What REALLY matters...

Amid the financial turmoil and the news that the world’s markets are struggling, it’s time to focus on what really matters. To see what really matters, we need to evaluate what doesn’t matter.

The things that don’t matter are the things you can’t control. You can’t control what stocks do on Wall Street. You can’t control what happens with the weather, the price of gas, or the price of a lot of things you want to buy. You can control what you buy and more importantly, you can control your mindset.

First, appreciate what you do have. If you are healthy, count your blessings. If you have a job, be appreciative. If you are debt-free, count your blessings. If you have a loving relationship with a spouse, a child, a parent, or a friend, then be appreciative. Start your day with an attitude of gratitude and everything falls into perspective. What we do have is typically much more than we ever need. Start with an attitude of gratitude.

Secondly, live with a mindset of optimism. You can’t choose what happens to you, but you can choose how you react to those things. Stephen Covey in his book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, describes a monumental moment for him. He was reading about the difference between humans and animals. With animals, when they receive stimulus, they respond instinctively. With humans, we have the ability to CHOOSE. Between stimulus (what happens to us) and response (how we react)there is a gap of time. That gap of time is our ability to choose. We have response-ability, as Covey says. This is such an important distinction. You see, only YOU can make YOU miserable. Only YOU can make YOU happy. On a daily basis I choose happy. You too can choose happy. You don’t need a man or a woman or a child or a different boss or a different market or any of that to be happy. You can choose happy from the outset. When you choose happy, you start to see smiles everywhere you look. You attract more of what makes you happy, and the cycle continues. Unfortunately, the opposite is also true. Sheri and I refuse to watch the news to avoid the negativity. You should especially miss the 10 o’clock news. Watching negativity before you sleep has been found to cause health issues!

Here are some suggested activities on your path to a happier, healthier life:
1) Count your blessings in the morning. Start your day with an attitude of gratitude.

2) Take the first 30 minutes of your day to fill your mind with something positive. Bible reading, non-fiction reading, inspirational music, meditation, etc.

3) Start your healthy day on track with two large glasses of water before you eat. Your body dehydrates overnight and you can get your body back on track with two large glasses of water. Water has also been found to stimulate your brain cells.

4) Smile. The very act of smiling helps your immune system and lights up the room. It’s hard to have a negative demeanor with a smile on your face. Smile.

5) Look to the positive of every event that happens to you. I remember when I was sabotaged by a co-worker during the interview process for a job I really wanted. At the time, I was devastated. I had worked for a solid week on the application, resume, and even proposed an entirely different way to look at things in this profession. But not getting that job took me on the path to real estate and I am very grateful it did. Everything happens for a reason.

6) Talk to somebody about your day. Make that somebody a positive inspiration to you. Research shows that birds of a feather flock together. You can become more positive by hanging out with positive people. The very act of communicating your days’ events helps you realize the impact you are having on the world. You may be just one person in the world, but you can also be the world to one person.

7) Close your day with something positive.. Giving yourself some brain food (reading, inspirational music, meditation, etc.) before bed and you’ll wake up more refreshed!

To Your Success,

Bay-Bee's Papa (Michael)

Max makes out like a bandit...

Hi Bay-Bee!

Well Max, you made out like a bandit this weekend! Sheri (your momma) had her Baby Shower on Saturday. You now have enough clothes to get you to kindergarten! We are going to have to add on to your already walk-in closet.

A big thank you to Jolene Soetaert (your aunt) who coordinated and orchestrated the entire event. She also made a cake while Lisa Soetaert (another aunt of yours and Patrick's mother) made some cupcakes. The cake was a football and the cupcakes were baseballs. Too cool. By the way, you better like sports because there is definitely a theme with ALL of your decor, clothes, and bed. :)

Big thank yous to your great Aunt's Joyce, Annie, and Margie as they got you some terrific gifts. Joyce's KU bag with a one-of-a-kind monogrammed (MAX) KU Christmas stocking was a hit of the Shower. Big thank you to your cousin Michelle (who is on #3 in 3 years :) and Aunt Annie's daughter. Big thank you to Sheri's cousin's (Tony) wife Megan who brought Orissa (her daughter who looks like a princess) and AJ along with some great gifts. Big thank you to my sister Susan and my brother's wife, Lisa. Great gifts gals! Also, giant thank yous to Angie Clauder, Arlene Ladegaard, Denise Mills, Ilsa Steward and Debbie dear friends of the family! Special thank yous to the grandmas - Mary Ann Maher and RoseMarie Soetaert who spoiled the unborn like only grandmas can! And what a treat it was to have great-grandma Mary there. Through the health issues, she perservered and made it over to our house! If I forgot any one I'm sorry but Sheri and I (and Bay-Bee) are deeply grateful for your presents and your presence and even more grateful for our relationship with you. Max is so very lucky to have you in his life and Sheri and I feel the exact same way. Thank you.

