Diamond Mike Watson's Blog, page 19

The Neon 3

The sun had fallen. Stars had not quite sprinkled the sky.  The old man fought his way to the door of the corner market amidst impatient cars dodging into empty parking stalls. Inside the market, tiny-wheeled grocery carts manned by grumpy shoppers whizzed everywhere without traffic regulations.  One shopper bumped the man’s cart while another complained about the thickly-sliced bologna.

The old man quickly finished his shopping and propelled his cart toward checkout line number 3.  The mesmerizing neon glow of the sign stopped him. It wasn’t the shape or size of the 3 that made him pause, but the beautiful illumination! It was not just hot pink, but contained a hint of blue, making the intense color veer toward magenta. It must have been an illusion, but the 3 seemed to proudly float in front of its black square background home.

The old man grasped the handle of the cart but an invisible force prevented him from moving it. He was always paralyzed in awe from any color one might consider even slightly purplish. As the old man continued gazing at the 3, the noise of the late-evening scramblers was silenced.  The 3 became like a beacon of a lighthouse, inviting weary travelers to the paradise of its peaceful shore.

“Sir, would you like to go ahead of me?” A lady next to him politely interrupted his trance. She must have noticed the old man’s cart contained only a few items. He nodded no thanks and let her swivel into the line.

Maybe it was his nature of being Pisces, but he always became entranced when perceiving an object of wonder. A tiny leaf, a bejeweled insect, and now a 3 whose vibrant color burst through the dimmest aisle of a dank food market.  The 3 made everything alive and real.

“Mister, are you okay?” The old man nodded to another lady in line, knowing by her glare she considered him insane. He wondered if anyone noticed the exalting color. He returned his attention to the 3.  The resplendent 3!  The number seemed to pulse with a blinding luminescence. It summoned all to pause and be thankful for this Gift of Life. It split the darkness with hope. Like a supernova in a faraway galaxy, the 3 had the power to halt time.  3! The beautiful 3!…

“We are closing in five minutes, sir.” The old man turned around to the deeper voice of a security guard.  “Please get in line if you want to check out.”

The old man obeyed by slowly wheeling his cart into the line. “Will that be cash or debit?” the attendant asked as she flipped off the lighted sign. The unpleasant noise of impatient shoppers poured back into reality as the 3 was blackened. The man paid and was ushered out the door. Although he was not religious, he later testified how he discovered God who broke through this dimension, disguised as a neon number.

Filed under: Amazing Today, Life Adventures, Philosophy, Tales of Imagination

Sharing the Same Experience / Part Four

The sun had fallen. Stars had not quite sprinkled the sky. As I push the grocery cart toward checkout line number 3, the mesmerizing neon glow of the sign stops me. It isn’t the shape or size of the 3 that makes me pause, but the beautiful illumination. The color is not just hot pink, but contains a hint of blue, making the intense hue veer toward magenta.

I grasp the wooden handle of the cart but cannot move. I have always been entranced by any color in the spectrum that one might consider purple. I gaze in silence within the ambient sounds of the quaint store.

“Sir, would you like to go ahead of me?” A lady next to me politely interrupts my trance. She must have noticed my cart contained only a loaf of bread and a gallon of milk. I nod no thanks and let her swivel into the line.

Maybe it is my nature of being Pisces, but I become paralyzed in awe when I perceive an object of wonder. A tiny leaf, a bejeweled insect, or the number 3 whose radiant color brightens the dimmest corner of a musty food market.

“Mister, are you okay?” I nod to the man in line, knowing he considers me insane. I return my stare to the 3, which continued to pulse its luminescence for all to see. A beacon for all to pause and be thankful for the sense of sight. A color that splits the darkness with hope. A star in a faraway galaxy. The 3 shone its glory for humanity. Is anyone here to share my experience? Am I the only one awed? Does anyone else care, or am I simply trapped inside the sphere of my own universe?

Filed under: Amazing Today, Life Adventures, Tales of Imagination

Do You Live in a Castle?

 

I live in a castle. I also work at a company in which I am surrounded by precious objects created by the imagination of the world. I am a diamond merchant. After working for a jewelry company for ten years, I ventured to California to make a positive impact on the western coast. That was thirty years ago. As I look around me, I sometimes wonder how I got here.

It is interesting that my essence has not changed. Problems were challenges. Fear was adventure. Failures were lessons. At that time, if you asked me the type of car I drove, I would have said a luxurious, earth-toned Ford. It was actually a dirty-brown and dented Mustang that was too tired to make a California journey. I did not dare selling the cranky vessel, for it was my symbol of triumph over a work demotion and the divorce from my newly wedded wife. I paid for it with a handful of crumbled cash, then hauled it two thousand miles across the United States.

