by Al Van Dyk | Apr 21, 2019 | Pivot Points
“No capes!”
~Edna
Edna was a shadowy figure from Bob’s past who knew his secrets. In fact, she was instrumental in his rise to fame. If she could fix a few loose seams in his favorite suit, in his persona, Bob thought he could return to the limelight and the accolades of an adoring public
Bob was all about grabbing headlines. He had an image to protect and wasn’t about to let his wardrobe get in the way. Fresh off an extreme makeover, he had taken his transformation as far as he could. He called on Edna. However, her plan was much different from Bob’s. Why settle to relive the past, no matter how illustrious, when the future offers so much more? It was she that planted the seed that it was time for a new suit.
Bob desperately wanted to return to his days of glory, to a life where he was the center of the universe, and in his orbit, everything revolved around his needs and desires. The thought of a new suit was enticing. Could he capture even more headlines than he once did? Would his adoring public return? Bob still wanted it all, the car, the lifestyle and the fame. Bob’s need to satisfy his ego, prompted him to ask for the one thing that to Edna was unthinkable, a cape.
He didn’t learn much during his hiatus and equated his time on the sidelines as one would perceive eternity in staff meetings. It was humiliating but not humbling, a punishment and not a pruning. Bob was an achiever that could only see value in his life when the achievements were to be measured using the yardstick from a time that can never or will never return. Bob’s vision for his future was tainted by his ego. Instead of looking forward to the possibilities of the unforeseen, or even the unfathomable, a world that didn’t revolve around him, he resorted to his old ways.
Edna was a realist who saw a cape for what it was, a facade and an unnecessary trapping for the shallow and weak, but knew all too well that a cape had a way to pull even a superhero in directions that he never intended. She wasn’t willing to take the risk. Edna refused to budge, giving Bob several examples of where a cape proved to be the downfall of Bob’s peers.
Bob’s attempt to rationalize his position, Trash-Talking his comrades and blaming them, their intellect and capabilities for their demise, fell on deaf ears and was fruitless. Finally, he resorted to a defense that epitomized his ego, ”What could go wrong, I’m a superhero!” Reluctantly, he concedes. There will be no cape in his future.
In the end, it is a cape that destroys Bob’s adversary, not Bob’s superpowers. Bob is merely a participant, an active bystander who happens to be at the right place at the right time and right a wrong brought about by his arrogance and detachment.
“I knew Bob, He was a friend of mine. Trust me, you are no Bob.
Is there a Bob in your life, someone suspended between conflicting realities — unsure which reality offers hope or hardship; demands dedication or allows for fleeting desire; instills a sense of purpose and passion or harbors a spirit of pessimism or pompousness?
Are you ready to let go of the past and start anew but unsure how to engage the unknown? Can you get comfortable with a storyline written in incomplete sentences and punctuated with question marks? If so, you are in for a white-knuckle ride!
What capes are hanging in your closet?
It’s good to be back.
—<<0>>—
Thanks for reading and liking — share it if you must.
I wasn’t aware of that, Ivy. When did the Incredibles 2 come out?
Al and his faithful, and cinematically astute sidekick, Ivy the Wonder Pup.
Just last year? Where have I been!
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by Al Van Dyk | Oct 15, 2018 | Pivot Points
Meet Lewis, a young boy from a broken home with a brilliant mind, is on a mission to make something of his life. Along the way, he encounters some that encourage, telling him to look past his “failures” and learn from each and to keep moving forward, and others who would rather exploit his gifts, talents, and insecurities for their personal gain. Impatience and setbacks thwart Lewis’ progress, each lending credence to his doubts. Sound all too familiar, a simple exercise in taking the shortest distance between two points becomes a test of patience and resolve? Where did the year go?
Are We Moving Yet?
Greetings from the flight deck. This is your honorary captain speaking. Today’s flight from O’Hare back home to Grand Rapids will be a short 27-minutes that when lumped together with a 45 minute cattle call, another 35 minute “pause” on the tarmac while we reboot the planes navigation system, and taxying through three zip-codes, should get you on the ground in about 5 hours and 36 minutes. Yes, that would be 2 hours longer than it would have taken to make the drive in a Chevy Volt.