Bay-Bee say Thank YOU!

To Your Success,

Bay-Bee's Papa (Michael)

The Mozzarella Stick and SLOW...

Hi Bay-Bee!

Is it possible to learn more from a 12-year old than you teach him?

Had another weekend with Patrick this week. He's such a good kid. Helpful, kind, and full of energy...

After football practice, we decided to go to Arby's. Arby's is one of the fast-food restaurants I've blessed for him and me. I order the Martha Vineyard Salad (great chicken salad) and he ordered his stand by - the Arby Roast Beef Sandwich and the Mozzarella Sticks with Marinara Sauce. We were in my car and I had just had it cleaned at Waterway. It was sparkling and it was a beautiful evening. I decided to drop the top on the car and park in the parking lot instead of taking him directly home. I figured we could chat a little. A funny thing happened though...

He protested. He said, "I'll wait until I get home to eat."

I said, "What? Why?"

"I don't know. I just don't want to eat in your car."

"Why? You can be careful can't you?"

"Well, I want to eat my mozzarella sticks first and I'm afraid I'll dip it in the sauce and drop it."

Me: "You're all right. Just be careful. Let's chat."

He replied hesitantly, "Okay."

We chatted for about five minutes about his practice, school, and his new baby sister, Rylee. He was making a point about playing with Rylee's feet to make her smile when a half of a mozzarella stick with marinara sauce comes out of his hand and in slow motion starts floating in the air at me. Halfway between Patrick and me, the mozzarella stick slowly, tantalizingly drops like a burning ember leaving an air stream of red. As Patrick and I both watch, the mushy burning cheesestick settles exactly between his seat and the console. We look at where the cheese stick disappeared, then we look at each other.

My first inclination was to say something. Loudly. Something like, "Why can't you be careful?!" or "We just talked about that!" or "Come on!" or even "Get out!" But instead I remembered something I just read in the Baby Whisperer. It's called SLOW.

Stop
Listen
Observe
What's UP (or what needs to be done or what is the reality of what happened).

So I stopped before I said something.

I listened. It was pretty quiet except for Patrick's quick breathing.

I observed. He was sorry and it showed. Plus, he had warned me. What could I say?

The reality is that it wasn't that big of a deal. It would clean. I stuck my hand down there to get it, but my hand was too big to fit. Patrick leaned back. I would never hit him but he knew I was upset. What's funny is that I wasn't really that upset. The SLOW system had checked my anger at the door.

I smiled and said, "Hey no problem. You warned me. Let's just be careful with the rest of the meal."

We ate for a while and chatted. What could have been a sour ending to a great evening was just a small interrupton.

He did wait to eat his Roast Beef sandwich until we got to his house though. :)

What's really funny is that when I got home that evening, I slid the seat forward and easily picked up the mozzarella stick. It didn't smear sauce or leave a mark at all. No big deal. I'm glad. I hadn't made it a big deal.

I recommend the next time we are in a situation not just with our children, but with our spouse, co-workers, parents, or clients that we implement the SLOW system. Stop before you say something spontaneous that you may regret. Listen to what is going on around you. Observe everybody in the room, the situation, and all that is going on in the scene. And finally decide what you are going to do next. Calm, cool, and collected you will most likely make the right decision saving everyone the embarassment, harsh feelings, or anger that may result from flippant remarks.

Patrick's a good kid who dropped a mozzarella stick. I'm glad I didn't drop the ball on a great night.

To Your Success,

Bay-Bee's Papa (Michael)

The Helix of LIFE...

Hi Bay-Bee!

We are wrapping up a record-setting month (September) and launching into another great month (October) as we prepare to just crush the fourth quarter. We owe it all to our great Ambassadors, people who are out there referring clients to us and speaking highly of us to others. We couldn't do it without them.