I had nowhere to climb but upward. Arriving at the Golden State I met a beautiful Guatemalan girl named Carmen who would later become my soulmate. I still do not know what attracted Carmen to me. The contents of my moving truck proved I owned few possessions, so maybe she simply admired my blind confidence that set me apart from other suitors.

We soon become inseparable and I became a happy king. Our lives would begin to be filled with the wondrous abundance of the world.

For those who know me, you may argue that my home is not a castle, at least in the traditional definition of the word. I do not drive in a limousine. You also may not consider me a king. However, it is not the physical things that surround us that determine our happiness. Love, happiness and success are all determined from the perception of our hearts. We are all kings and queens, the world is our mansion, and the universe is the Silver Platter that offers all its wonders to each of us. My blue jeans are sown with the finest silk.  My slice of bread is a delicious delicacy.  The lone dandelion that appears in the Imperial Garden of my back yard is equal in beauty  to the yellow roses. All we have to do is reach into the Silver Platter and take what is offered so freely.

Do you live in a castle?

What do you want? Who do you want to be? There is nothing stopping you from achieving all the happiness and success that life is ready to give you. Just be thankful. Just see the precious objects and beautiful people who already surround you. Just open your eyes.

Filed under: Amazing Today, Family Life, FlyUp!, Life Adventures, Philosophy

You Live in a Castle

 

I live in a castle. I also work at a company in which I am surrounded by precious objects created by the imagination of the world. I am a diamond jeweler. Nearly thirty years ago, I ventured to California to seek this glorious lifestyle. As I look around me, I sometimes wonder how I got here.

It is interesting to note that I am no different than I was in my late twenties. My essence is the same. At that time, if you asked me the type of car I drove, I would have said a luxurious, earth toned Ford. It was actually an old, dirty-brown and dented Mustang that was too tired to make a California journey. Although I should have sold it, I instead I hauled it 2,000 miles across the United States.

In 1989 I had been both demoted at my job and divorced from my newly wedded wife. I had nowhere to climb but upward. Arriving at the Golden State I met Carmen, who would later become my soulmate. I still do not know what attracted the beautiful Guatemalan girl to me. Was it my tight natural curls, my charm, or the new whitewall tires I had just purchased for the Mustang? The contents of my UHaul proved I owned few possessions, so maybe she admired my blind confidence that set me apart from other suitors.

We soon become inseparable partners and I became a happy king. Our new lives would begin to be filled with the wondrous abundance of the world.

For those who know me, you may argue that my home is not a castle, at least in the traditional definition of the word. I do not drive to work in a limousine. You also may not consider me a king. However, I discovered years ago that it is not the physical things that surround us that determine our happiness. Love, happiness and success are all determined from the perception of our hearts. We are all kings and queens, the world is our mansion, and the universe is our silver platter that offers all its wonders to each of us. We simply need to reach in and take what is offered so freely to us.

You live in a castle.

What do you want? Who do you want to be? There is nothing stopping you from achieving all the success that life is ready to give you. Just be thankful. Just see the precious objects and beautiful people who already surround you. Just open your eyes.

Filed under: Amazing Today, Family Life, Life Adventures, Philosophy

Ping. Ping.

“Treeet. Treeet.” A songbird chirped happily outside my window. I turned to see the creature sip the water from the garden fountain. I love mornings.

“Ping ping.” The single serving coffeemaker chimed that the aromatic brew was ready. It was the last serving until my wife would buy more. The sun beamed a golden ray that illuminated the kitchen.

“Mmeeep. mmeeep. mmeeep.” The microwave had finished warming my cream. I mixed the two hot liquids into a cup, along with a heaping dash of sugar, and slowly slouched into the fluffy chair. The first sip is always the best. I admired the steam that floated upwards. I gave silent thanks, then pulled the cup towards my lips in anticipation.

“Kerchuk!” The toaster nearly ejected the two slices of bread I had plopped into its chamber moments earlier. I never drink coffee without toast, at least on Sunday mornings. I set the cup on the nearby table and returned to the kitchen.

“Irrrrk!” The smoke alarm pierced a warning signal. Someone must have set the toaster dial too high. I thought I smelled something burning. Sure enough, the toast was black on one side. I waved a towel underneath the detector to dissipate any wandering smoke.

