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A recent "Hawktalk" at a University.

"Walk the Talk" and "Talk The Walk"

In the year 2012, give or take a year or two. There will appear on the bookshelves of the World, a new book. Whose pages and details are being written as we speak.

It will be a story about a seven year old boy and his dream. The year is 1935 during those years just after the "Great Depression" in America. A boyhood dream about someday; walking around the World. Not in "eighty days" as the famous Jules Verne wrote about in his novel. But a walk around the World in 7,000 plus days or thereabouts.

As this young boy was growing up on a small farm in middle America, there was a popular love song being played on the radio. With the lyrics asking a very curious question. " Have you ever seen a dream walking; well I have."

So have I; for you see I am that boy and his dream of seventy-two years ago. Who at this point in time and space has completed seventeen years of a twenty-one or twenty-two year odyssey around the World. Which has covered approximately 80,000 miles. Fourteen thousand of those miles was in walking the "Fifty-States" of America. Which had never been done before

Walt Whitman in a poem entitled, "A Song Of The Open Road" wrote these words; " I am in step with my vision. As I tramp my perpetual journey." To paraphrase; "I am in step with my dream as I walk ' the Path less traveled.'

As I thought about the words, I might offer up during our brief encounter. And how if fortunate enough, they might come "alive" in your respective lives. Three little words kept re-entering my thought streams. Three very important words; no, not " I love you" as important as these words are; especially to our loved ones. Which we do not possibly express as often as we should. But the three words I had in mind for you to hear and to think on, are;

"Walk the Talk"

By this we simply mean: be that which you speak, speak that which you are. The words of my grandfather are still with me. As he spoke to my father one day:" A mans' word is his bond, a binding commitment, an obligation to the word one speaks."Someone once wrote, Emerson I believe;" What you are, speaks so loudly. I cannot hear what you are saying."

If the truth was known; we teach and communicate more by being and doing than by a mere avalanche of words.

We catch the spirit, the aliveness, the energy and excitement of the moment and the one who is speaking." More is caught than taught". It is the intensity and energy, along with the impact and the aliveness of the word spoken that persuades, cajoles and convinces the hearer. The spoken word , what a responsibility. What a responsibility indeed!

We do not have the time in this moment to speak about the Art of Communication in its' totality.(the various nuances that are involved, as well as all the needed skills and technique which are 'part and parcel' in the media disciplines of today.) Instead, let me offer a brief definition that proposes a different insight for communicating.

To communicate, one must be in communion with oneself and others which recalls two time honoured mandates or if you prefer two proven affirmations out of the past. The first one; which has been attributed to Socrates: "Know thyself" and the second one; "And unto thy own self be true." by Marcus Aurelius. If we can somehow learn the secret that is offered by these two pearls of wisdom and incarnate them within. Making them part of our flesh and blood; a  true driving force in our daily living, our daily thinking and doing. Not only will we be the better for it as we come to understand ourselves and others. We will be better equipped to communicate in all areas and levels of social discourse and be understood.

When this happens, it is important to remember the following. "Every thing that has a beginning, has an ending." And secondly, "This too shall pass." So do not give up. Communication has to be worked at.

True Communication is in the giving, the offering up of information, knowledge, wisdom, values, et.cetera. But even deeper, it is the offering up of one's self, the giving of one's self, the breathings of one's self. The giving of who and what one is. One's is-ness, their uniqueness, as he or she understands it to be. And of course here comes the "rub". At the very bottom of our poor relationships and our inability to understand ourselves and others is the glaring fact, the truth. We do not know who and what we are? We have never taken the time to honestly and sincerely ask ourselves; "Who am I? Why am I here? And where am I going?"

Which brings us back to "Know thyself". The very foundation of communication. You must Be, be that which you speak.

"Walk the Talk"

If you and I are going to grow, to evolve within our various enterprises. We must create by thought, word and deed the most conducive conditions, so that all men, women and children may grow and evolve to their highest possibilities and potentialities.

In light of this; you and I need to search out those ways, means and instruments that will help promote, motivate, enthuse, engender, energize, enhance, affirm and celebrate those possibilities of becoming all we were meant to be and can be.

One of the greatest of all truths; is that we are already, already "THAT!" But we have somehow misplaced ourselves forgetting who we really are. Sort of a selective amnesia. But have we really forgotten. Ever once in awhile we hear; "I'm not myself today." Or "I am beside myself." It is hard to imagine that we could forget such a 'Gift? 'To err is human', they do say! But it is also said; "we are more divine than human."

So the reality is; our lives can be the 'color of joy and the sound of music.' Now some may ask: if this is possible? And I would quickly add, Yes! Yes! Why? Because we have every thing we need. We but need to experience everything we have been given.

One of the underlying dilemmas of the human situation has to do with our priority lists of needs. We have allowed our needs to be infiltrated by our wants. "Wants" are "horses of a different color". Needs are essential to our survival to our well-being. Whereas our wants are more self-indulging, self-serving and less essential. Of course our wants have a greater PR.(public relations) going for them. If you buy this, possess this, get this, you will be..... You fill in the blank.

The 'Hallmark' choice, is that choice which is the 'best, the better and the more excellent' for us. It should not have to be said: but we need to choose well both in thought word and deed as to the far reaching consequences, not only for "the now" but also for the future. Because our choices affect not only our lives but the lives of others.

Life is not just a matter of thinking or feeling and above all, not just existing. Life is about being aware, on a breath to breath basis. Also in the aliveness of becoming, of being the very best which life is constantly offering up to us on a day to day agenda. Is it not sad that so many are just walking around to save funeral expenses. They are dead and guess, what?, they don't know it.

Back to our original statement. I bet you thought I had forgotten. "Walk the Talk", be that which you speak. Let's reduce these words down to a practical application. Case in point; if you and I want to have a friend, what must you and I do? I hope your answer was: in thought, word and deed. We must be a friend first. Would you agree? Yes! If we want to be loved, we must become love, be love. And this process of becoming holds true for any value, wisdom or whatever it is that we seek after; be it truth, beauty or goodness. In other words; you and I must "Walk The Talk".

It wouldn't be a bad idea if we would ask ourselves before we speak to our loved ones, friends, associates and yes, even the stranger. If we are that which we are about to utter?

Be that which you speak, easy "No"
worthwhile, yes!
do-able, yes!
You see 'Will Shakespeare' was right.
"To be or not to be that is the question."

So is your choice "to be or not to be?"

It would be nice!

Uruguay 2007

The epic 20 yr. journey

is finished.

The Hawk has landed.