mizChartreuse || redefiningSuccess

Today, I love: _________

How people out there can be quite inspiring, from all walks of life.

NBC’s Today Show just featured a 15-year-old boy who is the owner of a jewelry business and is very money savvy. And he spoke so eloquently and talked about how he donates percentages of his profits to youth charities. I think that’s awesome and inspiring that there are kids out there making a difference and not letting their age be a hindrance–but using it to their advantage.

Meredith Viera was discussing tips for teaching your children to be financially responsible, and I believe if parents did more of that, there would certainly be less spoiled kids out there who turn into hoity-toity adults…or deadbeats. One important point: don’t bail your kids out! Let them learn the hard and right way and they’ll appreciate the value of a dollar and have, um, independent life skills?

There was also a feature story on an inspiring 11-year-old boy who had been in foster care until age five, and then was adopted by a gay couple. “We call him our little man because he’s just so wise beyond his years,” his daddy said. “He’s my rock,” his papa described him, with tears in his eyes. And the kid was great. Even after his dads split up, he still remained a light to others, including his two older and one younger adopted brothers. Despite his obstacles and circumstances, he was such a strong, positive, intelligent child and watching the mini-documentary glimpse into his life was touching.

I think there are great things to learn from children.

And great things to learn from people with…child-like spirits?

Jim Carrey, Steve Carell, and Carol Burnett were on Oprah this morning, and her set was transformed into Whoville from Dr. Seuss’ magical world. The three stars are voice actors in the upcoming film Horton Hears a Who, and it looks not only hysterical, but deep! Jim Carrey had the audience (and myself) crying within the first two minutes of the show. (AND he finally cut his ridiculous long hair from the days when 23 was coming out!) I love ridiculously funny people…

But he also had some sweet and profound things to say. Oprah asked what his mantra was, and he responded, “I am heaven.” People laughed at first, but he explained it and I get it and that’s what I believe: “Heaven is not a place I’m hoping to get to or someday,” he said. “Life is about the present; the journey–not necessarily something in the future to yearn after. I can have it be NOW. I am heaven.” Sweet.

He also had some commentary on relationships, saying, “You can’t be in a great, fulfilling relationship with someone until you are a whole person yourself. It’s not about someone else completing you, or vice versa, but partnership. And I can have happiness if i choose to have it now.” Indeed. He also quipped that he was madly in love with Jenny McCarthy but wasn’t going to jump on her seats.

So I don’t remember reading Horton Hears a Who as a child, but from what I gathered from today’s show, an elephant named Horton (Carrey) discovers a whole entire world inside a speck of dust. This town, Whoville, is in turmoil for some reason or other, and he is determined to save them.

One of the underlying messages is that just because we can’t see or perceive things doesn’t mean they don’t exist. Before microscopes and telescopes, people truly didn’t believe there were germs and tiny invisible…life forms out there. Same goes for the cosmos. Think about how much more we have yet to discover and learn…just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean it isn’t there; hence my personal spiritual beliefs and so on. That can be analogous to things you want to accomplish or do–just because you can’t see it now doesn’t mean it can’t happen. Everything is possible.

If you have the chance, I highly recommend catching Oprah again tonight because it is such a riot and that movie looks like fun.

How was your weekend? I had a great one!