"The word of the meek is ‘Hope'."
                              - M.D Kaye

Many times, at our shows around the world, our fans will wait in anticipation to get a glimpse of their favorite Superstar. Now, of course, I will make eye contact and smile, but conversation is at a minimum. I mean, what am I to gain from four minutes with you?!?

A few days ago a young lady handed me a note. She didn't say a word, but her eyes spoke volumes. She walked away. I unfolded the sloppily frayed, yellowing notebook paper. It read like this:

"I WISH YOU COULD BE THE WAY I WANT YOU TO BE
 I WISH YOU DRANK AND WERE SOCIAL.
 I WISH EVERYONE THAT WASNT LIKE YOU, YOU WOULDNT DISMISS AS "STUPID"
 I WISH YOU WERENT SO VOCAL

"I WISH YOU WERE A DEMOCRAT
I WISH YOU COULD MAKE FRIENDS EFFORTLESSLY
I WISH YOU DIDNT JUST ANALYZE THAT
I WISH YOU WORE VERSACI
 
"I WISH YOU WERENT NICE TO PEOPLE, EVEN WHEN THEY ARE MEAN TO YOU.

I WISH YOU WOULD DO SOMETHING!
OR ELSE I'LLHAVE TO DO SOMETHING TO MAKE YOU"

I looked up, but she had walked away. I pondered her reasoning for handing me such a thing. For saying what she did and feeling it. If you've ever wanted an explanation as to why I am the way I am, take into consideration my experiences. Things have occurred in my life throughout time that have shaped me and helped to mold my cloak. We all wear cloaks! (Mine is just MUCH nicer than yours!)

Perhaps this will make you angry, perhaps it will make you roll your eyes -- as the kids seem to do these days -- or maybe it will teach you? Maybe.

You use the word "wish" a lot.

Perhaps you WISH to have peace of mind -- even if it is surrounded by clamoring, clinical insanity? You wish you had more time, to ask yourself, again, "What do you wish or rather hope for?"

Because that's all this really is -- the prospect of HOPE without the need to feel that you must go out and CREATE it. There are VERY few who have an innate, natural "hope" inside them. Some call it "cocky," some call it a "born better than you attitude," and still some say it's just in the way that they walk.

We all hope for conformity to what we know ourselves to be a slave to. The brilliant Neil Peart once wrote, "Throw off those chains of reason and your prison disappears."

So, I'll scream it from the highest hilltop, "I am one! I don't 'WISH.' I don't need to.

I have HOPE.

I pray the same for you.

Contact the Extreme Educator now.