Here is Genius: The Geni-in-us

By Dottie Walters

Samuel Johnson explained "Genius is that energy which collects, combines, amplifies and animates!" Here is a collection of first person stories told by animated people who amplified the Genius river flowing into their minds.

Each chapter is written by a fascinating person of achievement. When they faced crises, they found "the latch on the door of Genius, flinging open their channel. Like Saint Francis who prayed "Oh Lord, let me be a channel!" - each one let great creative ideas sweep into their lives.

How did they do it? How did they find and apply the genius ideas! What then happened to them because of GENIUS?

All this and much more is spelled out to you in their first person stories in this powerful book.

It will change your life. It will lift up your spirit. It will show you how you too can tap the GENIUS river!

Longfellow explained "All the means of action, the shapeless masses, the materials, lie everywhere about us. What we need is the celestial fire to change the flint into transparent crystal - bright and clear. That fire is GENIUS."

• Language: English
• Publisher: Frederick Fell Publishers, Inc.
• Release date: Feb 15, 2019
• ISBN: 9780883918319

Book preview

DIAL GENIUS

by Chris Gratsinopoulos

The Genius telephone number? When I find a need to draw from my mental and psychological spring I utilize a simple telephone number, I D-I-A-L Genius. My Genius is in the enthusiastic combination of:

Desire

Innovation

Attitude

Love

Sounds easy enough. But it took me nearly 30 years to learn that simple telephone number. My parents taught me to D-I-A-L as a child, but I didn’t care then and I didn’t pick up the phone until I was a man. And, as the boy is the father of the man my subconscious discovery of how to D-I-A-L as a youngster bore the fruits of genius during my manhood.

Even though Nazi bombs destroyed the beautiful, bountiful Greek countryside while I was growing up my parents taught me that careful nurturing can produce succulent fruits even in the most barren soils.

My father, a very poor but proud fisherman worked hard to support his family. His earnings were meager, but his outlook on life was very rich indeed. His formal education stopped at the first grade, yet I remember my beloved father telling his two young sons, I haven’t even completed the first grade yet I hold a Ph.D. - a statement which never failed to puzzle me.

One balmy morning as the Ionian sun washed the front stoop of my father’s fish shop and the two of us sat and discussed,I asked him what he meant - how could he hold a doctorate degree? He looked at me, as one man to another, and said, Any person can go to school and earn a piece of paper to certify that he is educated. But until that person learns to cooperate with people, to treat others as human beings, to love them and to respect them it doesn’t matter if he has one or 100 college degrees. I’ve earned my Ph.D in the streets, I’ve had to live among the people - to give to them and to take from them. I learned to respect and honor myself through my dealings with others.

Seeing my look of disbelief, he went on to say My boy, the greatest education that we can receive is to learn to live peacefully with our fellow man. To learn to laugh, to cry, to pray with our neighbors is the greatest wealth we may possess. I don’t have much, but I am a happy, wealthy human being.

He then looked straight into my heart and said Christos, my son, one day you too will love this truth above all else - on that day, you will be a rich man.

My mother was an artist - a sensitive, spirited woman who carried within her heart the perceptions and stamina of the Ancient Greek philosophers and poets. Through her I knew Sophocles, Plato, Homer, Euripedes and Socrates. She instilled in me the love of challenge, the will to win. She died when I was just 12 years old, but in those years she and my father taught me how to look within myself -how to D-I-A-L Genius.

Yet that training lay dormant in my soul for many years. Not until I became a student in the University of Athens in 1963 did I begin to discover my genius.

Food For the Spirit

My dream to achieve a degree had absolutely overcome my being. Nothing else mattered. Totally disinterested in other people and their problems, I had only one thought in mind, one purpose in life. To get my degree.

August of 1963 found me without a job. What little money I had was spent for living within two weeks. Suddenly I was broke. Since people were least important in my life, I had very few friends. I spent the next six days in my empty room trying to find a solution to my problem. Not once did I think of people. For six days I was in that room without food and without money. My stomach was torn with pain and starvation. My body seemed to ache all over, my feelings were bitter and I was full of disappointment. I would close my eyes and visualize thousands of people filling the best restaurants in town and eating the most delicious meals in the world. Plates and plates of delicious food paraded in front of me, only to disappear when I attempted to eat.

