Lessons After the Bell—Expanded Edition
A Man Who Views the World the Same at 50 as He Did at 20 Has Wasted 30 Years of His Life *
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from: Peripheral Vision and Loss Thereof The flight left at 12:40 a.m., at which point we were into the 20th hour of our day. Flight time was something like 11 hours, 44 minutes, but when you add in the minutes before "wheels up" and after "wheels down" our time on the plane crowded the 13 hour mark. Ground delays added to the count, and by the time we got through U.S. Customs we missed our connecting flight. That sort of stuff happens, and I'm not complaining about the events or the airlines. We were actually quite pleased by how accommodating the airline's staff was ... from: The Songbird Café In the midst of one of America's most dilapidated cities sits one of the best restaurants you could hope to find. The fare is casual and the menu sufficiently diverse; the quality is topnotch, and the hours of operation long. For the proprietors, a husband and wife tag-team, the workday starts with early morning breakfast preparation and continues through the day, concluding with meals for the late-night crowd. Friday night and Saturday night have extended hours for the ridiculously late-night crowd. The restaurant is closed on Sunday, a day of rest for everyone. The business now works sufficiently well so the proprietors are ... from: A Meaningful Life "So what, I am fine with that" is the comment I would offer. To which another involved in the conversation could reply: "Easy for you to say. You weren't the host, you didn't buy the dress, and you don't have to pay the dry cleaning bill." "Yeah, but you're missing the point" would be my response. "We had a great time, the wedding and reception were lots of fun, everyone got soaked by the deluge that occurred during the party following the reception, we all went away with fond memories, and the mud will come out of the hem of the bride's wedding dress (I think). Over time the memories grow and the negatives fade. Besides, who ever heard of a torrential downpour in Austin in September? That just made the evening all the more memorable." Sometimes our outlook is simply a matter of perspective. ... There are other times though where a cavalier attitude ... from Corrie ten Boom A willingness to forgive is a lesson that took me a long time to learn. My approach to handling conflict and contending with the wounds of wrongs received was to ... from A Rainy Day in Normandy Age nineteen and age twenty-one the respective years of my daughter and son Standing together with their mom and me warm rain fell intermittently The American Cemetery, Normandy, France the end of our trip, our only chance To hear words spoken, the past expressed The dates on the crosses noted ...
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About the Book
Everyone has events in their lives that can translate into stories. Those stories, in turn, may contain lessons that can be shared for the benefit of others. That is the premise upon which Lessons after the Bell—Expanded Edition was written. The stories chosen for inclusion all convey a thoughtful message or principle that is worthy of consideration for living an exemplary life. What better way to live a life filled with peace, contentment, and joy and to be able to share those qualities with others? Perhaps these stories of life’s lessons will move you further down that path or get you started all together. What a great goal! “I wish I had learned some things earlier in life” is a statement we all can make. The “things” will vary, but the principle is the same: lessons learned earlier would have made our lives easier or better or different. Those changes, in turn, would perhaps remove some of the difficulties and challenges we face; perhaps they would put us in a better position to help others. Both are desirable outcomes. The stories told herein are meant to help others in those ways. The subtitle of the book A Man Who Views the World . . . is a quote from boxing legend Muhammad Ali, a man who had many words of wisdom to share. Learning lessons from other people’s experiences gives us a broader and more comprehensive view of the world in which we live—another fine goal. So this is my hope: that you will find this book pleasant to read and that the stories will convey lessons that will help you as you go through life. I wish for you much joy and peace.
About the Author
Stories told serve two purposes: foremost, a gifted storyteller is an entertainer who calms our minds and leave us with a sense of peaceful satisfaction. Secondly, they convey lessons of life that may help others grow, mature, and gain new insights and understandings. Those were my motivating thoughts as I wrote this book. The stories contained herein are easy to read, yet thoughtful and entertaining. I hope you enjoy them. —Barney Martlew, January 31, 2018