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The Easiest and the Hardest Step in Breaking Out of Old Patterns It’s one of the most frightening passages life confronts us with. What we’ve been doing doesn’t work anymore. We’ve come to a fork in the road. One fork leads to the known. The other one leads to the unknown. I had spent my entire career working in a family business. My father and my uncle built the business. They passed away, leaving the next generation in charge. My father and uncle expected me and my two cousins to continue where they left off. In theory, my cousins and I had the education and the experience to handle the transition seamlessly. Except we didn’t share a vision for the future, and I frankly couldn’t stand one of my cousins. By the way, I wasn’t alone in my antipathy towards him. After several futile attempts to carry on as expected, I saw the handwriting on the wall. I did not foresee the business flourishing with the three of us at the helm. I decided to sell my share of the business to my cousins. It was one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make. Up until this fork in the road, my life had been structured from the outside in. I had done what I was expected to do. Now, it was up to me to structure my life from the inside out . I have found this wise old saying to be very true.  “When one door closes, another opens.”  To express it another way, letting go of one thing leaves room for another. The scary part of navigating this passage is enduring the empty space left behind in the wake of releasing the known. We are normally left with only a tiny kernel of an idea. A faint voice whispers insistently to our heart and mind.  It can be an annoying voice because it offers no concrete plan of action. We must have the courage to take the first step. I had always dreamed of writing fiction. From a solid background in marketing communications, I began writing short stories in my forties. While still employed in the family business, I took online courses in screenwriting at UCLA . I learned the basics of character development, drama and conflict, and plotting. After selling my share of the business, I now had the time and the freedom to initiate the final stage of the process: writing novels. For starters, it became a very lonely process. I was accustomed to interfacing with all kinds of people in business. Now, except for a few friends, wife, daughter, and mother-in-law, I was completely alone. Doubts and fears constantly assaulted me. I figured real novelists enjoyed their solitude. I kept thinking, real novelists are self- sufficient artists. They can take or leave people. All they need are their cats or dogs. Maybe this is true. Maybe not. I haven’t had the chance to sit down with a real novelist to have this conversation. All I know is I’ve managed to write three good screenplays and eleven good novels since taking the fork in the road that leads to the unknown. There are certainly ups and downs mucking about in the unknown. I have to say, though, that it’s more interesting and rewarding than steady doses of the known. It’s actually fun to travel back and forth between the worlds of the unknown and the known. (I just have to be careful not to spend too much time stuck in the known). Let’s take writing this article to illustrate my point. When I began, I only had a vague idea of what it would be about. I did, however, have the definite intention of writing something that would be of interest and benefit to you and me. So, what is my point? Okay, here it is: have the courage to adventure into the unknown and trust the skills you know, deep down, that you have. Nobody gets rich, creates anything meaningful, or finds a deeper source of happiness following the crowd. David Gittlin has written three feature length screenplays, produced two short films, and published eleven novels. Before quitting his day job, he spent more than thirty years as a marketing director building expertise in advertising, copywriting, corporate communications, collateral sales materials, website content/design and online marketing. #fearofsuccess #risktaking #success #passionatework #selfactualization #breakout #fearoffailure #followingpassion #riskandreward #fearofself #enjoywork #anxiety #breakroutine #adventureintotheunknown #selfconfidence #adventure #successtecniques