So my excuse is that I've been busy. :) But no excuses. There is no reason to miss a note to you for two weeks!

Luckily, in this case, no news is good news. You are still kicking and from all doctor appointments, healthy! Yeah! Keep up the good work in there.

We are over 10,000 hits and increasing weekly. You're popular Bay-Bee! :)

Today, let's talk about The Helix of LIFE. A Helix is a type of spiral. Everybody is made of DNA, the building blocks of life come in the shape of a double helix. To understand a helix, think of a Slinky (the toy). You start at one end and follow the Slinky and even though you are going in circles, you are still never going back to the tip, you are actually going to the other end. Look at the other end of the Slinky as Perfection and look at the starting point as Today. With all aspects of your life, you will start at Today. Today may mean a quality of poor, average, great, or even fantastic. Nevertheless, you are at Today.

The Helix of LIFE is how we step towards Success, Excellence, and Perfection in all that we do. Perfection is non-existent, but a vision to set our sights. LIFE is an acronym for Learning, Implementing, Failing, and Evaluating.

We first Learn what to do. Like walking for instance. You see others walking. You understand that you are supposed to be on two limbs and not four, like the dog. You get a coach (mom and/or dad) and the coach holds your hand. You Implement. You try to stand. You fall. You Fail. You rub your bottom and you Evaluate your results. Does the sore bum overcome the value of learning to walk? No. So you go through LIFE again.

Learn - last time it hurt your bottom to fall, don't want to take a step off-balance like that again.

Implement - take a step with Papa holding hands.

Fail - fall down again

Evaluate - Okay, this is definitely worth doing, but need to keep balance.

Finally, you walk.

The keys to The Helix of LIFE are four-fold:

1) First, you have to never stop learning. Ever. Less than 30% of adults read a book after college or high school. Most people get into a rut of getting up, going to work, doing the same duty over and over again, then going home, watching tv, eating dinner, going to bed. No learning takes place. A wise man once said that the Learners will inherit the earth while the learned are dealing with a world that no longer exists (paraphrasing and misquoting in words, but not meaning). Always continue to learn, to improve, and to strive for more.

Think of a spectrum, a line in front of you. Imagine a monkey on one end, to your left and a human on the other end, to your right. When you improve your brain and challenge your mind, you are becoming more human. Every day you rest on where you are, you take a step towards monkey. In your quest to become more human, keep challenging your brain.

2) Ideas are a dime a dozen, while implementation is priceless. Many read books, magazines, trade publications, and see others succeed, then never DO anything about it. That isn't necessarily "learning" per se, but it's a start. The next step is IMPLEMENTATION. DO something. Take ACTION. As Nike advertises, Just Do It! Put your fear, what-ifs, and excuses in a box over to the side called "So What" and make it happen.

3) Failing is part of LIFE. Failing is part of life. If you aren't failing, you aren't growing. When you attempt something, you'll never do it perfectly. Even if you just did it better than any human ever has on the planet, you will have room for improvement. Just realize and understand going in, that you aren't doing it to get it perfectly right from the beginning. You are doing it to improve. Failing is just part of the normal process.

4) Evaluate your results. Is spending time on this task worthwhile? Is it worth it to cold call businesses? Or is it a better use of time to do something else, like calling people you know to find out who they know that could use your services? Many people are becoming really good at things that aren't important. Take a step back to evaluate the task, your implementation, your improvement, and quite frankly, how this task aligns with your passions and life's goals. Is the reward for success worthy of your time and effort?

The Helix of LIFE will keep you in a state of continuous improvement. It mixes the humility of knowing that you aren't perfect with the confidence of being in control of your destiny. Eventually, your mistakes, your failures will be better than 99% of all your competitors' perfect days. And you'll be more human.

Learn, Implement, Fail, Evaluate (Repeat).

E (You, only better. :)

F

I

L

E

F

I

L

E

F

I

L (Today)

To Your Success,

Bay-Bee's Papa (Michael)

Two months and counting...

Hi Bay-Bee;

Every 12th is a special day. Ever since March, when the calendar strikes 12 it has more significance than ever. With a due date of November 12, you have certainly heightened my awareness of a lot of things - especially the days of the month. We're looking at two months. 61 days (counting 30 for Sept and 31 for Oct). Whoo boy. :)

On the 12th of November (or thereabouts), we'll have a whole new life. What was the name of the book - Brave New World? It will be a brave new world. Priorities are going to change dramatically. YOU will be the center of my world while reading, business, writing, softball, fantasy football, BNI, speaking, etc. take a back seat - at least for a while.