When this adventure started, we were sure that the road we were on would take us places that we wanted to go, but soon discovered that it might not be as direct as we would like. Try to imagine a scenic drive through the mountains only to find that the bridge over the gorge is out; the detour signs are missing, stolen by a drunken Sparty in search of kindling for an unexpected victory celebration; and the nearest truck stop replaced its entire map display with Where’s Waldo books and short-lived Disney experiments. Ironic and applicable, but neither useful in addressing our immediate needs.
The Quest
Occasionally, we lose sight of the fact that with an extraordinary life will come with the everyday frustrations and the all too common malaise that keeps our feet glued to the floor. Those in the club will know all too well of the sensation to which I am referring. It is this innate desire for an extraordinary life that prompts us to retrain our brains to keep moving forward, walking with intentionality, sharpening our focus on what lies ahead, instead of looking back over our shoulder to see what’s keeping us tethered to our past.
There are lessons we can learn from our journey, or quests if you will –pardon my shameless plug. Maybe its something about ourselves we didn’t know or did know but didn’t feel compelled to address; a subtle nuance validating how the world actually works, or even a reminder that there are those that we encounter along the way who don’t always have our best interest in mind.
As this chapter comes to a close, there are lessons I learned that I will never forget. This year, my life was touched by some extraordinary people, who selflessly extended a word of encouragement, a subtle act of generosity or a gentle glance across the room affirming their solidarity; all selfless acts of kindness, gifts from compassionate people living out their passions and purpose in ways that run contrary to a culture that edifies selfishness.
No Miracle-gro?
As Dr. Henry Cloud wrote in Necessary Endings, and I paraphrase, “For something new to bring forth life, the old and dying must be cast aside.” Painful and humbling as it may be, the Gardener prunes that which can still bear fruit. Who am I to argue; who am I to question?
Next week begins a new chapter in an unpredictable story, complete with a new cast of characters, whose lives were destined to cross paths with mine, for this time in history to meet some unmet need. Something tells me, none of us will ever be the same.
Welcome to my extraordinary life. Thanks, for reading liking and sharing,
Ivy, we are going have to look for Waldo another time. Waldo is the one with the red and white shirt.
Al and his faithful, but color blind sidekick, Ivy the wonder pup.
Sorry Ivy, that was a cruel trick to play on a dog….
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by Al Van Dyk | Jul 22, 2018 | Pivot Points
What dreams do you dream that keep you up at night? Do you dream of a car that glistens or a dog that listens? Or maybe you dream that work days are shorter and vacations are longer? It wasn’t all that long ago that aspirations of obtaining life’s finer things consumed many of my hour’s between dusk and dawn. Even dreams of world domination, hypothetically speaking, robbed me of a night or two. What if it’s not the dreams that keep me awake at night? What if there is something more?
Mr. Mitty; Mr…
A few months back I was told by a man in a white lab coat that I might want to consider a mobility aid to help me move around more safely when I’m awake at night. It wasn’t exactly what I expected to hear. The “Walter Mitty” in me will still take me to places where I am ageless, fearless, and even walk with a swagger; unappealing as it was to so many. It’s easy to see how Mitty could find excitement in buying a rollator. He would equip his with all the weaponry he needed to fight injustice, not just help him get to the refrigerator. Maybe, I will be lucky and find an off-lease model equipped with James Bond-style gadgets and the sex-appeal of a new Benz or a 7-series. It is an injustice if I can’t reach the refrigerator.
It is Mitty’s imagination that takes him to places where he is larger than life, and everything around him blurs into his make-believe world. But Walter can’t stay in his make-believe world forever. Sooner, rather than later someone will, unwittingly, take him back from the exciting places that his mind has taken him. Whether it’s the voice of an angry parking attendant, or his wife yelling at him to stop driving too fast, there is always an unwelcome intruder that jolts him back to reality.
She Knows
I wonder what my lovely wife knows of the dreams I dream at night? On more than one occasion, it felt like I was the olive in a martini mixer, both shaken and stirred. I wonder if she knows that in the dreams I dream, the dragons I battle die quicker and my days with her last longer? I wonder if she knows that if I can hold on just a little longer, I will finish off the trolls that taunt me once and for all? Does she know in the dreams I dream…it is she that I am fighting to protect; that I’m not on the couch but asleep next to her?
Order Up!