My mother-in-law, Muriel Erens, was a simple woman. She died last week at the age of ninety-three. We called her Merel. Merel was special in her unassuming, fun-loving way. She never complained. She laughed easily. She never asked for anything. She lived independently with a positive attitude for thirty years after her husband, Marvin (Sonny Erens) died.  She listened patiently to everything I had to tell her. She sincerely cared for her family and few friends. She thought of others before herself. Merel joined us on every holiday and special occasion we celebrated as long as I knew her.  In the last few years, I took her to the racetrack to split two-dollar bets on thoroughbred horse races at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale, Florida. We always had a good time, even when we lost, which was often.  And Merel was a sore loser, but we laughed about it.  I have decades of memories of the warmth, love, and laughter we shared.  Merel was the best mother-in-law any man could ask for. The night before she died, I told her she was like a second mother to me. Merel endured the loss of her husband, her son, and her daughter-in-law before she herself passed away.  Her husband (Sonny) died suddenly of a heart attack shortly after my daughter, Danielle, was born. I think God timed it that way to reduce the blow my wife (Bonnie) and Merel suffered. Merel carried the burden of these losses without complaining or souring on life.  She kept on. She kept on smiling. She became a phenomenal grandmother to Danielle. In a sense, Merel was the last remaining spoke in the wheel of an older generation, including my mother and father and aunts and uncles. Now, all of the elders of our tribe are gone. It can be a desolate feeling. My wife and I plus a few long-distance in-laws are the elders now. I am blessed with a wonderful wife, daughter, in-laws and friends, yet it remains a difficult transition to live in the world without the sense of security, guidance, and light the older generation provided. I will have to find a way to carry on with a smile, just like Merel did. Merel Erens will never be famous, but she leaves an indelible imprint on those of us who knew her.  We will remember her strength, her laughter, her light and her wisdom.  Merel’s sudden death was a blessing because it spared her more suffering. I pray that my dear mother-in-law is enjoying peace and love in the world beyond this one.  God knows she deserves it. Merel Erens 1926 to 2020 #mother #eulogy #teacher #memories #grandmother #relationships #motherinlaw #grandparent #lovedones #peace #heaven #light #remembering

Light bulbs, by definition, radiate light. I’m told that we humans are essentially comprised of light. So, it follows that I (we) are radiating light all of the time. The truth is closer to this: I (we) constantly radiate something, but it isn’t necessarily light. What we radiate depends upon the inner reality that I (we) cultivate. In my case, meditation helps me to cultivate peace and therefore I radiate a peaceful vibration. But thoughts also come into the picture. Thoughts affect emotions which influence moods and demeanor. So, it pays to cultivate the kinds of thoughts that contribute to the transmission you want to radiate as a total being. I’ve found that the key to positive thoughts is to have something joyful or pleasurable to look forward to. It’s best to make whatever I (we) look forward to something that contributes to wholeness and well-being. Activities such as snorting cocaine or abusing alcohol are not recommended. Discretion is definitely suggested on the path to becoming a human light bulb. It helps to find a source of light and bathe in that source daily. Light sources come in various shapes and sizes. Each of us has his or her own version. The one thing light sources have in common is that they all inspire us, and most importantly, THEY ACTIVATE THE LIGHT WITHIN US. Believe it or not, light is much more enjoyable to experience than darkness. It would be wonderful if the news media, for example, discovered this simple truth. These days, most of the material coming at us does not support our whole being or wellness, to put it mildly. If you haven’t already, find your light source. Find a whole bunch of them if you like. Change your light source if you’ve outgrown it. Whatever you do, take some time to bathe in your light source daily. Bathing in light every day increases your joy. That’s a promise. The most advanced ones among us have found their light source within them. Good for them. We all are destined to do it sooner or later. David Gittlin has written three feature length screenplays, produced two short films, and published eleven novels. Before quitting his day job, he spent more than thirty years as a marketing director building expertise in advertising, copywriting, corporate communications, collateral sales materials, website content/design and online marketing. #innersource #innerlight #meditation #randomthoughts #fun #sourceenergy #radiant #transmission #inspiration

If we removed anxiety and fear from our individual and collective psyche, what would remain? Would it be deafening silence? Would it be peace? Would it be clarity? Would it be joy? Would it be all of the above? I wonder. In these troubling times, try to look up and not down. You are still loved. David Gittlin has written three feature length screenplays, produced two short films, and published eleven novels.

Where is my playground now? I want to romp in sunlit fields . Like I did when I was younger. But there are no open fields now like there were then. Now there is more uncertainty than ever before. They say we need faith and hope, but we need more than that. We need a tangible foundation of inner wholeness , well-being, and peace. The need is powerfully urgent. It can no longer be ignored. The open fields and promising horizons are in my mind and heart. Now, there is no place to go except within. David Gittlin has written three feature length screenplays, produced two short films, and published eleven novels. Before quitting his day job, he spent more than thirty years as a marketing director building expertise in advertising, copywriting, corporate communications, collateral sales materials, website content/design and online marketing. #havingfun #happiness #CoronaVirus #creativity #wholeness #Health #Joy #wellbeing #searchforhappiness #freedom #virus #innerchild #peace #innerpeace #innerjoy #fun #joyfulliving #light #free

