Why I'd Rather be Nuts Than Normal
I was driving a long stretch down I-80 in Nebraska and started tearing up.
Some call it crying, and yes, as I've aged tears seem to be a close friend. Usually, this kind of thing happens in private. Normally I'm not the guy who's moved to tears by a song streaming in the car as I drive to a speaking gig.
It was a busy day midway through the week so crying in my car driving on the interstate before presenting is the last thing I'd wanted to be doing.
However, the reality was that the first gentle drip of my tears was a call to action for an entire army of them. "Advance, damn you - advance!"
I kept my eyes open and wiped them away with an old Runza napkin. This was my first time alone with my own thoughts since my Mother passed away. I'm good at keeping busy.
A little sliver of alone time and a song by U2 called Iris made me miss the women who always had my back.
The cars next to me must think I’m nuts, I thought to myself. It didn't matter something else took control.
Instead of fighting it I leaned into the feeling and asked myself why? I decided it's okay. It's okay if the world figures out I'm nuts, and it's ok if you know as well.
My mom taught me it's better to be authentic and nuts than fake.
She also taught me that I'm full of talents and strengths. She was the one who refused to give up on me when our educational system wanted to stamp me hopeless.
Mom always pointed out what's right in me.
Mom viewed me through the lens of possibility, and not my weaknesses. Sure I have them but, that's not the point. The point is the potential inside waiting to come out.
Mom insisted the world see my strengths.
So I'd rather be nuts and live in my strengths than to be the kind of person who can’t be himself and lets the world define his potential.
I realized as I was tearing down the interstate my mom's message to me was to take responsibility to embrace my strengths and the fullness of life.
I’d rather be nuts, nuts enough to believe in the potential of mankind and myself, nuts enough to know I don't have every answer, nuts enough to give second chances, nuts enough to love deeply, and by all means nuts enough to feel the hurt of saying goodbye to my mom and others I love.
I'll love, even if it means feeling things like loss - again and again. Love is worth it...Love is a rockstar!
I’d rather embrace my tears and keep playing to win.
I'd rather feel too much than too little.
Too much passion, too much love, too much faith, and too much caring.
I’d rather be nuts and keep believing in Human potential.
I’ve spent most of my life trying to make sure people didn’t think I was nuts. But things are changing. I refuse to not embrace a moment and reflect on how my mother taught me to embrace my strengths and put them to work in my life.
It's why I'm convinced that everyone has talents and strengths waiting to be unleashed for good on the world. It's why I see what's right in others way before I deal with what's not.
I guess, like Bono's Mom Iris, my Mom's light still shines inside of me. It's why I will always be a little nuts; filled with faith while helping others to live in their strengths.
After all, nuts might not be so bad.