I have had many requests to post additional letters that I have written to my daughter.  Here is a letter I wrote to Kim a couple of months ago.  My daughter, Kim, is a very talented and very special girl.  Kim is quite unique!

I wanted to express to Kim just how special her uniqueness truly is.  It is our differences that make us special.  It is our uniqueness that drives us to understand the uniqueness of others.  It is our uniqueness that allows us to create our own special version of value.  It is our uniqueness that drives us to create value in our lives and in the lives of others.

Here is my letter to my daughter Kim.  I hope you enjoy!  I hope you will embrace your own special uniqueness!  I hope you will embrace the uniqueness of others!

“Today you are you, that is truer than true.  There is no one alive that is Youer than you.”

Dr. Seuss

 

Dear Kim,

You are a very special person.  You are a unique person.  There is not another person in the world that is exactly like you.  There is not another person in the world that has your exact eyes, your exact hair, your exact skin, your exact mouth, your exact brain, your exact mind.  There is no one in the world that thinks exactly like you.  There is no other person in the world that has your exact talents.  There is no other person in the world that has your exact way of doing things.  There is no one that creates exactly like you.

All of this makes you unique!  When you really think about it, you are quite a miracle.  What was it that brought all of the elements together to make you?  All of those elements will never be brought together in exactly the same way and at exactly the time ever again.  You are one in many, many billions – no make that trillions!  You are a unique miracle!  You are different from every other person that has ever lived or that will ever live.  You are a unique person different from all other people in the world.  That is a very good thing!

There are people that are similar to you in looks, in thinking, and in actions.  But these people are not exactly like you.  You are a unique miracle!  Og Mandino, as you know one of my favorite writers, says it this way, “You are nature’s greatest miracle.”  I agree with Mr. Mandino, You Are nature’s Greatest Miracle!

I admire and respect the miracle that you are.  I like the way you think.  I like the way you communicate your ideas.  I like the way you create – and the things you create.   I like the friends with which you choose to associate.  (Well, most of them anyway.)

Have you ever noticed that you are drawn to people that think similarly to you?  That are creative like you?  That like to do the same things as you?  These people are not exactly like you, but they are similar.

Also notice that the thing about all of these people that you like the most is the way they are unique – different from you and different from everyone else.  That difference, the uniqueness brings something special to the relationship.

Do you think that you may be drawn to the uniqueness of your friends?  Do you think your friends may be drawn to your uniqueness?  I think they are.  I know that I really admire and respect the uniqueness of my friends.  I rely on their differences, their uniqueness – and they rely on mine.  The differences are what gives the relationships the ability to grow and expand.

It makes you feel good to associate with people that think similarly to the way you think.  You feel more comfortable that way.  But you would get very bored if there was no uniqueness, no differences.  Those differences, the uniqueness is what makes life fun.  It is the uniqueness that makes you important to yourself and other people.  It is the differences that help you grow and figure out what and who you want in your life.

We are all members of the animal family.  But we humans are different from all other animals in one very important way.  These is an irritation, a flame in each of us that keeps us wanting something more, wanting something different, something better.  There will always be a slight uneasiness in you that keeps pushing you forward to learn more, to experience more, to have more, to have something different, to create a slightly different life.

This irritation, this flame, this uneasiness is a very good thing.  Embrace the uneasiness because it is what will keep you moving forward in life.  The uneasiness is what will keep you motivated to create the kind of life that you desire.  And you can create any kind of life that you desire.  It is up to you to choose the kind of life that you want to live.  You can choose to create a life full of joy, good friends, close family members, creativity, and success.  The differences in people, the uniqueness provides you with a contrast that helps you determine what you what to include in your life.

The point is, the life you choose to create is completely up to you.  It is all about the life you decide you want to live.  Since you are unique, since you are nature’s unique and greatest miracle, the life you choose to lead will be unique to you.  But your life will always include other people, and those people will be different from you in the way they think and act.

Your differences from other people, your uniqueness, is your greatest asset.  Your uniqueness, is what sets you apart from everyone else.  Your uniqueness is your best tool.  No one can duplicate exactly the way you draw, or paint, or think, or create.  So capitalize on your uniqueness, your differences.   Promote your differences.  Be proud of your uniqueness!  I know that I am!