A Simple Reflection On Our Situation Some people are saying this is “the end of days” as prophesied in the bible. I don’t believe it, but I have a great big question. Why is the good work of so many good people NOT creating a better world? There are millions upon millions of courageous, charitable, loving acts of kindness offered from one person to another every single day. If we stacked these everyday loving acts end-to-end, in a matter of weeks they would reach the Moon and back. So, where is our better world? It’s not here because the actions of “bad actors” are overwhelming the virtuous actions of “good actors.” The bad actors are tipping the scales in the wrong direction; towards the darkness—not the light. The latest example of this is the Corona Virus. I am furious at the oppressive, reprehensible Chinese government for foisting this plague upon the world. They are responsible for the pandemic because they have not banned “live markets” in China where cats, dogs, rats and mice, among other abominations, are sold to people TO EAT. It is highly likely the virus originated from a “live market” in Wuhan, China. The Hong Kong government banned these markets long ago. So, why has the Chinese government allowed these obvious public health hazards to exist? It is probably because the poor, downtrodden Chinese people don’t have enough healthy, clean food to eat, thanks to their totally misguided “leaders.” And then there is this: The Chinese government censored and imprisoned a doctor in the city of Wuhan who could have stopped the plague at the outset. She wanted to quarantine the people who were originally exposed. The Chinese government didn’t want the facts to escape into the light of day. They saved face and dumb wittingly allowed the scourge to multiply. This brave doctor eventually died from the virus. And now the world is infected. Why must the many suffer from the sins of the few? I cannot forgive the oppressive, Communist, Chinese government for this act of reckless irresponsibility, and for the cruel and inhuman punishment they regularly inflict upon their own people. When this nightmare passes, the international community will have to take steps to pressure rogue governments like China to eliminate potential breeding grounds for deadly viruses. Until then, I pray for the health and safety of all good people everywhere on this Earth. Earth rising from the surface of the Moon David Gittlin has written three feature length screenplays, produced two short films, and published eleven novels. Before quitting his day job, he spent more than thirty years as a marketing director building expertise in advertising, copywriting, corporate communications, collateral sales materials, website content/design and online marketing. #Karma #Chinesegovernment #Pandemic #CoronaVirus #China #responsibility #questions #internationalrelations #virus #reflections #international #hope #actions #Essays

I’m losing my shit with cabin fever and the uncertainty caused by the coronavirus. I call out to God, “What do I do now?” “God answers, “Go to Ace Hardware with your wife. They have Clorox Wipes in stock.” This isn’t the answer I expected to my existential question. It is, however, the general trend of my everyday life. My universe is shrinking to the size of a needle point. I am like a young colt in a corral; restive, and longing for greener, unbounded pastures. Is this a preview of my inevitable end? I hope not. The lesson is learned. When the hand opens the corral gate, take full advantage of every moment given to you. #actnow #rants #restive #present #cabinfever #restless #newnormal #doing #reflections #presence #lessons #fun #actions #inspiration #lockdown #lessonslearned

I don’t know anything anymore I don’t know up from down Or east from west Or happiness from sadness I don’t know anything It’s becoming one big ball One vast, amorphous something In the midst of this single moment I can’t turn away from my insignificance Or ignore my greatness In this single moment Just hold me in the fullness That’s all I want All I need All that matters David Gittlin has written three feature length screenplays, produced two short films, and published eleven novels. Before quitting his day job, he spent more than thirty years as a marketing director building expertise in advertising, copywriting, corporate communications, collateral sales materials, website content/design and online marketing. #solitude #happines #laughter #security #chaos #grounding #esoteric #longing #Joy #relationships #fulfillment #peace #love #silence #innerpeace #reality #thoughts #poems #connection #fear

Nanci Griffith is a popular singer/songwriter who came to prominence in the 1980’s. I bought one of her albums recorded in 1988 and then tracked back to discover more and more of her music. She wrote and performed her first song at the age of twelve. Griffith was the daughter of musical parents, and she spent her childhood involved with theater and literature as well as music. She began playing clubs around Austin at the tender age of 14 and continued to perform during her college years at the University of Texas, as well as during her stint as a kindergarten teacher in the mid-’70s. Nanci finally decided to make music her full-time ambition in 1977. One observer said of Nanci, “She found it easier to deal with the cowboys in bars at night than she did with her kindergarten students during the day.” Nanci Griffith’s world tours are now the stuff of memories and Youtube videos , but her heart and soul will endure for years to come. She recorded and released more than twenty albums during her brilliant career. The video above features me playing one of Nanci’s rousing  songs titled “Say It Isn’t So.” David Gittlin has written three feature length screenplays, produced two short films, and published eleven novels. Before quitting his day job, he spent more than thirty years as a marketing director building expertise in advertising, copywriting, corporate communications, collateral sales materials, website content/design and online marketing. He plays guitar as a hobby. #PublicRadio #musicians #acousticguitar #folkmusic #music #AustinCityLimits #guitarpicking #folfguitar #songs #AustinCity #vocals #Martinguitar #guitar #musicalaccompanyment #guitarplaying #singing #concerts

