A Magic Man Looks at LIfe

By Michael Russell

Professional magician, actor, marketing executive, award winning salesman, poet, teacher, philosopher, theologian, the author has traveled countless roads. A MAGIC MAN LOOKS AT LIFE is just as varied as his life experiences. The chapters include, THINGS TAKEN FOR GRANTED, AND THE EXPLOSION OF SEVERAL MYTHS, (God is Good, Jesus was a perfect man (or was He?), the level playing field (myth or reality). Hard work always pays off—really?; THE LITTLE BOOK OF WHYS (including such scintillating questions as “Why is there is racism?”; “Why doesn’t capital punishment work?”, “Why are our kids so violent?”, “Why is there a Southern Drawl?”; ROADS, exploring the roads to success and failure—which roads are guaranteed? And for what? There is something for everybody --some seriously thoughtful stuff, and some seriously fun stuff. The final chapter is dedicated to helping grown- ups better understand their kids, and to helping kids along that torturous path to becoming productive adults.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Michael Russell
• Release date: Nov 12, 2012
• ISBN: 9781301337118

Michael Russell

Mike is a native of New Rochelle, NY, but moved to the DC area in 1949. Since then he has graduated from Holy Providence School, a little school run by the Sisters of The Blessed Sacrament for Indians and Colored Children (Founded by St. Katherine Drexel, who dedicated her life to and gave up every penny of her Drexel fortune to educate and catechize Blacks and Native Americans). After graduating from Archbishop Carroll High, he earned a degree in political science, with a minor in philosophy from Howard University (Go, Bison!) and subsequently served proudly in the 1st Battalion, 70th Armor, in Augsburg Germany. He has been a sales rep for Pfizer Labs and was promoted as the first African American assistant product manager in the pharmaceutical industry. He has been an award winning salesman for Xerox and several other companies, and finally stopped working for other people in 1983. Since then he has been the owner of a small computer company (now defunct), and has been a stage and close up magician and a member of the Screen Actors Guild, with credits in Something The Lord Made, The Wire, and House of Cards. He is a proud father of 3, grandfather of 12 and husband of 1

Book preview

FOREWORD

My life reminds one in many ways, of that ancient Chinese curse, May you live in interesting times. I have lived through some very interesting times and fortunately (and sometimes unfortunately) have met some very interesting people. I have been a salesman, marketing executive, special courts martial defense counsel, tank commander, computer guru, bad husband, good husband, father, grandfather, teacher, philosopher, magician, actor, and friend. Through all these things, I have seen life from many aspects. I have tried to draw from these life experiences, some semblance of a philosophy.

For many years, now, I have been performing motivational and educational magic shows in schools and churches. As I have conversed with friends, teachers, and ministers, I have been met with one singular statement--Mike, you ought to write a book. Well, here it is. The vast majority of the thinking is my own, and where I have borrowed from others, I have tried to give appropriate credit. A few ideas in this book, you may have heard espoused recently, but friends of mine can tell you that I have been espousing them for many years (Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not after you. is one of them.).

Whether you agree with everything I have written is not important, only that you are able to take something positive and perhaps enlightening away with you when you have finished. I will be happy if it is cause for you to do nothing but take some time to think, and occasionally look beneath the surface.

Grown-ups, please share the final chapter with your kids. It is meant for and dedicated to them. Have a good day. In fact, even more importantly, have a good and fully blessed life.

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to the most fantastic woman I ever met--my mom, Geraldine H. Russell (she always insisted that everyone use her middle initial), to my wife and supporter Theresa; to my daughter, Nicky; to my sons, Jordan and Anthony; to my family, who puts up with me; to all my friends who, for years, have been telling me to do this (with a special shoutout to all my internet family on QnAitizens); to Dr. William Banner, my first philosophy teacher; to Al Cohen, retired owner of Al's Magic Shop in Washington DC, who, through example, helped teach me what love, tolerance, and ethical behavior is all about; to the Sisters of The Blessed Sacrament who taught me that God doesn’t care what color you are; and to the thousands of wonderful kids who have been both my audiences and my joy for so many years.