The way you are different from all others is your greatest asset.  Your uniqueness is what people admire and respect about you.  Your uniqueness is what will help you create the kind of life you want for yourself.

Unfortunately, people and society tend to try to make everyone the same.  They want us to dress alike, talk alike, and think alike.  I have to admit, I am like all other people, sometimes I tend to try to mold you into my way of thinking.  Your mom is the same way.  She wants you to think like her and act like her.

That can make it stressful for you because you are not completely like me and you are not completely like your mom.  You are the same in some ways and different in other ways.  You are unique!  Both your mom and I need to remember that.  We need to remember that it is your uniqueness that makes you a miracle.

You sometimes do the same thing with your friends and with me and your mom.  Sometimes, you and your friends try to make other people act a certain way or think a certain way.  That’s natural, everyone does it.  Sometimes you try to make me or your mom act or think the way you would like us to act or think.  But we all need to remember – it is the uniqueness of people that makes us all miracles.  Embracing the uniqueness will help us to appreciate and respect other people for the miracle that they are.

Another one of my favorite authors is Dr. Robert Schuller.  Dr. Schuller had this quote, “As we grow as unique persons, we learn to respect the uniqueness of others.”

I know I can do a better job of respecting your uniqueness. That will be easy for me because I love the way you are different from others.  I love that you are nature’s greatest miracle.   Your mom can also do a better job at respecting your and my uniqueness.  You can probably learn from Dr. Schuller and think about his quote as well.  We can all learn from Dr. Schuller.  This is an area that everyone can use some improvement.

One of the reasons that I write you letters about life is that I know  you will be able to create the kind of life that will make you happy if you increase your knowledge of the way people act and think.  By increasing your knowledge of human nature, you will increase your understanding of yourself.  As you practice your understanding of yourself and other people you will increase your ability to use your uniqueness to create the kind of life that you desire.

This is the foundation that everyone needs to lead a happy and successful life.

Here is another quote for you.  This one is from Dr. Seuss.  Dr. Seuss said, “Be who you are and say what you feel because those that mind don’t matter and those that matter don’t mind.”

I know that you have been keeping many of your thoughts and feelings to yourself lately.  Maybe it is because your thoughts and feelings are unique and you don’t think other people will understand.  I’m not really sure because we haven’t been talking much lately like we used to do.

I want you to know that you can feel safe in expressing your thoughts and feelings to me.  I don’t mind if you are who you are and I don’t mind if you say what you feel.  In fact, I like it when you say what you feel.  I especially like it when you are who you are.

You are nature’s greatest miracle!  I respect and admire your uniqueness.  I know that I can learn from your uniqueness, and I know that you can learn from mine.  That is the way it has been for the last almost twelve years.  That is the way it can be for many more years to come.

I Love You,

Dad

 

555 People by Charlie Reese

I read this article a couple of days ago.  I was moved by the simplicity and directness of it’s message so I thought I would pass it along to you.  I hope you enjoy the read and are inspired by the message.

This is Charley Reese’s Final Column Charley Reese has been a journalist for the Orlando Sentinel for 49 years.

Charley Reese is retiring. His last column is this one. Many folks will miss this southern gentleman. He had a great run and we are all better off for it.

Farewell, Mr. Reese, and thank you.

Be sure to read the Tax List at the end.



555 PEOPLE–By Charlie Reese

Politicians are the only people in the world who
create problems and then campaign against them..

Have you ever wondered, if both the Democrats and
the Republicans are against deficits, WHY do we have deficits?

Have you ever wondered, if all the politicians are
against inflation and high taxes,WHY do we have inflation and high taxes?

You and I don’t propose a federal budget. The President does.

You and I don’t have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations.
The House of Representatives does.

You and I don’t write the tax code, Congress does.

You and I don’t set fiscal policy, Congress does.

You and I don’t control monetary policy, the Federal Reserve Bank does.

One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one President, and nine Supreme
Court justices equates to 555 human beings out of the 300 million are
directly, legally, morally, and individually
responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.

I excluded the members of the Federal Reserve Board because that
problem was created by the Congress. In 1913, Congress delegated its
Constitutional duty to provide a sound currency to a federally
chartered, but PRIVATE, central bank.

