MY WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT

Ice Man :: Nice Man

2009-03-22T07:23:00.001-07:00

The Ice Man, The Nice Man. That's the way longtime friend, Marc Cross, introduced the NBA Hall of Famer.

George Gervin is about as nice as they get. At his Celebrity Roast held last night in downtown San Antonio, one NBA legend after another stepped up to the mike and sang the same tune: "How can you roast a man who has been so good to all of us?"

From "Dr. J"Julius Irving, Clyde Drexler, Bill Russell and Sean Elliot to Darryl Dawkins, Rick Barry, Bob Lanier, John Lucas, and Earl "The Pearl" Monroe, they came to honor the coolest man ever to play the game.

What many fans around the world may not know about is the winning shots Mr. Gervin has made off the court that will last long beyond his scoring records. The George Gervin Youth Center was created to give every kid a chance to succeed. As George puts it, "I learned a long time ago, the every part of success starts with an education. I want these kids to have the chance I didn't have."

But, that's just the tip of the ICEberg.

George Gervin has impacted the lives of countless fellow human beings through his philanthropy and hard work and with a little help from his friends. A senior living facility, technology learning center, and daycare are all part of his vision and mission to help the world around him.

One of the most touching moments of the evening was a video greeting by George Gervin, Jr., who was unable to attend, telling his dad how much he loved him, what he meant to him, and signing off as "Ice Cube".

George Gervin stands for what is good in all of us. May his ministry serve to inspire you to give back with all your God-give talent and remind that one must be poor to enjoy the luxury of giving.

I am proud and blessed to have George Gervin as a friend and stand in line behind all who admire the one they call the Ice Man, The Nice Man.

Wizard of Words

2009-03-13T05:12:00.000-07:00

Paul Williams has a secret.

I had the pleasure of reconnecting with the famous songwriter recently at the ASCAP Latin Music Awards in San Juan, Puerto Rico. We first met in Los Angeles when he appeared on my KMPC Radio show.

His timeless words can have you singing for hours and it's there's no telling how many have associated a memory or emotion with his precious lyrics.

As I write, I look out on an unusually cold and wet morning in San Antonio and remember, "What I feel has come and gone before. No need to talk it out. We know what it's all about. Hangin' around, nothing to do buy frown. Rainy Days and Mondays always get me down."

Another of his classics, We've Only Just Begun, first recorded by the Carpenters, has become anthem for newlyweds around the world.

Just An Old Fashioned Love Song (Three Dog Night), Evergreen (written with and sung by Barbara Streisand), You and Me, Against The World (Helen Reddy), and one of my personal favorites, Waking Up Alone, are but a sampling of how his pen has touched listeners around the world.

As this little giant once said, "There are those who listen and those who wait to talk."

So, what is Paul's secret?

Is it that he proudly celebrates 18 years of sobriety after, "misplacing a decade," and now speaks of life, love, and creativity, having been recognized by UCLA as a Certified Drug Rehabilitation Counselor?

No, Mr. Williams' real secret can be found in the lyrics of what is surely his greatest work to date, Rainbow Connection, written for Kermit the Frog. You see, anyone who could give birth to the thought, "Who said that ev'ry wish would be heard and answered when we wished on the morning star? Somebody thought of that, and someone believed it. Look what it's done so far," will surely be forever young.

Paul Williams has not only discovered the Fountain of Youth, he's provided us with a musical map.

He continues to look at life through the twinkle in his eye, comforting those of us who still believe in magic, reminding, all the while, that if we never give up, someday we'll find it, the Rainbow Connection. The lovers, the dreamers and a wizard named Paul.

2009-02-22T07:44:00.000-08:00

I am convinced that God places two kinds of people in our path daily: Those who are angels and those who are angels-in-training. Our job is to determine the difference and act accordingly.

Though Your Heart Is Aching

2009-01-05T22:45:00.000-08:00

"Smile, though your heart is aching. Smile even though it's breaking."