By the third day bitter feelings filled my emotional world and tears filled my eyes. Totally alone, deserted and forgotten I was certain that even God did not care about me. The fourth day found me curled in bed unable to move, as if someone had chained me there. To this day I do not remember anything else about the fifth day except pain, pain and more pain. The sixth day I knelt and prayed. Tears of bitterness, defeat and failure replaced words. I looked in the mirror and I saw an undescribable picture of my beaten self. I quickly closed my eyes and slowly walked out of my apartment. It was getting dark. My feet felt heavy and my hand grabbed the wall for support. Without strength, with much hesitation I knocked on the first door in front of me. The door opened and a middle aged lady asked may I help you? I don’t remember anything else. I had fainted. When I woke-up, I saw the warm, encouraging and sunshiny faces of a wonderful family. They fed me, they brought me to life and to my surprise and amazement they were happy to do it. My discovery made me smile and an enormous feeling of satisfaction and warmth spread over my entire being as I fell asleep after a hearty dinner.

From that day, whatever my goal, whatever my dream, people were a major part of everything I did. I felt close to people, all people. I wanted to meet them and I was interested in their problems, their failures and successes. I felt like crying with them when they were crying and laughing with them when they were laughing. Most of all I TRUSTED THEM, I WANTED TO BE A PART OF THEM, and I was eager to warmly and effectively communicate with them. At the same time I discovered that I had developed a strong burning desire to share my thoughts, my ideas and my feelings with other people.

The First Digit: DESIRE

On February 6, 1972, my most vivid childhood dream became reality as I was entering the United States of America as a permanent resident. America to me was, and is, the promised land. The country where dreams come true. My desire to succeed in America burned strong in my being. My visions of success, however, encountered an awesome obstacle. I could not speak English. How could I ever become successful in America if I couldn’t even speak the language?

I felt absolutely overcome with defeat. Then somewhere within my heart I felt the stirrings of hope. My parents’ teachings flooded into mind and body. The telephone number I had learned so many years before filled my thoughts and I D-I-A-L-E-D genius.

The burning desire to learn English consumed me and I realized that it was the first step toward my goal. I vividly remembered the story of Aristotle and a young Greek boy.

Aristotle, the great master of philosphy, held class each day with a group of young scholars. He taught, questioned and probed the youths so that they too would learn to contemplate, to reflect upon and to discover the wonders of life.

After class had finished one after noon, a young boy approached Aristotle. Oh Master, he said, I wish to join your school. I want to join my friends and be a student of yours. When Aristotle asked him his reason for wishing to study, the young boy replied.

Because I am curious to know what goes on all day in your class, besides, all of my friends are your students and while they are in class I have nothing to do. But Aristotle was not convinced that his reason was sufficient, so he asked the youngster to join him in a walk to the beach. Upon reaching the shore Aristotle asked the boy to walk into the sea with him. When they reached a point where the water was chest deep, Aristotle told the boy that he wished to perform an experiment. The youth agreed and Aristotle placed his hand gently but firmly upon the boy’s head and pushed him under water. At first, the boy didn’t resist the pressure of Aristotle’s force. But as the seconds passed and his breath became short the young man began to struggle, attempting to free himself. The more the boy struggled, the stronger Aristotle’s grip became. As the boy’s breath became shorter and shorter, he kicked, he punched, he pulled and finally fought his way to the surface. As he grasped and gasped and groped for breath he looked at Aristotle, who was standing calmly in the churning waters. In a terrified voice, he asked Did you plan to drown me? The great master of Philosophy looked upon the youth compassionately and stated simply and gently Young man, I have no wish to kill you. I wanted to show you that when you want to learn as much as you want to breathe then you can join my school and become my student.

I felt that same burning desire -I wanted to understand the American language as much as I desired breath. Desire propelled me endlessly toward my goal. I studied English at night while clearing tables as a busboy during the day. Two months later I began working as a machinist in a nearby factory, drilling holes on metallic shapes all day. At the end of the day my hands and body were dirty but my mind was clear and free. I used to love to spend a few minutes before I went to sleep and visualize myself teaching and training a large gathering of people. The fire of desire to realize my dream was burning constantly inside me.

The Second Digit: INNOVATION

Within a few months I was employed as a Cost Technician by one of the largest power plant construction companies in the world. One Tuesday noon in September of 1972 a friend from the office invited me to attend a meeting, a group called Toastmasters. It consisted of employees who met once a week to speak.