I excluded all the special interests and lobbyists for a sound reason.
They have no legal authority. They have no ability to coerce a
senator, a congressman, or a President to do one cotton-picking thing.
I don’t care if they offer a politician $1 million dollars in cash.
The politician has the power to accept or reject it. No matter what
the lobbyist promises, it is the legislator’s responsibility to
determine how he votes.

Those 555 human beings spend much of their energy convincing you that what they
did is not their fault. They cooperate in this common con regardless of party.

What separates a politician from a normal human being is an excessive
amount of gall.
No normal human being would have the gall of a Speaker, who stood up
and criticized the President for creating deficits….. The
President can only propose a budget.
He cannot force the Congress to accept it.

The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole
responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating and
approving appropriations and taxes. Who was the speaker of
the House? Nancy Pelosi.
She was the leader of the majority party. She and fellow House
members, not the President, can approve any budget they want. If the
President vetoes it, they can pass it over his veto if they agree to.

It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 300 million cannot
replace 555 people who stand convicted — by present facts –of
incompetence and irresponsibility. I can’t think of a single domestic
problem that is not traceable directly to those 555 people. When you
fully
grasp the plain truth that 555 people exercise the power of the
federal government, then it must follow that what exists is what they
want to exist.

If the tax code is unfair, it’s because they want it unfair.

If the budget is in the red, it’s because they want it in the red ..

If the Army & Marines are in Iraq and Afghanistan
it’s because they want them in Iraq and Afghanistan …

If they do not receive social security but are on an
elite retirement plan not available to the people, it’s because they want it
that way.

There are no insoluble government problems.

Do not let these 555 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom they
hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose gifts and
advice they can reject; to regulators, to whom they give the power to
regulate and from whom they can take this power. Above all, do not let
them con you into the belief that there exists disembodied mystical
forces like “the economy,” “inflation,” or “politics” that prevent
them from doing what they take an oath to do.

Those 555 people, and they alone, are responsible.

They, and they alone, have the power..

They, and they alone, should be held accountable by the people who are
their bosses.

Provided the voters have the gumption to manage their own employees…

We should vote all of them out of office and clean up their mess!

Charlie Reese is a former columnist of the Orlando Sentinel Newspaper.

What you do with this article now that you have read it……… Is up to you.

This might be funny if it weren’t so true.

Be sure to read all the way to the end:

Tax his land,
Tax his bed,
Tax the table,
At which he’s fed.
Tax his tractor,
Tax his mule,
Teach him taxes
Are the rule.
Tax his work,
Tax his pay,
He works for peanuts anyway!
Tax his cow,
Tax his goat,
Tax his pants,
Tax his coat.
Tax his ties,
Tax his shirt,
Tax his work,
Tax his dirt.
Tax his tobacco,
Tax his drink,
Tax him if he
Tries to think.
Tax his cigars,
Tax his beers,
If he cries
Tax his tears.
Tax his car,
Tax his gas,
Find other ways
To tax his a$$.
Tax all he has
Then let him know
That you won’t be done
Till he has no dough.
When he screams and hollers;
Then tax him some more,
Tax him till
He’s good and sore.
Then tax his coffin,
Tax his grave,
Tax the sod in
Which he’s laid…
Put these words
Upon his tomb,
Taxes drove me
to my doom…’
When he’s gone,
Do not relax,
Its time to apply
The inheritance tax..

Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
CDL license Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Dog License Tax
Excise Taxes
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel Permit Tax
Gasoline Tax (currently 44.75 cents per gallon)
Gross Receipts Tax
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Inventory Tax
IRS Interest Charges IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
Liquor Tax
Luxury Taxes
Marriage License Tax
Medicare Tax
Personal Property Tax
Property Tax
Real Estate Tax
Service Charge Tax
Social Security Tax
Road Usage Tax
Recreational Vehicle Tax
Sales Tax
School Tax
State Income Tax
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
Telephone Federal Excise Tax
Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax
Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Taxes
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
Telephone Recurring and Nonrecurring Charges Tax
Telephone State and Local Tax
Telephone Usage Charge Tax
Utility Taxes
Vehicle License Registration Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Watercraft Registration Tax
Well Permit Tax
Workers Compensation Tax

STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY? Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, & our nation was the most prosperous in the world. We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world, and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.

What in the heck happened?

Can you spell ‘politicians?’

I hope this goes around THE USA at least 555 times!!! YOU can help it get there!!!

GO AHEAD – - – BE AN AMERICAN!!!