The Workedge Blog
Mark's RemarksAaron Sings; Nobody Cares
Aaron was twenty and had been singing in small-town schoolhouses, gyms, and other venues around Texas and Louisiana. One hot summer night, Aaron was at the local baseball field at Gladewater. (Gladewater is a small east Texas town near where I live in Tyler.) Aaron was excited to sing at a concert there, but only twenty people showed up to hear him…
Do You Have Chutzpah?
Have you ever heard of the word chutzpah? It is an old Yiddish word that describes someone who is audacious or has a lot of gall. Perhaps the best way to define it is through an old Yiddish joke. There was a man who murdered both of his parents. At his trial, he pleaded for the mercy of the court because he was an orphan. That’s chutzpah.
Derailed Plans
You may have had plans for your life. Then things changed, or someone changed your plans for you. Maybe you…
Do You Observe Memorial Day?
I was an adult when I discovered that my junior high school received its name for a specific purpose. It was to commemorate the deaths of those young men from Winnsboro who died in “The Great War”—World War One. Many of the buildings you hear about with the name “Memorial” were named in memory of those who died in that great war…
Take the Win
I spoke at an event recently, and my wife, Judy, was with me. It went so well that after I finished, somebody who was supposed to talk about another subject instead spoke about how much my speech helped him. I felt very gratified, but something kept bugging me. I was disappointed about someone who was supposed to attend the affair but did not. Judy told me to forget about that and focus on the good things of the night. That was when a phrase I had heard stood out—take the win…
Let Me Share My Mother
When I was six or seven, I applied for a summer job at the North Pole. Don’t laugh. Santa Claus replied with a gracious letter informing me that he only hired elves, not boys. I kept that letter from Santa and have it stashed away today.