I first heard those words, sung by Nat King Cole, while listening to the radio at a very young age. To this day, it is one of my mother’s favorite tunes and throughout the years, I have enjoyed sharing it, at just the right moment, with my own radio audience.

One day, I made it a point to research the story of such precious words and a haunting melody that for decades have given comfort to so many. What I found, while not surprising, was a revelation of a perfect explanation. You see, the man behind the inspiration for these timeless thoughts spent a lifetime bestowing his gift of laughter on the world.

He was Charlie Chaplin.

Although Chaplin wrote the music for the song while scoring his acclaimed film, “Modern Times”, in 1934, it wasn’t until 20 years later that songwriters Geoffrey Parsons and John Turner penned the touching poetry. The lyrics are indeed a tribute to Chaplin’s eternal optimism in the film and his joie de vivre in real life.

“If you smile through your fear and sorrow
Smile and maybe tomorrow
You’ll see the sun come shining through for you”

Natalie Cole has shared that her father, Nat, was given the song personally by Mr. Chaplin. The recording rose to become a top ten hit 1954 and officially became Chaplin’s signature theme around the world.

You might say that, Smile is an arm around your shoulder, a hand on your hand, and a reminder from someone who cares to,

“Light up your face with gladness
Hide every trace of sadness.
Although a tear may be ever so near.”

In the final scene of "Modern Times", Chaplin and his girlfriend, both on and off screen, Paulette Goddard are seen sitting by the side of the lonely road with nothing but the clothes they are wearing. She starts to cry and laments, "What's the use of trying?" He gets closer, holds her in his arms and says, "Buck up - never say die. We'll get along!"

Charlie Chaplin once said, "To truly laugh, you must be able to take your pain, and play with it!" He is a man who lived this lesson and reveled in the belief that “life is still worthwhile, if you’ll just smile.”

Watch the classic seen.

Are You An Enthusiast?

2008-06-29T08:35:00.000-07:00

Centuries ago, Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius said, "Vex not thy spirit at the course of things; they heed not thy vexation. How ludicrous and outlandish is the astonishment at anything that may happen in life."

Translation: "Fahgetaboutit!

While his realistic and calculated assessment of fate seems logical, it overlooks the secret of dreamers: enthusiasm. Those of us who "expect great" know how powerful the will of the heart can be. Possibility is what happens when spirit meets a dream.

Did you know that the word enthusiasm comes from the Greek word theos, meaning God and thus, entheos means “to have God within”? Ralph Waldo Emerson observed that, “Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.”

Keep in mind that what eventually happens is not as important as how we feel about what eventually happens.

I remember a story of two weekend golfers who both averaged in the 90’s. One of them teed off on a Saturday morning and couldn’t believe the round he was having as he “birdied” the first nine holes. That is, he was nine strokes under par with nine holes to go. If he could just par the last nine, he would set a new course record. As it turned out, he “bogied” the last nine (one over par on each) and ended up with an even par 72.

It was the best round of his life, yet he was furious about what happened.

Golfer number two teed up that afternoon and as he was accustomed to doing, bogied the first nine. He was a having an average round and enjoying his friends. Low and behold, he then birdied the last nine holes, also shooting a 72 and celebrated into the night. He too, had experienced the best round of his life.

Two golfers with the same outcome, but each with a different outlook.

So, today, this hour, this moment, let your outlook be one of gratitude as you fill the other half of your glass of life with enthusiasm.

William Shakespheare answers Marcus Aurelius with, "Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt."

I’m golfing with Bill.

The Sneeze

2008-06-28T08:42:00.000-07:00

One of the most positive people I ever met, Bill Conway, sent me a story recently that, though quite inspiring, could easily have been imagined. After doing a little research, I found that it did indeed happen on May 20, 2001 during the commencement excercises at Washington Community High School in Washington, Illinois.

With the help of the ACLU, the family of that years valedictorian brought suit to prevent the inclusion of the invocation and benediction traditionally given at the school's commencement ceremony. Three days before the event, the court ruled in favor of the family, barring the inclusion of prayers in the ceremony on the basis of their having been deemed "school sponsored."

What took place is truly heartwarming.

