Enthusiasm!

"Enthusiasm is the yeast that makes your hopes rise to the stars. Enthusiasm is the sparkle in your eyes, the swing in your gait, the grip of your hand, the irresistible surge of will and energy to execute your ideas". - Henry Ford

I keep a handful of books near my bed for a ready bit of encouragement or humor. One of them is Peace of Mind: Daily Meditations for Easing Stress by Amy E. Dean.

In Peace of Mind there is a daily entry on a variety of topics and today's, December 4th, is about enthusiasm.

Dean wrote: "For the 6' 9 1/2" Boston Celtics superstar Larry Bird, who made millions playing with an amazing enthusiasm that included buzzer-beater shots and incredible lookaway passes, life hadn't always been easy. When he was eighteen, his father committed suicide. When he played college hoops, his coach told him he wasn't going to make it to the pros, and when he sought a career in professional basketball, he was told that he'd never be able to keep up. He faced countless injuries, operations to remove bone spurs from both heels, and major back surgery. Yet despite it all, Bird remained invincible on the court, a feat he attributed to a combination of enthusiastic physical and spiritual energy that made him feel like he was a champion every game."

Dean then goes on to ask what are you going to direct your enthusiasm towards? She suggests that you, "Find what gives you that thrill of being great, and then feel that thrill as much as you can!"

She says your meditative thoughts might be, "I don't have to be a superstar to feel good about something I do. Today, I'll feel the butterflies of excitement when I do something I'm good at."

I have a friend, Mary, who each year puts her enthusiasm into helping a local family shelter. She holds a party, at her expense, and the price of admission is an unwrapped toy to provide to the shelter for kids who otherwise wouldn't have a Christmas. It is difficult not to feed off of Mary's enthusiasm for this wonderful event. I'll enjoy shopping today for my price of admission to make someone's Christmas a little more special.