Both our dreams and our imagination are powerful; they can free us to envision a world where the possibilities are endless, the liquor is cheap and the ice cream is free. We *can be* the hero in an engaging story. Do you dream of a new day with an original story to tell or do you prefer to relive a chapter in a story that is already written? What would Walter do?
But there was always someone, disconnected from Mitty’s world, that would pop into Walter’s and take him back to reality. At times, an unwelcome tap on the shoulder or a street-vendor yelling in his ear would yank him back home. Do we really need someone to bring us back home, someone who has no idea where we are or where we have been, to tap us on the shoulder to tell us that our French Fries are ready?
Don’t Worry, Be Happy
I know the dreams she dreams at night; dreams that our years together will be many and our home is full, dreams that my gait is rhythmic and my arms swing freely. In her dreams, the aisles I walk our daughters down aren’t lined with groceries or mobility aids. Dare to dream, Darling — dare to dream!
What are the dreams you dream at night? At one point did you dream of leaving your mark and now worry that you are running out of runway and might even miss your chance to be a “one-hit-wonder?” Or are you like me? You still dream of a life filled with achievements, maybe each a little smaller or less grandiose, but each in their way shaping the world in the way that you think it should be.
What are the dreams you dream that keep you up at night?
Is it the dreams you dream that keep you up at night, or are you awake because you are one of the few, a misfit, that find the waking hours are much more engaging than the dreams you dream?
“I got them, thanks, buddy.”
Thanks for reading, liking, and sharing,
Ivy is still asleep, on her back with all fours in the air. It sounds like she is enjoying a dream of her own — probably playing, Go Fish with her new BFF, the Geezer.
Al and his faithful, but napping sidekick, Ivy the wonder pup.
I thought you were asleep, Ivy. Sure, you can have my French Fries.
It is good to be back, Ivy!
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by Al Van Dyk | May 6, 2018 | Pivot Points
We Need More Power
Maybe if we had the tenacity of Captain Kirk, we could find our way forward. Kirk had it — the “boldness to go” where few have gone before! When was the last time you yelled to your Captain, the One who gives you your strength, “We need more power…?” When you do, It’s likely that you will get one of two responses. Which one will instill a greater fear in you; that you will get what you asked for and will feel compelled to act, or that you have all you are going to get?
Time for Something New
When we give up on the idea that we can win the little battles, we lose sight of our BHAG’s — our big hairy audacious goals — goals that are visionary, long-term in nature and are emotionally compelling. BHAGs are a good thing, and everyone should have at least one; they drive passions, releasing energy and creativity in ways that few other things do.
How about a show of hands? Is it possible to be as invested in a BHAG when I am at my worst; when I need the sea-legs of a drunken sailor and the toe strength of a ballerina to just walk across the living room than I would need when I am at my best? The idealist would say, “Of course,” you need to tap into your inner Kirk. He would get Scotty to max out the engines, Spock to ignore logic and Bones to do whatever it was that Bone’s did to earn a spot. Kirk would find a way.
However, the pragmatist would say that it’s only logical that the answer to this question is much different when I am at my worst; when my hands are stiff and hitting the correct key on the keyboard is a crap-shoot at best. He would suggest that I should chill, grab a latte and dried out pastry from Starbucks and hit the reset button on the whole world domination attitude. Nothing is so urgent that it can’t wait until midday when the only excitement is watching in amazement as a quick brown fox to jumps over the lazy dog.
The realist would advise me that my BHAG is still attainable, I might need to adjust my approach, allow myself a smattering of grace; at least until my fingers and my faculties are on the same freaking page.
The Quester
Writing my book was my last BHAG, but even that feels small right now. In retrospect it wasn’t as daunting as I thought it would be; once I found the definition of the word “is,” hidden away in the Clinton Library of all places. So now what? Looking back, my BHAG wasn’t big enough. In addition to writing the book, I should have added that I needed to develop an effective marketing campaign and sell 1,000 copies my first week. Ideally, it would generate enough money so Lisa and I could travel the world, or at least I could take her on a cruise. Could it be, that I had doubts that the first part of the goal, writing the book, was attainable, that’s why I didn’t consider how to share it?
When There is No Pony
We keep digging, don’t we? With a smile on our face, no less, we are conditioned to believe that there has to be something more! We engage in corporate doublespeak, sift through mountains of bureaucracy, or sit through yet another four-hour meeting under the pretense that if we play nice, we will receive something more appealing than what we already have. Do you still believe; do you still think that there is a pony under that pile of manure?