It's interesting because mentally I am already preparing for this. This summer our softball team went 20-0 and we are a competitive team. I'm a competitive person, but there was something about this season that made it different than all the others. I never got outrageously upset. We certainly didn't play significantly better than in years past and I actually batted below .800 so there were times and reasons to get angry. But I never did. I did pound my bat in the ground once. I struck out once (called). I fouled out once. I haven't done those in years. I would have been FURIOUS at striking out on a called strike or fouling out. I had more COBs (long story, but it stands for Case of Beer) this year than the last four years combined. COBs are not good. I still didn't blow up. I didn't get super angry. It is like subconsciously I am being mentally prepared to re-focus my energies for Bay-Bee.

Second case in point, fantasy football. This has consumed me in the past. You should see my Excel file Draft Strategy Sheet from the last three years. Analyzed, re-analyzed, and over-analyzed as I drafted in three or 4 different leagues. This year? One league. Preparation for draft? Four hours tops. Passion rating: 3 or 4 on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being psycho. I've hovered around 8 or 9 in the past contemplating a Fantasy Football Magazine with brother (and your uncle) Rob. I have a domain name: http://www.ffchampions.com/. I have the prerequisite e-mails to go with that domain name: Mike@FFChampions.com, Rob@FFChampions.com. If I do something, I do it 110%. It's my makeup and my natural instinct, plus my learning over the years. This year, fantasy football doesn't have the zing it did in years past. I'm being mentally prepared for the world weighing 6 to 10 ounces.

I'm ready Bay-Bee. Yet, I'm really not. I don't know what to expect. I don't know how to change a diaper or hold you properly. Mentally, I'm there. I've come to terms that time is going to be dedicated to helping you succeed in life. Competence-wise, I'm an infant. I'll do my best. I'm a quick learner and when I'm passionate about something, I choose mastery as my goal. I will master fatherhood, if that is possible. If I screw up, it won't be because I wasn't trying and it wasn't getting my attention. No father is perfect. No child is perfect. It's what happens during the mistakes that will make our relationship fruitful and rewarding. Love you bubba. :)

To Your Success,

Bay-Bee's Papa (Michael)

From Dumpster to Dominator, Dick "Night Train" Lane

Hi Bay-Bee,

Many have never heard of Dick "Night Train" Lane, but as the NFL season is upon us, I felt it was apropos to relate his story for Max. Born in Austin, Texas, Richard Lane was raised by Ella Lane. Ella had found Richard in a dumpster. Ella found Richard in a dumpster! He grew up in a loving environment and proceeded through school. After graduating high school and a year of community college, he enlisted in the Army. He spent four years there and even played on the Fort's football team. As a wide receiver, he had 18 TDs in one year against admittedly weak competition.

After the Army, he started working at an airline manufacturing factory. Every day, he would ride the bus to work. On the way to work, he would pass the training camp facility of the Los Angeles Rams (now the St. Louis Rams). He would do this daily. He would ride in his bus sometimes seeing the players working out and sometimes just gazing over the empty football field. He knew his passion was there. He knew he belonged there. He knew he had to get to work. So he showed up day after day at the airline plant, a dirty and monotonous place to work.

Then one day, Dick Lane decided to get off the bus. He showed up at the training facility for a tryout. I imagine the conversation went like this.

Dick Lane (you have to understand that he had a VERY DIFFICULT Texas/Louisiana accent): "I'm har ta play ball."

LA Ram official: "What?"

Dick Lane: "I'm har ta play ball."

LA Ram official: "You're here to play football?"

Dick Lane: "Yap."

LA Ram official: "You want to tryout? Okay, well, we're getting ready to get started. What position do you play?"

Dick Lane: "Racaver."

LA Ram official: "Receiver? Wide Receiver? Just so you know we have two of the best wide receivers in the league (future Hall-of-Famers Tom Fears and Elroy "Crazy Legs" Hirsch). Still want to get out there?" (This would have been a great opportunity for Dick to exit semi-gracefully).

Dick Lane: "Shore."

