Sunday, January 04, 2004

The silence of the morning was interrupted by the sound of an apache helicopter-flying overhead waking me from a restful sleep. I sat up in bed to look out the window to see what kind of day it was going to be. The cloudless sky was unusually blue and the sun was beginning to rise from behind the horizon indicating it was the start of a new day.

Many new things

It is the start of many new things, not just of a new day but also of a new year. This is a new beginning with New Year’s resolutions in mind, the start of a few new behaviors and activities, as I contemplate the essence of my existence. I have many changes in mind for this year.

This is the time for the people of Iraq, as they embrace their newly acquired freedom, out from under the evil control of Saddam Hussein, to have a new beginning. Now is the time for all the Iraqi people to begin new lives, with new opportunities, stepping forward as they participate in the remolding of their country.

(A gun battle can be heard on the edges of the green zone)

My second son Michael just returned from a two-year-mission in Russia, now ready to begin his new life back at home.
My third son Matthew, who just got his drivers license, is beginning a new life as a licensed driver, able now to finally take himself around for the first time.
My first son Daniel is beginning a new career opportunity as he jumps into a new position in a new industry.
My daughter is beginning a new phase without a certain individual in her life.
My team of debriefers and I have just been tasked with a new mission, while still conducting our old one. I can’t describe what it is, but I am excited about the possibilities and the opportunities that this new mission might bring.
My wife begins with new efforts to embrace the changes in her life.

Change is the only constant:

We are encouraged by the continual changing of life, which brings newness to our existence, with opportunities to redo, reshape, and remake our lives. As change itself revitalizes our hope for a purposeful-meaningful existence. It is when we embrace the changes in our life that we discover deep down inside who we really are and what we really desire.

Many times we fight against change, wanting things to remain static, fearing the vary thing that will bring us further along life’s path. We fear the unknown that change might have in store for us, hoping to remain in a more familiar state, one already adjusted to. At times this fear or distain for change paralyzes us from adjusting and adapting to perhaps a more meaningful existence. 

There are many opportunities missed by attempting to remain or return to a previous state, as if living by memory is anyway to exist. Many potential growth experiences are lost due to our resistance to change and our insistence to perpetuate a past life experience.

If only we could see ahead to what we might learn or how we might grow through new experiences and opportunities brought about by change. If we could but embrace change with full purpose and positive intent, hoping to discover new doors opening and new rays of hope for enrichment, talent development, and skill enhancement.

I yearn for change in many areas of my life as I progress along this continuum we call life. I hope to be a catalyst for positive change in my life and the lives of those I come in contact with, in every capacity I find myself in. Life could be a perpetual chain of change, bringing about desired results with a glorious end in mind.

This past year has been a wonderful year of perpetual change taking me to such an array of unfamiliar places, full of exciting experiences and fantastic opportunities. Although one of the most difficult years, this year spent away from home has been perhaps the most rewarding time of my life, full of challenges, trials, difficulties, and tribulations. But on the other this has been a year of great joy, happiness, purpose and meaning.

I am grateful for the Lord’s hand that has guided me along this path, leading me from one experience to the next, preparing the way ahead, opening new doors, and allowing me to be a tool in his hands to help bring about many great things. I am grateful for the small part I have played in bringing about a mighty change in the lives of the people of Iraq.

Life:

Life is not like a video game with instant progression, completion or successes. We have been spoiled to believe that all of our problems can be solved in a few magical moves or steps, believing that there is some simple answer to life’s problems, brought about by some secret combination or solution.

Yes, life is hard and difficult and solutions take time and change is slow in many cases, brought about after much effort, hard work and patience.

Yes, we have a long ways to go over here to bring about the desire result of a new free lawful people of Iraq. But, we have come a long ways along that path, with many successes and accomplishments. There has been much change, one child at a time, one person at a time, one place, one city, one neighborhood, one community, we are getting there.

In looking back over the past year I can see that I have experienced much, endured much, contributed much, and most importantly I have changed much. I am a new person with new perspectives and aspirations. I now know more clearly what I want to be and what I value in life.

Deliberate living:

I have put deep personal meaning to the words of “living deliberately� and “living authentically�. I have determined through action and daily implementation what such a life is for me. Never before in my life have I ever been more deliberate in my actions and more authentic to my self. For the past year I have been engaged in being what I truly have always wanted to be.