To experience serenity, I think of the word “see.” To feel serene, I remember that a wise person sees the big picture. From this heightened perspective, I am free from the tension and anxiety that too often pushes its way into my awareness to eclipse the spontaneous joy my soul wants to feel. I think of the big picture as a three hundred and sixty degree panoramic view of a beautiful countryside from the top of a mountain. This view is always available and waiting for me when I want to experience serenity instead of struggle. To go to the mountain top, I change my point of view from being the center of the universe to being a part of it.   I remember that serenity and boundless joy are my birthright. I have found it is a good practice to take time daily to sit alone in a peaceful environment to claim my birthright.  A daily dose of serenity has changed my life for the better.  Peace is inside of everyone.  The awakening person seeks peace first before everything else. #positiveoutlook #peacewithin #calminadversity #wellness #creativity #Joy #wellbeing #personalgrowth #motivation #psychology #perspective #mindset #hope #peace #innerpeace #peaceinhardtimes #frameofmind #inspiration

The moment arrived unannounced during a set of solitary yoga postures on my plush, living room rug.  A long stretch to relieve the tension of the day popped something open inside me.  It was not a ligament or a tendon.  It was my hardened heart. In the Hollywood version of the story, the hero manages to crawl to the phone, call 911, and then wakes up in a hospital bed after a miraculous, life-saving operation by a brilliant, open-heart surgeon.  The experience impresses upon our hero a number of crucial life lessons.  After the crisis, the hero’s character and actions towards others change profoundly for the better. Unfortunately, life does not resemble a Hollywood B movie.  My physical heart had not split open while in shoulder stand on the rug.  A more subtle heart had opened, and with it, a door to a new world and another destiny. It all started with Jorge, the new employee I would never have invited to lunch if my regular lunch buddies had not run off without me.  Jorge was Mexican, the only Latin guy on in the executive suite of a wallpaper distribution company that hired mostly Anglo-Americans when Miami’s transformation into a multi-cultural city had begun in earnest in 1981. Jorge was in his early thirties, average looking, average height, dark hair, brown eyes, and a thin mustache.  He was the kind of guy who could get lost in a crowd easily.  I had no idea his unheralded arrival would trigger a seminal occurrence in my life. My company hired Jorge for its fledgling export division.  Jorge’s mission was to open up markets in South America and the Caribbean (approximately one quarter of the world) all by himself.  He had the ability to speak Spanish and, I presumed, super-human sales skills coupled with a pioneering spirit.  I didn’t envy Jorge one bit. I considered myself above Jorge.  I was the high and mighty Marketing Director—Jorge the lowly new sales recruit.  I had served my time in sales.  I was grateful beyond words not to have to spend my days selling wallpaper sample books to dealers who had no more room in their stores for them.  I figured, if nothing else, I could learn something about the export market by going to lunch with the new recruit.  Besides, Jorge was the only soul left on the second floor other than myself. Jorge suggested we eat at a quiet, natural food restaurant in Miami Springs.  My lunch prospects had just been elevated from a singular, fatty, McDonald’s affair to a tasty, low cholesterol engagement.  I happily agreed. Over salads and grain burgers, I discovered Jorge was a vegetarian and practiced meditation daily.  Here was a subject I had some interest in, having experimented with various forms and teachers of meditation over the years.  You might say I was a semi-serious spiritual seeker.  And, I had reached a curious crossroads, a sort of impasse in my life. I had everything a thirty-something American male could wish for: the perfect job in a field I enjoyed; a great boss; a townhouse bachelor pad; girlfriends, a few pals to hang out with; a sports car and club memberships.  I had scrupulously followed the prescribed formulas for success.  I had cobbled together many of the accouterments of an ideal life. Yet I felt restless and unfulfilled. I was terrified there was something terribly wrong with me.  I felt the cold winds of middle age blowing in my direction.  I saw myself dating one girl after another well into my eighties, until I finally abandoned the search for true love when my body and spirit caved in from old age. There I was, sitting across from this lowly new recruit munching on his iceberg lettuce.  He casually mentioned losing 80 pounds after becoming a vegetarian.  I commented that it must have taken a great deal of willpower.  