They walked in tandem, each of the ninety-two students filing into the already crowded auditorium. With their rich maroon gowns flowing . and the traditional caps, they looked almost ..... as grown up as they felt.

Dads swallowed hard behind broad smiles, and Moms freely brushed away tears. This class would NOT pray during the commencements----not by choice, but because of a recent court ruling prohibiting it.

The principal and several students were careful to stay within the guidelines allowed by the ruling. They gave inspirational and challenging speeches, but no one mentioned divine guidance and no one asked for blessings on the graduates or their families.

The speeches were nice, but they were routine.....until the final speech rece ived a standing ovation.

A solitary student walked proudly to the microphone. He stood still and silent for just a moment, and then it happened.

All 92 students, every single one of them, suddenly SNEEZED!!!!

The student on stage.. simply looked at the audience and said, “God Bless You, each and every one of you!” And he walked off stage...

The audience exploded into applause. This graduating class had found a unique way to invoke God's blessing on their future, with or without the court's approval.

Amen!

The Little Horse That Could

2008-05-18T16:41:00.000-07:00

Meet Molly. She's a gray speckled pony who was abandoned by her owners when Katrina hit southern Louisiana, USA . She spent weeks on her own before finally being rescued and taken to a farm where abandoned animals were stockpiled. While there, she was attacked by a pit bull terrier, and almost died. Her gnawed right front leg became infected and her vet went to LSU for help. But LSU was overwhelmed, and this pony was a welfare case.

But after surgeon Rustin Moore met Molly, he changed his mind. He saw how the pony was

careful to lie down on different sides so she didn't seem to get sores, and how she allowed people to handle her.

Moore agreed to remove her leg below the knee and a temporary artificial limb was built. Molly walked out of the clinic and her story really begins there.

'This was the right horse and the right owner,' Moore insists.
Molly happened to be a one-in-a-million patient. She's tough as nails, but sweet, and she was willing to cope with pain. The other important factor is having a truly committed owner who is

dedicated to providing the daily care required over the lifetime of the horse.

Molly's story turns into a parable for life in post-Katrina Louisiana . The little pony gained weight, her mane felt a comb. A human prosthesis designer built her a leg.

The prosthetic has given Molly a whole new life, Allison Barca DVM, Molly's regular vet, reports. And she asks for it! She will put her little limb out, and come to you and let you know that she wants you to put it on. Sometimes she wants you to take it off too.' And sometimes, Molly gets away from Barca.

'It can be pretty bad when you can't catch a three-legged horse', she laughs.

Most important of all, Molly has a job now. Kay, the rescue farm owner, started taking Molly to shelters, hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers. Anywhere she thought that people needed hope. She inspires all who meet her.

'It's obvious to me that Molly had a bigger role to play in life', Moore said, 'She survived the hurricane, she survived a horrible injury, and now she is giving hope to others.'

The Last Lecture: New Video

2008-05-16T04:40:00.000-07:00

Randy Pausch was diagnosed with cancer an given only months to live. The inspirational video of his "Last Lecture" to students at Carnegie-Mellon University has been viewed by millions around the world. Here is a new video he produced to inspire others and further share his powerful message of life.

An Elegant Adventure

2008-04-14T20:55:00.000-07:00

Rikki Robbins always wanted to be a princess. Little did she know that someone else shared the same wish for her.

Gramma Kiki, as she was affectionately called, was as elegant as a Hollywood legend; her Austrian accent as charming as it must have been when she arrived in New York as an 18·year-old immigrant in 1935. Her life had been filled with ups and downs. Now a widow living alone, she found comfort in a daughter and two grandchildren who loved her dearly and would visit her often.

When she was diagnosed with cancer and after several sessions of chemotherapy, it seemed like a lost cause.

But, Kiki had other plans. While the cancer may have destroyed her cells, it

had not killed her spirit.

One day, Kiki received a phone call from an admirer who sought to bring a little joy into her life of recurring pain. A dear friend of the family asked if she would be free to join him for lunch the following Wednesday.

