Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Getting To Now

               I was reincarnated this past weekend when I spent some time with a couple toddlers.  They showed me how they thrive in the now with vigor.  No regrets from the past, no worries of the future, they joyously celebrated now and the infinite possibilities it offers.  My now is filled with amazing.  With a child’s curiosity and a longer memory, I daydreamed if I could recreate this feeling on demand.
               I went back to my conception thinking Glenn Miller’s band was playing “In The Mood” on a primitive turntable.  I was named after him.  I couldn’t have got to my now “now” if my parents hadn’t moved us 400 miles out of a redneck, hick town to the suburbs of a growing, big city.  After graduating college, paid in part by washing dishes and matriculating to head cook, I was hired as a manager trainee for an expanding restaurant chain.  Once trained, from this job I found in the newspaper classifieds, I was assigned to my first restaurant.  It was a 24 hour, American food diner.  The first employee I met was the graveyard waitress who gave my boss the sports page and me the Sunday paper comics.  In less than a year, she was my wife. 
               Her brother is an audiophile and gave me a CD of music by a guy named Greg Brown.  You can read about some of the adventures that road took in my earlier blog posts.  Among those adventures, I discovered a fan group online and made lots of amazing friends.  One of them recommended a book on creativity.  Another became a good email friend.  My e-friend told me about being invited to a private group to study the creativity book together online.  Unsure if she should accept this by-invitation-only offer, I pushed her off the fence with envy.  Previously, she had suggested I check out the group leaders public blog and I instantly connected and began commenting on posts as only I can.  Having been inspired by reading the first chapter of the creativity book a year before, I was jealous.  There was no way I was going to invite myself and I told my e-friend not to suggest me.  She did anyway, nobody listens to me. 
               Because of all the infinite possibilities of past nows, I am in an incredible now.  The group welcomed in with supportive, arms open.  My daydream concludes that reproducing all these events are improbable, but putting yourself out there presents an infinity of opportunities.  And thank Heaven for the little girls who exposed the glory of now.  

6 comments:

  1. Awesome post! There's no way we couldn't accept you with open arms. You're so damned lovable. Thank you for convincing Jan to join us so that she could drag you down with her. It's funny isn't it when you take a moment to stand on the Now ledge and look back to realize that all the seemingly unrelated tidbits have all led up to a perfect NOW. And you realize just how much is unfolding before you. It's rather awesome. The good and bad all intertwine to create a pretty cool pathway. So look ahead dear Glenn, there's nothing but wonderful possibilities that lay ahead. And great story on how you met Mrs. Glenn (and great header photo)

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  2. I agree with Elena!! Awesome post!! I used to spend a lot of time worrying about the future but I am getting better now. I came across a quote somewhere recently--it was something like worrying about the future takes away the peace of today. So true!! That photo is gorgeous!!! Somewhere I have a photo of myself at the age of 14 up at the top of the Space Needle. And I see those white, archy thingys (great description, eh?) from the Science Pavillion. I have great memories of going to the fair. Part of the reason we went out there was that my dad's aunt and uncle lived in Bremerton. I LOVED taking the ferry and thought it was so cool that people took a boat to work!! My great uncle was a BAD driver and I remember some scary drives to Tacoma and Port Angeles. I am so grateful that my parents took me places!!! Anyway, off to enjoy the NOW of today!! And you do the same! It's a beautiful day and I'm glad you found us!!!

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  3. Thank you, both. The photo was taken by my brother-in-law I mentioned in the story. Life sure is weird how it unfolds and plays out.

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  4. We never know where our steps will carry us in this world. connections made that lead to the unexpected.

    I like your new photo, did you put that up as a permanent header? It suits.

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  5. Think I'll leave that pic up for a good long time. Still have to figure out how to inbed photos in posts someday.

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  6. Great post Glenn! Sounds like a real dream come true!
    ;)

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