SOME OPENING THOUGHTS

1. A society is at its best when it shows concern for its least.

When a society shows no concern for its senior citizens and children, it loses both the wisdom and experience of its elders and the potential of its youth. All resources are exhaustible. A society where the ruling class relies solely on itself and does not protect and nurture its resources--all of its resources-- has already signed its own death warrant. The elders will die off physically and the youth will die off spiritually. The ruling class will become elders without the wisdom of the previous elders and the youth will become as so much sand on which nothing can be built. Goodbye society!

2. The most effective independence is gained by an effective use of interdependence

(see Webster--Synergism n. a state where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts). Solitary success is hollow. It is only meaningful if it can be shared. A single blade of grass, no matter how strong and durable, will never be as impressive as a magnificent lawn, and yet, if not for the strength of the individual blades, the entire lawn would wither and die.

3. Prayer

Sometimes you have to drop to your knees.

Sometimes you have to roll up your sleeves.

Sometimes you have to drop to your knees AND roll up your sleeves

But,

Always remember Who gave you the knees and the sleeves.

4. Numbers don't make you right, they just make you numerous.

If a thousand Christian people tell you that the sun will rise in The West, you would be well advised to listen to your one Muslim friend who tells you to face Mecca in the morning--if you want to see a sunrise.

5. Assholeism is the most universal of all phenomena.

It transcends all races, creeds, cultures, genders, and politics. We are all one at one time, and unfortunately some of us are one most of the time. But take heart, no one is one all of the time. Everyone slips into an occasional moment of sheer genius.

6. The measure of a mans wealth is not the dollars he makes with his change, but rather the changes he makes with his dollars.

Real wealth is more than just having money. It is a state of complete well-being, buoyed up by substantial economic stability. The truly wealthy person recognizes that true well-being is never an isolated phenomenon, but is affected by relations with all of those around him (or her). Rich people worry about their riches, how to protect them and how to acquire more. Wealthy people don’t worry about themselves, because true wealth always entails wisdom, and true wisdom, by its nature precludes worry.

7. There is a fine line between courage and stupidity. Understand that no matter how much you want to change a dangerous situation, you are not always equipped to effect a favorable impact. Further, your misplaced courage may stand in the way of someone else who is both courageous and equipped. Don't jump in the water to save someone from drowning, all the while knowing that you can't swim. The other problem with that kind of courage, is that because of your not properly assessing the situation and your potential for good in it, you may not be around to show courage in a situation in which you would have had the capability of positive impact.

8. All the world loves an intelligent donkey, but nobody likes a smart ass. Enough said!

9. Having a handicap is something that's done to you. Being handicapped is something you do to yourself.

All of us have physical limitations, all with differing degrees of severity. But as long as we have the power of conscious thought, we can decide whether these limitations will also fetter our spirit, or whether we will find some way to go beyond the boundaries these limitations seem to impose.

James Earl Jones, a great voice in movies, stage, and advertising, overcame a serious speech impediment. Sidney Poitier, another great actor overcame a thick Jamaican accent to become a star when black men were not supposed to become stars. The Bible even quotes Moses as complaining to God that his unclear speech would be a hindrance. Matthew Buchinger, The Little Man of Nurnberg, was only 29 inches tall and had no hands, legs, or thighs. Yet, in addition to being a world renowned magician, he played the flute, trumpet, and even mastered the bagpipes. He was an accomplished artist and it is said that his beautiful personality and pleasing manner made people enjoy his magic without thinking about his infirmities. Christopher Reeve went from playing Superman to being paralyzed. His indomitable spirit refused to let him be handicapped. The list goes on with ordinary people who decided and are constantly deciding to be extraordinary--Helen Keller (for the young people reading this book, she was sightless, hearing impaired, and incapable of speech; yet became an intellectual giant and an inspiration for millions), thousands of wheel chair racers, wheel chair basketball players, para-athletes, especially para Olympians, business administrators, and a multitude of