I have a much broader understanding of how in any type of situation, under any circumstance or condition, even when the environment is restricted and controlled that it is possible to live deliberately and authentically.

I now have a real-life practical level knowledge beyond just a conceptual understanding of such a life. Where before I was lacking, I now have the missing link between understanding and implementation.

In most life perfecting/self help courses or books, there is always a disconnect between the principles being taught and the way in which they are supposed to be implemented into our daily life. I have always felt that most programs lack any actual method or process of implementation of their concepts into our messy individual lives.

I have proven, through my own efforts, how to implement and integrate the concepts of deliberate and authentic living into a variety of living circumstances and environments. I have with all sincerity and love for the people around me; made every effort to make a difference in the various situations I have found myself in, looking to create my own purpose and meaning in every instance.

So much to be thankful for

In retrospect I am very appreciative of so many things that occurred this last year

• I am grateful for life itself, for my health and my capabilities
• For the relationships I have made with so many new people
• For many deep-seated friendships I have made
• For a new understanding of this land and its people
• For all the good people who are beginning to step forward, taking the initiative to participate in the remolding of their country.
• For all the fantastic experiences I have had
• For all the opportunities that have taken me into so many new areas
• For the many areas of change and self improvement
• For the blessing off flexibility and adaptive ness
• For my skills and abilities that have been further fine tuned, honed and sharpened. 
• For all the great people who have helped make the “Sharing Joys with Toysâ€� campaign a possibility
• For all the donations and contributions that have added so much and expanding our capabilities to reach more people.
• For the generosity of all of you
• For all the hard work and many working hands that have assisted
• For kindness and love
• For wonderful children who are thrilled with a small toy or stuffed animal
• For great support group back home
• For people that understand why we are here and what we are trying to accomplish
• For a great family and many loved ones

It has been a great year full of so many magical and fantastic things.

**This New Year**

I am expecting this year to be a continuation of the past, full of excitement and change.

• Expanding the Joys for Toys campaign further into other needy countries
• Finishing the comic book and printing it in several languages
• Continuing the collection of children’s stories and more comic book stories
• Expanding the communication between children from all nations
• Returning home to further expand the reach of the donations for this campaign
• Finish building the cases against three really corrupt dudes in high positions here in Iraq before I leave.
• Ramp up my new mission in preparation for the hand off
• Traveling around the country teaching other people how to live their own deliberate and authentic life. Conducting seminars and public speaking events on how to get involved in the doing of good things, to add purpose and meaning in your life.
• Writing a book on my experiences
• Continue to find my path towards realizing my dreams
• To find what I have always been looking for
• To solve my business problems back home
• To readjust to life back home
• To give more and love more
• To teach my kids to do the same
• To live deliberately from the heart and authentically from my inner self

I really need:

• More children’s stories
• More comic book stories
• More letters from kids to Iraqi kids, as we get the “Chief Wiggles for Kidsâ€� up and running
• More toys for the campaign and more people who want to get involved
• More love expressed to others
• More patience

My second real day off:

I actually took a whole day off on New Years. I spoke with my family, talked with all my kids, even my son who just got back from two years in Russia, went to bed at 4am, slept in late, watched movies most of the day, doing absolutely nothing and just not even thinking. What a great day, which I really needed badly.

My son is back from Russia. Welcome back Michael. You are awesome. I am so proud of you.

To my son Daniel, way to go on your super grades at UC Irvine.

To my son Matthew, way to go in getting your drivers license.

Bad Guys are going to FALL!!!!!!

I am going to take down these guys before I leave if it is the last thing I do. I will make every effort and do anything I can to make this happen. I am going to do all I can to stop corruption in any form over here.

Toys Drops

I am going to do one toy drop a week until I leave, I promise.

Plunge and Matt are sending me a chuck of money from what has been donated so I can buy blankets and heaters for a number of poor people over here.

Gas Shortage

Just as I thought much of the allocated gasoline is being diverted to the black market to be sold when the gas stations run out and for export out of the country. In many cases only one third of the allocation is actually being dropped off. Tankers are pulling into the gas stations and driving right through without dropping their load, then are being sent either to other tankers for the back market or to the borders for export. Much of the gas that is coming inbound from other countries, under government subsidies, is then being sent right back to be sold at a higher price.

The military is starting to crack down on the black marketing of gasoline in an effort to discourage this activity, and it is working.

Have a great year

That’s it for now

Chief Wiggles