Author: jeff noel

Retired Disney Institute Keynote Speaker and Prolific Blogger. Five daily, differently-themed personal blogs (about life's 5 big choices) on five interconnected sites.

Happy Birthday, Son

Happy Birthday, Chapin.

Nine! Wow!

Last night at dinner in Indiana, my client asked me to describe our son, but only using one-word descriptors.

I wish the one-words would have rolled off my tongue. As I thought about it, words came to mind:

  • Honest
  • Techie
  • Compassionate
  • Brave
  • Smart
  • Athletic
  • Strong
  • Healthy
  • Spiritual
  • Helpful
  • Friendly
  • Nice
  • Courteous
  • Courageous
  • Funny
  • Understanding

Long ago, I asked our son a question, “If I lined up all the boys in the entire world, know which one would be my favorite”?

He thought for a a few moments, “Me”?

“Yes”!

Now when I ask him, I get to about the fourth word in the question and he exclaims in no uncertain terms, “Me”!

Ba-da-ba-ba-ba, I’m luvin’ it! Carpe diem, jeff noel 🙂

Parenting Is Not An Entitlement

Parenting was not an entitlement, much to my surprise.

My wife and I tried for eight years, spent our life savings, and risked failure. All in order to become parents.

Tomorrow, our son turns nine.

Who would have ever thought, all those years ago, that we would finally have a nine year old?

I know who.

God.

Carpe diem, jeff noel 🙂

Cry Baby?

Cry Baby? I guess I am.

Driving this morning to Orlando International airport, listening to the “Z”, I cried three separate times.

Why? The music, especially the lyrics, really speak to me.

They reach a point in my spirit, my soul, that makes me feel so blessed to have everything I need.

In my weakness, I am made strong. It’s the same for everyone.

How do you get there? Many ways to be sure. My favorite is to listen to www.zradio.com

Wish there was an easy way to tell others how to get there, but there isn’t. For me, it’s been a helluva journey.

Been to hell and back. Twice. For real.

While I love Led Zeppelin, Jimmy Buffett, Three Doors Down, Pink Floyd, etc., I love Z88.3 so much more.

To live without my music would be impossible to do, ‘cuz in this would of troubles, my music pulls me through.

Carpe diem, jeff noel 🙂

When Will You Be Happy?

It felt good to attend Mass this morning.

Having just spent a week in Finland, it felt uncommonly special this morning to be around familiar people and familiar routines. And Deacon Jack gave the homily.

“When will you be happy”?, he asked.

He spoke about experiences from being a young boy first going to school, to graduating and becoming a young man, to getting married, to having children, to having grandchildren, to finally retiring.

Each achievement along the way was supposed to bring happiness. Each one did not. There was always something more ahead that would be the better thing, the thing that would bring real happiness.

Until he retired and said, “Is this all there is”?

He asked all of us, “What will it take to make you happy”?

To make a long story short, he concluded with:

“We may never get tomorrow, so why not be happy today, right now? We should be happy to know that God loves each of us, but many ask, how do you know God loves you? Deacon Jack simply pointed to the crucifix on the wall behind him”.

Be happy today, it’s a choice. Perhaps it’s the only real choice we ever get to make. Carpe diem, jeff noel 🙂

Do you mind?

Yesterday, I was asked by someone I’ve known for about 20 years, if I would mind if they posted a link to my blog(s) on their youth soccer website.

I emailed back, “You just made my day”!

Keep in mind I’m in Lahti, Finland at the Master’s World Championships, so it’s really gonna be difficult to top any of that.

But top it it did.

Why? To think that what God inspires me to see, might be what some others may also want to see, especially youth and their parents.

Are you kiddin’ me?!

There’s an old saying, “It doesn’t get much better than this”.

Indeed. Carpe diem, jeff noel 🙂