So Dick practiced that day with the LA Rams. He practiced at wide receiver for half the practice until Coach Joe Stydahar decided to try him at defensive back defending wide receivers. In practice, he had the opportunity to defend against Fears and Hirsch. He started out getting beat repeatedly, but he was living his passion. He was playing a game he loved. He felt fortunate that he was getting dirty and grimy at football instead of getting dirty and grimy at the airplane factory.

In his rookie season (1952) he set an NFL single season record for interceptions with 14, which stands to this day. And he did it in 12 games! Today's seasons are 16 games (and could be 19 with a Super Bowl team) and nobody has even come close to touching his record. ESPN just listed Lane's rookie season as one of the Top 10 Greatest Seasons of All Time.

From 1954 to 1963, Lane made the All-Pro team 6 times and was selected to 7 Pro Bowls. He recorded 3 interceptions in all but 4 of his 14 NFL seasons. He was particularly noted as a hard hitter, who liked to tackle by the head and neck (a technique outlawed today). This tackle was sometimes called a Night Train Necktie.

Lane was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1974. In 1969 he was named the best cornerback of the first fifty years of pro football. In 1999, he was ranked number 19 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players, making him the highest-ranked defensive back.

An incredible story. Dick "Night Train" Lane went from being found in a dumpster to being one of the most dominant defensive players in history. But I go back to one moment for the lesson:

What if he didn't get off that bus?

Don't you think he would have lived a life of regret? What kind of fears do you think he had when he got off that bus? He knew he would probably lose his job and income at the airplane plant. As an African-American, he wouldn't get a second shot at the factory. He was walking away from that income, that security, and that stability and walking up to a risk, a chance, a long-shot. Not only that, but as a black man, jobs were hard to come by and he'd probably be without income for 6 months. But he did it. He overcame his fears to step into the unknown. Would you have done that?

Let me ask you: Would you rather overcome your fears or live a life of regret? Where are you struggling with fears when you know that conquering your fear would give you a better life? What are you holding onto that is preventing you from getting what you are really wanting?

There is a story of the research team in Africa who was trying to catch spider monkeys. There was a rampant upswing in the numbers of spider monkeys and they were causing a tremendous amount of trouble for the area's animal population, tribes, and water supply. The research team tried an assortment of a traps without luck. They tried bait, nets, and pits to no avail. The spider monkeys were just too smart, too quick, or too strategic. Then, a young researcher had an idea. The spider monkeys loved macadamia nuts. He took Coke bottles and put a macadamia nut in the bottom of it. He then secured the Coke bottle to a tree. It worked.

The spider monkeys would smell the nut and get curious. They would reach into the bottle and grab the nut. When they balled their hand into a fist to hold onto the nut, they couldn't get their hand out of the bottle. Researchers would find spider monkeys who had died with their fist inside the bottles. And all they had to do was what? All they had to do was LET GO. All they had to do was let go of the nut and they would have survived.

What do you need to let go of to live the life you've always imagined?

To Your Success,

Bay-Bee's Papa (Michael)

A Return to Love by Marianne Williamson & Letting Your Light Shine...

A Return to Love

by Marianne Williamson

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world.

There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.

We are all meant to shine, as children do.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.

It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine,

we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our own fear,

our presence automatically liberates others.”

Bay-Bee says, "Let your light shine! Your playing small does not serve the world. Get out of judgement and into curiosity as I am. I see the world as a source of wonderment, this wonderful place of miracles. How do you see the world?"

Bay-Bee says, "I was born to manifest the glory of God that is within us. You were also born to manifest that glory. There is a miracle inside of you, a passion that is begging to burst out, YOU ARE THE BRILLIANT ONE! Let it shine! Let your light shine."

You might say, "But, but... but I don't want others to feel intimidated or bad or think that I am over-bearing or coming on too strong. It's easier to just be meek and mellow."

Bay-Bee says, "Let your light shine! As you are liberated from your own fear, you AUTOMATICALLY GIVE OTHERS THE RIGHT, THE PERMISSION, THE INSPIRATION to DO THE SAME! By liberating yourself, by being strong, by overcoming your fears, you are being an example, a role model for others to do the same! We can all be inspiring!

Which would you rather do: summon the strength to overcome your fears OR live a life full of regret?

