Cross Roads and Forks in the Road - BE THE BEACON

Defining moments, those moments when you feel accomplished or rewarded, "successful". Maybe because you achieved an award, recognition, won that championship game, received a standing ovation, an applause, a trophy, a badge or possibly a diploma. But are these tangible things the ONLY things that define success and or a person's ability to feel success? Is that all we strive for, to receive these THINGS of vanity? Is that what we allow to define us or our success?

What about the omnipresent everyday hero striving daily to make a difference and go unnoticed? The silent, quiet type working behind the scenes for everybody and everything, except an award. The dedicated and committed type that just shows up WITHOUT being asked, the dependable and STRONG person that EVERYBODY can count on, that is heavily relied on, that without hesitation will jump in at ANY given moment no matter what time it is and no matter what task is at hand.

I have noticed that many times in our society sometimes awards and achievements can become the end result and the ONLY goal we strive for, the outcome we desire and what we allow to define us! We get upset if we did not get picked for an award, if our child did not receive an honor, if our child is not the "all star" on the team and we push and we prod and we do not at these times value the journey, the actual moments, the reasons why we are doing what we do in the first place. The intrinsic value of pure and genuine self-satisfaction.

I've been so honored to have quite a few people in my life that are role models and leaders NOT because of what they have achieved or earned, NOT because they have awards and recognition piled high on a desk, plastered to a wall or stored in their attic. They are the ones that touch your heart, leave an everlasting IMPRINT or impression on you, made you feel honored to be around them even if they never said a word, the ones you respect and trust, the ones with a burning desire to do what is right when nobody else is watching. The ones that are loyal, and show up when nobody else does. The ones that have the title of doctor and answer to the title of janitor without correction or hesitation. The ones that are good stewards of their time and their resources, that are unyielding, not wasteful but resourceful. The ones that quietly walk in and out of a room and you know they were there because they left a mark. Sadly, these people are the ones that NEVER get recognized until they are gone. They leave however, a tribute and a legacy worth more than any dusty trophy, certificate, award, and even that doctorate diploma.

These are the people that have left fruits of their labor behind for everyone to see! Life changers, game changers, transformers. They are sadly missed when God calls them to heaven. They are the ordinary people that lived extraordinary lives.  The ones that purposefully went unnoticed in awards and yet HONORED GOD in every faucet. The servants that served unselfishly without expecting ANYTHING in return.

So today, on your birthday, I write this blog post, Dr. Ralph, Papa, dad, to honor you by saying THANK YOU for showing me this path. You took up that cross and you drug it! There is no randomness in life. God places people and circumstances in our life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. You were a once in a lifetime gift to MANY people, and for me a gentle reminder of my own grandpa.

I know by now you are wearing that crown of jewels, BIG and colorful - 40 YEARS WORTH! Your life itself is a treasure far beyond the awards and trophies that are a dime a dozen these days. You persevered and achieved more than ANY material possession, and at every single crossroads or fork in the road you never detoured!

You were humbly determined onward solely out of moral obligation and noble Godly character. Faithful and triumphant planting seeds in God's garden everywhere along the way, the stories at your funeral from all those strangers left behind were mesmerizing!!! SOW MANY SEEDS!!! You were A BEACON of light without an off switch!!! :)