“It’s just about making an effort and repeating the same thing everyday.”
“When I was in school I was a bad kid. Later, when I was invited to give a talk at the school, I wasn’t sure if I should tell the kids that they should study hard or that it is okay to be a rebel. I wasn’t sure what advice to give the kids. Studying hard doesn’t guarantee you will become a respectable person. Even if you’re a bad kid there are people like me who change. I thought that would be a good lesson to teach. But if I said that bad kids can succeed later on like I did, all the kids would start misbehaving which would be a problem. Always doing what you are told doesn’t mean you’ll succeed in life.”
“I do the same thing over and over, improving bit by bit. There is always a yearning to achieve more. I’ll continue to climb, trying to reach the top, but no one knows where the top is.”
“Once you decide on your occupation, you must immerse yourself in your work. You have to fall in love with your work. Never complain about your job. You must dedicate your life to mastering your skill. That’s the secret of success and is the key to being regarded honorably.”
Hope all is well…
-Steve
E-MAIL: SteveFinamore@yahoo.com
CONTAINER DIARIES 
Robert D Terry said:
What I know of you, you were never a bad kid. It’s a marathon, not a race. We are all on the road to Damacus.
Steve said:
Thanks Bob. Hope all is well…
Al said:
True words about the benefits of work. If you’re one of the lucky few, you love your work. But occupational work is only one kind.
Many of the most successful people have remarked that their most difficult but most rewarding job was being a parent. I can attest to that. I had no concept of the amount of Time required to raise a child to adulthood.
“We must embrace difficulty and burn it as fuel for our journey.”
Kenji Miyazawa
But tearing away from the daily routine once in a while is restorative.
“Solvitur ambulando” (It is solved by walking), attributed to St. Augustine or Diogenes, depending on who you read. There is nothing like a walk to let your mind roam and relax as great minds have written for centuries. (Nice to see Science prove time and again what we already know.)
“Keep close to Nature’s heart… and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.” – John Muir
I recently lost a dear friend, and first career mentor, who shared my love of the Adirondack Mountains, and the wilderness anywhere. I accompanied him and other Scoutmasters on canoe camping trips and mountain hikes with his Boy Scout pack many years ago. Introducing those boys to the joys of the wild forests, important outdoor skills and male bonding (elaborated on in the book “Iron John”) was formative for them in different ways, and so rewarding. Every one grew up to enter successful careers like firefighting, law enforcement, academia, the business world, etc. Most have kept in touch with us as the years flew by. Bob, half Native American, told me back in those days that he left instructions for his family to have his ashes spread over the High Peaks Region of those mountains he so loved. His wish was granted. Those ashes made those mountains just a little bit higher. And his stewardship of his young charges enabled them to face Life as confident young men, and to stand a little taller.
R.I.P Bob.
You made a difference.
Stay well all!