my colleges. I seek their approval and even there help in getting out the word about my blog. More great things hit my mind. I write more frantically. I interview people I know who write and are published. I practice what they tell me. I continue to write to be heard.

[Still silence]

Hopes are dashed. Hearts are crushed. Dreams are shattered. I pick up the pieces one more time. I am told to continue to "hone my craft". I am not sure how to shape my opinion. My opinion is who I am. It is the essence of me. My life, my loves my character, my past and the way I think make up my opinion. I believe I have a good perspective on things (arrogance). I want to get it out there. I want to be a success! I even attend writer’s workshops to improve my writing skills! I write so I can be heard.

[More silence]

Lord…I do this so I can get out what is inside. I want to reach many so that I can be a success for you. I have tried to improve. I have worked hard. I have written what you have put inside of me. I have failed. I dreamed of having hundreds of thousands of people reading what comes from my heart. Then I got realistic and aimed for thousands of people in my audience of readers. For a while I even hoped for a few hundred, but I have failed. It appears that only a few are interested. I am not generating any success, which I am told is a product of quality and blessing. I just wanted to do something great for you. When people of the world enquire about my doings, they laugh at the scale of it. I go to my denominational functions and answer my supervisors’ queries that ask about "how many". I am embarrassed at my answers. I can’t seem to generate an audience.

[Still silence]

Lord…since this is what I feel you want, I will keep on trying.

[A still small voice says]
Now, that’s success! Well done!