I scraped off the blackened crust, buttered the golden side, then cut the squares into triangles. After arranging them neatly onto a saucer, I brought them back to my favorite chair and sunk deep into its cushions.

Like one chugs a quart of oil into a thirsty automobile, I grasped the cup with both hands to spill the liquid down my throat. The cup had since cooled and the steam had disappeared.

“Irrk.” The damn smoke detector was always finicky and squawked several times after the show was over. If I did not change batteries soon, it would haunt me forever with it’s irritating squeak.

I opened my mouth wide. The temperature of the creamy brown liquid had dropped to lukewarm. At least I could gulp it without burning my throat. Nothing would stop me from enjoying the sweet and inevitable caffeine rush that would so completely arouse my senses.

“Honk honk!” My wife pulled into the driveway from her morning grocery shopping. Two honks was my signal to help her bring the bags inside. If I didn’t jump immediately she would get irritable, saying I never want to help her and always want to lounge around drinking coffee.

I ambled once again from the chair, took one last glance at the liquid, then poured it down the sink.

“I’ll be right there, honey.” I yelled from the door.

You may have to go back to the store,” she said from her opened window. “I forgot to get coffee.”

Filed under: Amazing Today, Life Adventures, Tales of Imagination

Never Give Up- By Michaela Watson

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My daughter, Michaela, wrote this narration for me to use for our FlyUp presentations.  I am so lucky to have a daughter like her.

My name is Diamond Mike Watson. Did you know that when I was born I didn’t have a name? My original birth certificate referred to me as “infant.” Three days after I was born I was adopted by a loving mother who finally gave me a name -Michael.

Although not blood related, my adoptive mom is who I call mom because she is the one who raised me, cared for me, motivated me, and loved me.

She never hid the fact that I was adopted, and daily she would tell me that I could be whoever or do whatever I wanted as long as I worked hard for it.

With this idea in mind, I became many things. I am a baker. I am a musician. I am an author. I am a father.

I am an artist and a guitarist. Today I’m also a jeweler, but I never would have been a jeweler if I did not first become a private investigator.

Let me explain:

I spent twenty years searching for my birth mom. I am not sure what drove me to dedicate so much time into this task for I loved my adoptive mom so much, but the burning curiosity of where I came from became a like a fire that needed to be extinguished.

What did my biological parents look like? Did they look like me? Did I have brothers, sisters? I had to find out.

Finding my roots was no easy task. Confidentiality is serious business. I was sent away empty-handed more times than I could count. The words “No,” “you’re not allowed,” and “you can’t do that,” became commonplace in my ears.

Many people give up after failing so many times. But I was persistent, and one day I finally received the one thing I that I have held sacred to this day: a photo of the woman who gave birth to me.

My mission was accomplished, but instead of ending it there, I used my past as a basis for my future. I wanted to fully live my life to it’s unlimited potential.

Filed under: Life Adventures

How Big is Your Cube?

 

How Big is Your Cube?

It was just a silly game at work. You know, the psychological kind that asks one to imagine a forest, a key on the ground, or a fork in the road. Each vision relates to one’s love life, likelihood of success, or hopes, dreams and fears.

I was asked to imagine standing in a desert. Then I was asked to imagine a cube.

“How large is the cube?” My co-worker asked.

I paused in contemplation. My hollow, iron cube was framed with braces of blue, yellow, green, and red. The kindergarten colors glinted brightly in the hot sun. It was difficult to determine the size for there was nothing relative to it on my parched desert except for the few rolling, grassy, hills in the nearby background. “About the height of two elephants. Squared,” I finally answered.

“Wow!” the co-worker exclaimed. “I’ve never heard of anyone imagining a cube that large. But that makes sense for you, Mr. Watson.”

Other questions followed that required imagining flowers, a horse, and an oncoming storm. I soon unraveled my subconscious desires for love and friendship.

But the cube! The cube was me. It was how I perceived myself in relationship with my world. The size of my cube represented how highly I thought of myself. It was my ego. My love for myself was instilled shortly after I understood the unfathomable love of my adoptive mother. This love, in turn, made it easy for me to love others.

I consider myself a masterpiece. My greatness, however, precisely equals the skilled motion of a hummingbird and the perfect spiral of a seashell. It precisely equals you. I am not a small, six-sided plastic toy that melts from the Sahara’s sun. I am, like you, the desert and everything in it.

I am, like you, the universe.