Aren't you tired of playing small? It's time to sit up and be counted, stand up and be strong, and open up and be heard. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. Serve the World! Serve it. You see, your new worth is in direct proportion to the amount of value you deliver to the people of the world. The more you serve, the more you give, and the more you master the skills, talent, and knowledge necessary to serve, the more you will receive."

God is going to give Bay-Bee a brain, a heart, and a body. It's up to Bay-Bee to maximize what God gave him. That includes staying away from destructive drugs, foods, and drinks. That includes staying away from destructive people as well. My father always said that you are the average of the 5 people with whom you spend the most time. Are your friends raising your average or lowering your average? It comes down to weightlifting. :) You are either a weight or a lifter. Which are you? Which of those two are the four of your friends with whom you spend the most time? Do you need some new friends?"

Listen, I know the readers of this blog. You are special, very special people. You have a light that burns so bright in you that it could light New York for a week, but for some that light is shaded by doubt, hesitation, fear, or friends.

Today is the day to wipe away the shade and let your light shine. Let it shine bright and let others know that you are no longer going to live a life of fear. You are going to do the things you need to do to fuel your body, your heart, and your brain. You are going to pick up the phone or visit those who raise your average. You are going to read, study, visit with family, share your happiness, and you are going to remember, YOU ARE THE BRILLIANT ONE!

Stimulus --> (Gap of Time) --> Response

You are going to CHOOSE HAPPINESS on a daily basis. You see, life is a choice (thank GOD we aren't just reactive animals with NO CHOICE!). Between Stimulus (WHAT HAPPENS TO US) and Response (HOW WE CHOOSE TO ACT), there is a gap of time (whereas with animals, it is stimulus-react based on instinct). We HAVE THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE. We have the right to choose HAPPY or the right to CHOOSE miserable. It comes down to: only YOU can make YOU miserable! That's right. They can do whatever they want to do, but you can CHOOSE how you deal with that stimulus. I CHOOSE HAPPY! Say it with me, "I CHOOSE HAPPY!" Say it with me, "I CHOOSE HAPPY!" Don't you feel better already? I choose happy on a daily basis and I've found life chooses to smile back at me.

Inside each one of us, including Bay-Bee, there is a brilliant, bright, and powerful light just ready to blossom to light the air around us with a sparkle and magic. Perhaps you've lost a little of that sparkle. Well rejoice! Rejoice, because that sparkle can be re-kindled, no matter your age, gender, situation, or finances. Smile, laugh, be happy, because they can't take your mind, your knowledge, your talents, or your skills away from you. Nobody can take all of these blessings that are yours away - your sight, your hearing, your toes, your fingers, your mind, your smell, your health, your smile, your choice... Be thankful for the blessings, the many, many, many, many blessings you already have.

If you can read this, you are more privileged than 50% of the world's population. Think about how much power comes with the ability to read! Are you using that power?

Within you, each of us actually, there is a glow. It's been proven scientifically. That's where I truly began to believe in God was in my study of quantum physics. You see, you take the world around us and you look through a microscope and you see molecules. These are the small pieces of the world that make up the big pieces of the world. In between each of these molecules is space.

Take a stronger microscope and look at the molecules and you see that they are made of even smaller pieces called atoms. These atoms had a nucleus, a proton or more, and some electrons. The smallest pieces of these small pieces were the electrons.

When you look through an electron microscope (yes, this is a very, very high-powered instrument), you can see that the electrons are made of pieces called quarks. Look further and what you see is that these quarks are made of ENERGY! Energy, yes. Not pieces, but light (or pieces of light). We are all made of light. Call it God, call it energy, call it what you will, but when you look at us to the nth degree, we are a person full of "glow". In some people, this glow is brighter than in others. The brightness of that glow is determined by you.

Take it upon yourself to CHOOSE HAPPY this week. Let your GLOW be OUTWARD as well as INWARD and when one or two people try to shade your glow, tell them to smile and let their glow shine through. Tell them to read www.LittleMaher.com. Then they'll get it. They'll quit trying to squelch the glow of others and start letting their light GLOW! They'll start being the lifter and not the weight.

Let your light shine, Bay-Bee! I can't wait until you see the light and we get to see your light. Stay healthy little guy. We're waiting with open arms for you.

To Your Success,

Bay-Bee's Papa (Michael)

P.S. Who do you know who needs to read this? Please pass this on to them. Be the inspiration. Be the role model. Let your light shine. Choose Happy! :)