To speak for what? To speak to whom? To speak about what? All of these questions were dancing in my head and I was curious to know more about these Toastmasters. I sat quietly through the meeting and although I did not understand everything I felt that a whole new world had opened up for me. I attended the next meeting eager to learn and understand. Two weeks later I became a member. Shortly after this I was scheduled to present my first speech, the ice-breaker. I was terrified:

* I was afraid and nervous. How would I be able to stand before them and still maintain a calm thinking pattern?

* I was afraid that I might not be able to express myself properly in English and cause misunderstanding and confusion to my listeners.

I had the strong desire to do it but I could not produce the necessary innovation because fear seemed to have paralyzed my mind. With these feelings of confusion, fear and agony I stood in front of 20 Toastmasters - my first English speaking audience - and I hurriedly looked above their heads as I opened my mouth. My first few sentences were Greek and English mixed in a terrible, thick accent which I could not even hear because of my loud heartbeat. I felt my heart moving. Very soon I heard it clanging like a loud church bell.

Accidently I looked at a person in the front row and a nice, warm and encouraging smile was telling me in a friendly way don’t worry, we know what you feel, we have been there too. As I looked around, I saw a room full of warmth, understanding and friendliness. My heart seemd to slow down, my mental gears revved up. I smiled back and a wonderful thing happened INNOVATION -CREATIVITY - NEW IDEAS rushed into my head. Genius was at work. Genius, the product of the Greek Genus, means birth characteristics. When it is applied mentally it means the ability of the human mind to have new ideas, to innovate. Suddenly I knew what to say, my fear was there but I was no longer embarrassed at my inability to speak English.

Whenever I could not find the words in English I proceeded to speak in Greek. It was obvious from the reaction that most of my presentation was Greek to them. The more they laughed and smiled the more courage I felt inside.

The Stream of Genius

A dam was broken and rushing water of Genius was running through my mind while rushing currents of confidence were flooding my heart. The one and only thing that I had feared the most - their laughter at my poor English and my accent - was giving me more confidence and courage to continue. It seemed strange to me at the time, but later when I replayed my first speaking moments on the screen of my imagination I knew why this paradox occured. My listeners were not laughing at me and at my message, they were simply enjoying what I was doing.

I left that first meeting with a fulfilling sense of satisfaction and a flood of NEW IDEAS about the future. I caught myself saying aloud Chris you can do it, nothing can stop you. I suddenly realized that my burning DESIRE matched with confidence brought INNOVATION. The result was an unshakable and immovable positive ATTITUDE. I knew what I wanted and how much I wanted it. I believed in my MENTAL ABILITY to find the way and achieve my goal. Nothing could shake my belief.

Toastmasters opened up a whole new world for me. It was my laboratory - a place where I could create and test my new thoughts and ideas. I was a mad scientist. My mind was bursting with creative, innovative ideas. Each meeting was, for me, a lab experiment, a testing ground. My burning desire to communicate my thoughts acted as a catalyst. I soon discovered that I could actually excite and motivate others about my new ideas.

Strangely, the more I experimented, the more I became confident of my English. I found myself becoming more intent upon what others had to say. I listened to the ideas of others and found myself really caring about their opinions. In 1972 the long forgotten conversation with my father in that far away homeland penetrated my heart.

In a single moment a new understanding of myself washed over me and just as the sun had warmed my father’s store front nearly two decades earlier.

And so, quite by accident I DIALed the third number.

The Third Digit: ATTITUDE

I felt I was really on the road to realizing my goal. Life was so good, so sweet, so refreshing. Mankind was wonderful, and interesting. Society was benevolent. I knew what I wanted, and I believed in my mental and physical ability to achieve my goal. I pursued my career and my speaking engagements with zest. I enjoyed the fact that my enthusiasm gave new hope to those with whom I dealt in daily life. My peers and associates valued my worth as a Toastmaster, a worker, a fellow human being.

My goal seemed within my grasp - yet when I searched my inner thoughts, I had to admit that my financial situation was not stable. True, I held a secure job, but I realized it would take years to climb the corporate ladder of success. My family obligations were demanding and often I found that the cash outflow was exceeding my income. But my burning DESIRE kept me going. My ATTITUDE forced me to believe that somehow my finances would improve. And so I kept creating new challenges for myself. I tackled my work assignments with Herculean force hoping to skip a few rungs on the ladder in my climb to the top.