"How could I say no?" she answered as coyly as a teenager.

"How should I dress?" she asked.

“Up." he replied. .

It was a date. All she knew beyond that was that he would be calling for her at 11:30.

A few days later, looking regal as always, she made her way downstairs. Two of her acquaintances were sitting in the lobby of her building and you can imagine the look on their faces when Gramma Kiki’s friend arrived. Kiki, herself couldn’t believe it.

Cinderella’s carriage could not have made more grand an entrance than the shiny white stretch limousine that pulled up in front.

Her escort stepped out and greeted her with a dozen red roses. He kissed her and told her how beautiful she looked. She smiled and blushed.

With the swiftness of a presidential motorcade, the "royal" couple was off.

"I’m taking you to the top of the world," he said as they arrived at the Tower Of The Americas.

At one point during their exquisite meal, Kiki turned to him and said, "Let me just look at your face. I don’t usually get to sit this close to you." How’s that for making a guy feel special?

Much too soon, their glimmering coach was back where it started. It had all been perfect. She couldn’t stop saying thank you. For him, the twinkle in her eyes and flutter in her voice was enough. He promised to make this a yearly event and for that, she promised to live.

For one sunny April afternoon, Gramma Kiki was a princess.

And I, was her prince.

From the upcoming audio book by Sonny Melendrez - The Sunshine Kid: Living With Enthusiasm. Order online at www.SonnyRadio.com.

The 11 Way Tie

2008-04-14T04:42:00.000-07:00

As the story goes, at a charity walk/run held a few years ago, a group of youngsters taught the crowd a lesson they will never forget.

The annual event raised thousands and gave children with Down syndrome an opportunity to have a race of their own. When the signal was given to start, a small group took off, running as fast as their legs would take them. That is, all but one little girl who tripped and fell. Hearing her cry, the others (one by one) stopped, turned around, and came back to help her.

Then these 11 precious souls did something that those in attendance will never forget.

They all locked arms with their little friend in the middle and together they walked to and across the finish line.

Perhaps our daily race can benefit from this story. Success can be even more exciting when everyone has a reason to celebrate.

The World As I See It

2008-04-14T04:34:00.000-07:00

I recently discovered an essay published in 1931 entitled The World As I See It. Before I tell you who wrote it, let me share an excerpt that addresses the search for and the meaning of true happiness:

"I have never looked upon ease and happiness as ends in themselves -- this critical basis I call the ideal of a pigsty. The ideals that have lighted my way, and time after time have given me new courage to face life cheerfully, have been Kindness, Beauty, and Truth. Without the sense of kinship with men of like mind, without the occupation with the objective world, the eternally unattainable in the field of art and scientific endeavors, life would have seemed empty to me. The trite objects of human efforts -- possessions, outward success, luxury -- have always seemed to me contemptible.”

Who is this man who lived a life filled with kindness, beauty, and truth? And, who goes on to say that the most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious: That is the zest and quest for knowledge.

These are the thoughts of one the greatest thinkers the world he loved has ever known: Albert Einstein.

A Circle of Prayer

2008-04-14T04:03:00.000-07:00

The other day, I witnessed a most touching sight. I'll begin by telling you that I am blessed to have my office overlook the oldest cathedral in the

U.S.

- San Fernando Cathedral located in the heart of San Antonio.

As I glanced out my window, I noticed what is becoming a familiar site in our city: A group of tourists on Segways - those two wheel vehicles that look like the person riding them could fall off at any moment. As the group rolled across the street, I saw that they were headed to the front of the Cathedral and wondered if they would stop. They did but were not able to go in and leave their expensive rentals outside unattended. That’s when I was touched to see what happened next.

Slowly, they circled these 21st century inventions and did what people have been doing at San Fernando for hundreds of years: They bowed their heads and prayed.

Keep in mind that lately, there have been dozens of workers with jackhammers and other noisy equipment working on the plaza in front of the Cathedral.

To see this circle of prayer amid all the construction and activity was heartwarming, to say the least. It served as a reminder that no matter what, and no matter where, we can always find a way to pray.