by Marty Coleman | Nov 23, 2015 | Illustrated Short Stories |
Prologue
My back and leg were hurting.
Chapter One
I chose my chair deliberately so I could draw the receptionist, who had an interesting look.
Chapter Two
I showed her the drawing after I had it partially finished. She thought it was cool.
Chapter Three
I came back again because my back and leg were still hurting.
Chapter Four
I sat in the same chair and continued my drawing.
Chapter Five
I showed it to her when I was done. She thought it was cool.
Chapter Six
I went home and painted it.
Chapter Seven
I saw her at the race expo and told her I had finished it.
Chapter Eight
She gave me her email address so I could send her the link to this blog post.
Chapter Nine
I wrote this story, posted it and sent her the link.
Epilogue
Her reaction was…
The End
Drawing and story © Marty Coleman | napkindad.com
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by Marty Coleman | Nov 20, 2015 | Kindness101 - 2015 |
Countable Seeds
I have 4 daughters. Those are the seeds I can count.
I have coached over 1,000 runners. Those are seeds I can count.
I have produced hundreds of pieces of art over the years. Those are seeds I can count.
Uncountable Apples
My daughters have had many relationships, travels, experiences, jobs, homes, discussions, and interactions. I can’t count those.
My runners have run in many locations and over many distances. They have talked to many people about running and our program. I can’t count those.
My art has been seen, shared, bought, displayed, discussed, printed, and talked about by millions (yes, millions) of people. I can’t count those.
Faith
Faith means knowing it’s not the amount of countable seeds that matter, it’s the uncountable apples, filled with love and kindness, that do.
Drawing and commentary © 2015 Marty Coleman | napkindad.com
Quote by Anonymous
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by Marty Coleman | Nov 18, 2015 | Paul Johnson, Political Correctness |
The Good PC
I believe in good political correctness. That doesn’t mean I believe people shouldn’t be free to say what they think. It means I believe that if a group of people say they are offended by something then I am going to take a look at it. If I can be more respectful of my fellow citizens then I am going to be. If African Americans are offended by the Confederate flag being flown, I am all for having it taken down. Why? Because my fellow citizens don’t deserve to be offended on purpose.
The Bad PC
I do not believe in bad political correctness. That doesn’t mean I don’t believe in being sensitive and respectful, I do. What it means is I believe people can hold an opinion that is in the minority and not also be an evil or bad person. I will not condemn them for holding an opinion I do not agree with. If the circumstances are right, I will disagree with them and argue as persuasively as I can against their opinion. But I am not going to declare they are ineligible for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness because of it. They also are not ineligible for making a living, having a family, being accepted into society.
Limits
There are limits to that position. For example, if a teacher does not believe the Holocaust occurred and tries to teach it to my children, I will do everything I can to have them removed. They are still free of course to believe it, but I am not willingly going to allow them influence over my children. But as I argue against them being employed by the school district I will still use good manners and treat them with civility.
Manners and Grace
Every person has an opinion you disagree with. The friend you invite into your home should be known to not be a terrorist, I agree. But they can’t be vetted for every possible disagreeable position they hold before you invite them in. If they were vetted in such a way, guess what? They won’t accept your invitation to visit because they will see you as a self-righteous, judgmental jerk, which is what you will have proven yourself to be.
Drawing and commentary © 2015 Marty Coleman | napkindad.com
Quote by Paul Johnson, 1928 – not dead yet, English Author
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by Marty Coleman | Nov 15, 2015 | Series |
Those in red have been directly attacked by ISIS. Those in white have had natural disasters befall them in 2015. Those in Blue have ongoing warfare happening.
Are there more to add to the list? Sadly, yes.
Some of you want to pray, then pray. Some of you want to donate, then donate. Some of you want to publicize and gather support, then do that.
But whatever you do, and for whomever you do it, do it with love. Because there is no use in overcoming hate, hurt or hazards if love is not what remains standing.
Image and words by me
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by Marty Coleman | Nov 13, 2015 | George Kennan, True Heroes - 2015 |
Endurance
Why would endurance be associated with heroism? Maybe it can’t be understood unless we think about the opposite. Maybe it’s because giving up is so well understood as being the antithesis of heroism.
That would explain why we call people sports heroes. The push beyond what we think we could do. They endure longer and that endurance leads to the final run, the last leap, the improbable score.
The Rest of Us
So, how does that translate for us, the non-sports hero?
I see it in my wife, when she was a single mom. She went back to college, in spite of the hardship and got her degree. She had to make a decision to struggle and persevere instead of saying it’s going to be too hard and giving up. She endured and made a great life for her daughter as a result. She is a hero to me.
I see it in one of the runners I coach. She is the slowest of all our runners. It can be frustrating for her coach and for her. But she has chosen to keep at it no matter what. And as a result she is going to cross the finish line in a half marathon in less than a month. She is a hero to me.
I see it in my friend Lindsay who has Lupus. She has excruciating episodes where her body rebels against her in dumbfounding ways, blowing her face up into a balloon, making her unable to walk, or just putting her into terrible pain. But in the midst of all that she is planning her wedding and continuing to work every day. She is also continuing to show off on Facebook and elsewhere the most original and unique sense of humor that is both self-deprecating and uplifting, insightful and poignant. She is a hero to me.
Encourage Enduring
And that is what we all hope for other people, right? That they will find the will or ability to endure and accomplish their goals. Encouraging people to be heroes is a good thing.
Drawing and commentary © 2015 Marty Coleman | napkindad.com
Quote by George Kennan, 1904-2005, American diplomat
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