He answered, “Not really.” I began to pepper Jorge with questions.  The guy was unlike many of the salespeople in our company I regularly rubbed elbows with.  He had a depth and an intensity that I found intriguing. I asked Jorge what kind of meditation he practiced.  He said it was not a “kind of meditation.”  He launched into a passionate discourse about a profound experience of peace the meditation opened up for him.  He invited me to a presentation scheduled at a hotel on Miami Beach that evening.  I told myself there was no way I was going to drive all the way from South Miami to the Beach to attend some dubious spiritual seminar. That night, I found myself sitting in a lime green, orange accented meeting room at the Carlyle Hotel. Curiosity—and some undefinable vibe emanating from between Jorge’s words at lunch had picked me up from the chocolate brown pit sofa in my living room and deposited me in an uncomfortable chair surrounded by a room full of strangers. Indian music played from six-foot speakers flanking a makeshift stage.  The only thing that kept me in my seat was the absence of Hare-Krishna-like chanting. I glanced to my left and caught a glimpse of Jorge, who smiled kindly at me.  Someone took the stage and began speaking into a microphone. The Indian Music and the microphone are the only details I recall after the program began.  My perspective slowly shifted from an external focus to a pleasant inner experience. A succession of three speakers addressed the gathering that evening.  I do not recall a single word any one of them said.  I just remember feeling relaxed.  I had an experience that can only be described as feeling at home with myself. For the first time in a very long while, I had actually enjoyed myself without a great deal of effort or alcohol to help me along.  I felt like an invisible hand had knocked off a layer of caked mud from my body. It is difficult for me to describe what happened after that evening.  I can only say that it marked the beginning of a long journey that lasts to this day, to this very moment. In the days and weeks after the event at the Carlyle Hotel, I met Jorge’s teacher, who essentially introduced me to myself.  I thought I knew myself pretty well.  I began to see that the image I held of myself was only a faint glimmer of a deeper, broader self, filled with possibilities. Many years later, my life remains full of challenges, but I face them with real joy and optimism.  I have discovered that life can be every bit as beautiful as you want it to be.  It takes some courage and effort, but the possibility is real for anyone willing to step up to the plate. I look inward now for satisfaction, rather than chasing it on the outside.  I shake hands with myself on a daily basis through meditation.  I feel more grounded.  I feel more love from within, which reflects positively into my outer life. It occurs to me that I should have picked up the tab for Jorge’s lunch.  Jorge, my friend, if you’re out there somewhere and can read this, please know that I owe you one. David Gittlin has written three feature length screenplays, produced two short films, and published eleven novels. Before quitting his day job, he spent more than thirty years as a marketing director building expertise in advertising, copywriting, corporate communications, collateral sales materials, website content/design and online marketing. #god #memories #consciousness #culture #meditation #innerpeace #thoughts #musings #awakening

Let the sky break open and burn a deep azure blue. Let the ripening fields explode in the warmth of the shimmering sun. Let God fall down from heaven and lead us out of the valley of death to a land overflowing with milk and honey. Let divine swans fly gracefully in skies of eternal light. Let freedom and joy rain down from the heavens in a nourishing deluge; feeding the thirsty Seekers of Truth. The round of life churns on and on. For too many people the immediate goal is to merely survive one more day. How have we gotten ourselves into this mess which stretches back to the dawn of time? The latest iteration of this is the monstrous coronavirus. I am calling out. I am affirming. I am manifesting. “Open up the new world.  It cannot be the same old world. Move on.  Move forward.  Find traction.” Where is the light? Where is the Oxygen? Where is the nectar? I’m reaching for the next rung, but I can’t find it. I grasp only handfuls of air. Claw, slash, burn; find a way. I am leery and weary of the toe holds I used before. Change is in the air. I will not march down the same old roads. There is a way. There is a new world. I (we) must discover it. #depression #affirmations #happiness #metaphors #imagery #coronavirus #Joy #metaphysical #personalgrowth #betterworld #psychology #fulfillment #poetry #mindset #peace #innerpeace #visualize #imagination #createyourreality #vizualization #positiveaffirmations #inspiration