I realized my cube was not large at all. In fact, I was disappointed in knowing that I had so rudely restricted myself to the confines to something as minuscule as two elephants squared. If the initial question was worded, ‘Imagine you are on an expansive desert, that gently rolls outwards as far as your eyes can see,’ I surely would have imagined a cube at least as huge as the Great Pyramid of Giza.

It is too late, however, to replay the game. It would be impossible for me to recreate my vision of the flowers, horse, and ensuing storm that will be forever crystallized in my brain. But what if my desert sketch pad was infinite- oblivion to the corner of my eyes? What if it was like a barren, never ending blank palette? How big would be my cube?

How big is your cube?

Filed under: Amazing Today, FlyUp!, Life Adventures, Philosophy

Sharing the Same Experience – Part Three

“The plant by the door looks a little sad today. I don’t know what’s wrong with it.” My wife solemnly says.

I walk toward the plant. “So you’re saying this plant looks a little droopy?”

My wife glares at me irritably, “Why do you always repeat what other people say in different words? Is it because you don’t understand anything?”

I wasn’t prepared for confrontation and returned to my delicious coffee next to the cushy chair. The morning sun shone brightly through the east-facing windows.

The fact is, I did understand what my wife said. What I could not understand, however, was how could any plant that so gloriously reflected the sun rays appear sad to someone else? I turned again to sharply focus on the handsome green fern. The leaves were vibrant and upturned, and seemed to bask in the glow of the morning light.

“I rotated it a few minutes ago. Maybe it needs more water,” my wife continued.

I did notice the stalks were now slanted away from the light. I do feel houseplants enjoy being turned on occasion to catch equal rays all around. “It looks beautiful to me,” I stated.

“That’s because everything is beautiful to you, Dr. Watson.”

She was right. And perhaps this was just another lesson how the universe, and everything in it, is simply the sum of our feelings. When we feel beautiful, everything is beautiful. When we feel gloomy, everything is gloomy. The lesson learned is that we create our reality.

“Reality is not given to you- it is made by you. The world you see around you right now is not a set construct. It’s not a pre-defined experience for all humans to perceive in the same way and interact with similarly. The reality you see is a product of your own perceptions, how you’ve processed the world, and the sense you have made of it.” -Nicky Sutton.

Filed under: Amazing Today, Life Adventures, Philosophy

Diamond Mike’s Amazing Cookies

I might not be the best baker in the world, but I am a great jeweler. Stop by and see me the next time you are close by, or see my designs at http://www.galleryofdiamonds.com

I will make you a beautiful ring.

Share this with the world!

Filed under: Gallery of Diamonds, Life Adventures

Success is a State of Mind

 

Everything in life begins with a dream.  For ten years I had enjoyed the career of a diamond merchant.  The jewelry business had become my passion. With my wife-to-be sitting close to me in our quaint apartment, we uttered the possibility of a jewelry company that could offer intriguing designs at less than normal retail prices.

Perhaps the fear of failure is anthropological. Deciding not to become an entrepreneur may be contained in our brains list of reasons for not jumping off a cliff or running in front of a moving vehicle. The fear of losing all of one’s possessions may be in the same category as the terror of speaking to a large crowd. Yet if confidence and belief in one’s abilities is even a fraction greater than the fright of failure, it is possible to alter the world.

As I look back twenty-five years I remember the primitive tools that we used to build Gallery of Diamonds.   As time progressed, the universe seemed to offer more sophisticated tools.  From a tiny office in 1991, the store has already outgrown itself twice and is now nested in a third location in the city of Santa Ana.

During the fledgling years, few customers trickled into the store and the checking account had fallen below $200.   I am still not sure what was responsible for the turnaround, but I’m certain our concept of “failure” was inconceivable.  Today, the company has been visited by more than 40,000 families. The brain is quite an amazing machine.  If it is listened to, it will create unfathomable possibilities.   In 1993, the Why Mom Deserves a Diamond® contest was created for kids to show appreciation for their mothers. In 2014, the FlyUp!™ Program was established for school kids to realize their unlimited potential.

As the years have passed, I have grown in love with my wife more each day. Two daughters have come into our lives and now a grandson is on the way. In the process of dream building, I learned that sustained belief with good intentions really do effect our universe.  Although riches and wealth is normally associated with success, it is really just a state of mind. I also learned that to fully obtain our human experience it is important to find humor and amusement along our journey. We should laugh often, and bow in thankfulness for all the universe gives us.

Filed under: Building, FlyUp!, Gallery of Diamonds, Jewelry, Philosophy, Why Mom Deserves A Diamond