Educational Excellence

How are things going for YOU?!?  Hope all is well.  As for me, I am developing another dimension (NOT dimentia!!) of spiritual faith and endurance … better said, seeing the blessings in my life!  There are, for me, various dimensions of spirituality, if you will.  The first level is the more tangible level where deep breathing and meditation help balance out life’s ebbs and lulls at that moment … you can feel the relief, similar to that relief one may feel after a yoga class.  The other more deep (deeper) level is the “long term” maintenance of one’s “faith”, if you will … that “every little thing’s … gonna be alright” attitude expressed in one of Bob Marley’s greatest compositions!  It requires an ability … gift even … to keep the faith over a long period of time, defending oneself against the negativity that we may find as we engage in spiritual warfare against our opponent’s goals … to bring us down, especially in the face of challenges.  Feeling very grateful, right now.

Many of you who may know about Hurricane Wilma, which surprised the East Coast cities of SoFlo including the city where I was living at the time, Pembroke Pines, FL, will recall how the hurricane appeared over our shoulder, so to speak, as it crossed the “corridor” from Naples, FL to Broward County’s Greater Ft. Lauderdale area.  The destruction was devastating, destroying homes, towns and cities, putting nearly 6 million people in darkness with the loss of power at gas stations, supermarkets and homes of the populace as occurred in my sister’s house in Lauderdale Lakes around October 25th, 2005.  Ultimately, I quietly thank Hurricane Wilma for making conditions so that my mother – Marietta Dolores – could expire without tragedy like a plane crash or house fire … let alone being killed in a drive by or car accident!  She went quietly … and peacefully.

Interestingly enough around this time of year, I remember “Wilma” and recall all that went with it … from living at a “sober house” in Pembroke Pines where I actually did the “check-ins” of tenants in our community to  my roommate, Michael Keels, and all the fun we had together.  We had set up a gas grill provided by the landlord outside in the parking area of our place there on Johnson Street and took turns cooking our foods on the grill in an effort to avoid having to throw out meats and stuff that required refrigeration, since we had lost power in our building, too.  Remembering Hurricane Wilma requires me to remember my mother’s passing … they go hand in hand in my journey.

On Halloween, I plan to move again … from my studio in Hollywood to an apartment in Sunrise/Plantation, which is a condominium that my sister owns and rents out.  I am also planning to do two e-mails per week as I have not secured internet there yet, and, I do want to start to spend time on two other projects for Educational Excellence – the third book and motivational talks/presentations.  I am still dealing with the “car drama” as the repair shop didn’t have a chance to look at it yet; my friend Burke Wortman has lent me his truck for a few days … and I am grateful for that!  The full moon is on the horizon, as I noticed when I went to put the trash out last night and saw it’s beauty hanging in the dark yet star-lit sky.  So in closing, I am sharing with you some of Joel Osteen’s words today, that our Creator did NOT “make” us to suffer … and is a loving and caring Creator … giving us experiences perhaps, that make us spiritually more fit to continue along our individual journeys …

Until we meet again!

Peace,

John I. Cook, Director