Did you give up on chasing your dreams and setting goals when things got tough? To some degree, we all do — I know I did. But that is not how the story ends. Did you quit or did you hit the reset button and pivot? Maybe there is a valid reason that things didn’t turn out as we thought they would. Could it be that all this time we were looking for a pony in the wrong barn? Maybe if we were paying attention, all the cackling and the feathers should have given it away.
Are you frustrated or fearful, weary or wandering? Maybe it’s time to ask your Captain for more power!
The fox belongs to the dog group of animals, Ivy, why do you ask?
Al and his faithful, but narcoleptic sidekick, Ivy the wonder pup.
You think we need one to keep the chickens quiet so you could sleep?
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by Al Van Dyk | Mar 4, 2018 | Pivot Points
Before the wheels of the plane hit the tarmac in Midland, Texas around 12:30 AM last Saturday, the airport was closing for the night. Even though it was nearly empty, I was confident that I would be better off in Midland than stranded in the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport. For a few brief moments, I was thrilled to be there, that was until I noticed that only one rental car counter was open and it wasn’t the one that I needed. All my hopes of leaving Midland anytime soon were quickly disappearing.
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by Al Van Dyk | Jan 1, 2018 | Pivot Points
Warning: The following list of My Top Ten New Years Resolutions is not for the faint of heart. It contains sarcasm and innuendo that some of you may consider objectionable. I can assure you that any references to duct-tape, NFL quarterbacks, balls of yarn and kittens are hypothetical and references to such should not be conjoined in any way. Please proceed with caution; slippery slope ahead.
As of Sunday, December 31, 2017,
- I hereby resolve to look up the word hereby and use it correctly ten more times before midnight. Furthermore, I hereby resolve to write 500 words per day even if it’s the same word 500-times, or simply write 500 words each day.
- I hereby resolve to start a diet that I can stick with, even if it means that I use duct-tape to attach it to my wrist like an NFL quarterback would wear his playbook.
- I hereby resolve to be more patient and sympathetic to the whining —sorry, grievances — of my sidekick, oops, wingman, err…that would be my wing-dog. I think I’m safe here. I don’t think its possible to be less sympathetic than I was last year.
- I hereby resolve to expand the definition of exercise to include delegated activities that I am far too old to do such as snow blowing the driveway and mowing the lawn. Wait, I’m still doing those things.
- I hereby resolve to watch only reality TV. I will resist watching any television or visit any websites that invite independent thought and that foster critical thinking. I am waiting for my talking points from that secret society whose members make that triangle shape with their hands as to whether Fox News is considered propaganda or fantasy.
- I hereby resolve to get more Facebook friends, even if I have to pay for them with bit-coins or post nothing but images of kittens playing innocently with a ball of yarn.
- I hereby resolve to only aim for achievements that I can accomplish while wearing flannel loungewear in public. Expectations that I wear business casual every day are nothing more than another divisive tactic to drive a wedge between the working class and the creatives.
- I hereby resolve to be a better husband and father using definitions described as ambiguous and self-serving. I will encourage my wife and children to submit their definitions of better for consideration.
- I will forego watching any professional sports where the players, coaches, front office staff or parking lot attendants attempt to make a political statement. Your product is for entertainment purposes only, not all that different from the Simpsons or Tim Allen’s Last Man Standing.
- I hereby resolve to fight and encourage my comrades to join me in battle, against the perception that those of us with Parkinson’s Disease have their best days in their rearview mirror. We will be relentless, advancing this message every day, all day, as if we can make a difference. Why, because we can make a difference!^^
^^Disclaimers: All terminology contained in these resolutions is pending and subject to review by legal counsel. Any tone, language, demeanor that is deemed to be aggressive, inflammatory or invoke images of military conquests may be recanted if needed so not to offend any baby-boomers, Gen-Xer’s and Snowflakes. (May be, but I wouldn’t bank on it!)
Happy New Year,
Your right Ivy, that bottle of wine did loosen you up a bit. Writing this was much more fun than the world domination piece we did last year. I agree we could never have pulled this off if Lisa were home. You realize, as acting editor, your career will take the hit if this goes south?
Al and his faithful, now demoted sidekick, Ivy the wonder pup.
