Hugged by an Ex-Con

Mugged Hugged by an Ex-Con!

I was hugged by an ex-con last Friday.  Not mugged … hugged.  And it was all good. 

You see, I have this friend named Frank who served eight years in San Quinten prison.  And he hugged me.

I’ve had occasion to loan Frank some money from time to time.  Every time – EVERY TIME he has paid me back.  He came to see me Friday and needed twenty bucks.  I loaned it willingly. 

WILLINGLY?  You gave an ex-con twenty bucks?

Yes, I did. 

Over the three years that I’ve known Frank, he has been reliable to repay me every time.  Friday, he looked horrible.  He had a three-day’s growth of beard, he looked beat down, off center somehow. 

As the story unfolded, his mother had a stroke a week ago and he is trying to cope with that and manage his own life as well.

He asked for twenty bucks, and said, “I have it worked out that over the next few months I’ll be able to pay you back $xx each month and pay off another loan I owe.”

And I believe him, for he has proven reliable. 

And he is my friend.

I am friends with an ex-con.  How about that?

I told Frank about my work change and that I’d no longer be at that particular location.  He asked a few questions to make sure this was a good thing for me – are you alright?  Etc.

I assured him it was a great thing, and something that I sought out.

And then he hugged me. 

In that hug, I heard …

“Thank you”

“You’ll never know what your friendship means to me”

“You care and you believe in me”

“I trust you and respect you”

Here I was near downtown Seattle, standing on a sidewalk at 4 PM on a Friday, and I’m being hugged by an ex-con. 

Not mugged by an ex-con.

Hugged!!!

And it was good!

The loans?  The amount of money he owes me?

Not worth mentioning. 

The friendship and hope that I think I have given to a friend of mine?

Inestimable!

This is my morning reflection!

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I Belong to Me

I belong to me.  I own my own thoughts, the

direction in which my life is going, the foods I eat, the books I read and the music I enjoy. 

I also belong to Carolyn.  In the marriage sense this is true – and I belong to me first because I want to present an authentic ME to Carolyn so that she gets to know the ME inside this skin. 

If I know myself well, and that is a constant journey, then I can better present to Carolyn a good, yea great, version of me. 

This is not a put-on pursuit.  I am with me 24/7/365.  I decided a long time ago that I was going to get to know me, P Michael Biggs, with all my flaws, positive attributes, mindset, skill set, and proclivities.  I am the owner of ME, and my pursuit is one of coming home to myself. 

My goodness … what a ponderous thought. 

For those who have known me in the past, fear not that I am abandoning my faith, my God or my senses.  Or course I believe much of the fundamental teaching of my childhood and early adulthood, however, the psychic ME needs dealing with and this is my journey. 

I once was …

~A music director.  That was then.  I can still lead, sing, direct, plan and execute in that arena, yet the desire to be top dog has left me.  I can sit and watch someone else lead and put my critic on the shelf and just be in that place and space.  I am mostly a silent listener.  I don’t stand and raise my hands when singing.  I don’t sing loudly, I don’t usually clap along.  I am just there gleaning whatever moments in that time and space I can glean without any need to be the leader.  

Actually, much of the time I’m listening for a seed of an idea that I can turn into material for my blog sites.  I have become a sponge, and I like that.

I once was …

~A drummer.  I am still a drummer, and now know I’ll never be Buddy Rich or Gene Krupa.  I can sit and marvel at the skills of an incredibly talented drummer today and leave it all there.  I can appreciate and enjoy his/her skill and not have one ounce of ego on my “used to be” skill.

I’ve done a lot of other stuff in my life, and some of it has been pretty good.  Today, I’m narrowing my focus on a few essential interests.  Those are … (a) being a great husband to CB, (b) being the best writer I can be so I can continue to feed my growing audience, (c) living life according to the principles and guideposts that are illuminating my pathway on my spiritual journey.

I’m coming home to “self”. 

I’m learning to be happy in my own skin. 

I like my likes and tastes in a hundred things. 

I am learning to belong to me.

This is my morning reflection!

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Finding My 'Good'

I’m making a change at work.  I’m moving to a new division.  The work suits me better.  It is in line more with my skill set.  And I am taking a cut in pay.  And this is all good. 

Instead of wearing the hat “Banker”, I will now wear the hat “teller.”  The small and capital letters are significant.  You see, I am esteemed as a Banker.  I have several clients who refer to me as “My Banker.”  I love that.  However, I must move on to what I’m really ‘good’ at.  (English majors – I know that sentence is wrong, but it makes my point.)

What are you ‘good’ at?

Do you know and do you care? 

In an upwardly mobile society, I’m going against the grain, and I’m still happy with myself.   

I’ve worn many hats in my life of careers.  Some have been stellar opportunities.  Some have been mundane and laborious.  Today, I’m all about finding something at which I am good.

When I operate in my sweet spot, life is amazing.  Anymore, that is where I want to live.  I have no need to be the top dog.

I do desire to be happy, to enjoy what I do, and find those opportunities when Carolyn and I just revel in those special moments of our lives.

Actually, do you wanna know the best part of my day?  The part when I am really ‘good’?

It is now, early morning, when I write.  It’s just me, an occasional automobile that passes my window, and the amazing quietness of the morning. 

This is my sweet spot.  I hope you find your ‘good’.

This is my morning reflection!

Morning Notes Blog Site

Words of Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time