Toastmasters took on a new meaning for me. As I progressed in my communicational skills I found myself being asked to speak before various groups.

My enthusiasm for life seemed endless - there didn’t seem to be enough hours in the day. But my fervor was cut short when, because of large-scale company lay-offs, I lost my job.

My world shattered and broke into a million pieces. Once again I felt overcome with defeat. This time I also experienced a brand new feeling - sheer terror. Where should I seek employment? How could I support my family?

For a number of days I moved about in a stupor. I was a failure. I would never achieve my goal of success in America, I thought. I half-heartedly applied for a position in several large companies, not really believing that I would ever again recapture the vitality I had felt just weeks earlier.

Yet, I kept speaking to service clubs and special interest groups. I continued my activities in the Toastmasters organization. I continued to polish and perfect my communicational skills - I WAS DOWN, BUT NOT OUT!

Once again the teachings of my parents were recalled from the recesses of my memory. I could envision my father, rich in his contentedness and my mother, telling me to keep on going, to persevere, to fight and win.

In those days of destitution and despondency I conjured up an image of myself. As impossible as it seemed I had the recurring vision of myself upon a stage, speaking to a vast crowd. I saw myself radiating warmth and enthusiasm and I envisioned all those people responding to my words. There I was, moving about on the center of a large stage flinging my arms, raising my voice - relating a message of enthusiasm and success amid cheers and shouts of approval.

I felt in my heart that it was something which I would truly love to do. And that’s when I once again picked up my GENIUS telephone and dialed that final letter.

The Fourth Digit: LOVE

In that time of seeming failure - when all seemed doomed, I discovered my genius.

My number was complete. I felt Desire, Innovation, Attitude and Love. My genius began to become crystal clear to me and I was ready to go out and conquer new frontiers. I no longer fretted that I was out of work because I was on the threshold of a whole new career. And I loved it.

Once I began to conceive of myself as a professional speaker, I found self-worth. I truly began to find self-love. My feelings were not contingent upon my work or upon how I perceived myself. My love began to affect other aspects of my life. It began to paint a colorful palette.

Even though my financial situation was at times bleak, my love of self, love of others and love of purpose held me together. I began to actively seek speaking engagements. I spoke before any and all types of groups and I loved it. I gave of myself to those who came to receive my message. My love spread to those audience members. I really cared about them. I wanted to give them the very best of me.

That final digit in my telephone number, is to me, the all-encompassing factor of life. Indeed, Love and sacrifice go hand in hand. As always, when circumstances seem to be out of my grasp, beyond my control, I draw inner strength from my family.

I think of my grandmother - a frail but spry wisp of a woman. A woman who seemed to live on sheer determination. A woman who lived in our house when I was growing up and who epitomized love and sacrifice.

Whenever my genius seems vulnerable or fragile I recall an incident from my childhood which puts my thoughts and feelings back into perspective. I remember the year of my 12th birthday and a particular school competition. In my native homeland of Greece students learn to compete with each other for honors at an early age. I especially savored the taste of victory in these competitions.

Each year toward the end of the school term the boys and girls vied for top honors at a widely publicized scholastic showdown. Each participant spent weeks of tireless preparation in order to be in top mental condition. Each year the family and friends of the competitors attended the contest to give support and courage to their young scholars.

The year in which I was 12 years old I studied diligently to win the top prize. My mother was dying from a paralyzing stroke. I wanted to make her proud of me, I had to win!

The morning of the competition dawned gray and ugly. The dark clouds, churned with the promise of rain as my classmates and I walked the 9 - mile trek from my home to the schoolhouse. As we readied ourselves for the strenuous hours ahead, I noticed that some of the families of my competitors were taking their seats in the auditorium. Many of the relatives had brought small gifts or tokens to the pupils to show their affection. Soon the gymnasium was filled with happy, nervous chatter of supporters.

As I took my place on stage, the clouds carried out their threat of rain and it began to pour. The thunder crashed as lightening sizzled across the purpled landscape.

I yearned with every fiber of my being to win - to make my mother proud one last time. Yet I felt sick inside - the despair of a 12 year-old child who has no one to cheer him on to victory. My father was with me in spirit, I knew, yet I also realized that now more than ever he needed to work in order to pay off medical expenses and hospital bills.

The chatter ceased as the competition began. Ominously the rain fell harder than ever as my spirits sank even deeper. A question was asked - the boy on my right responded correctly as his mother blew him a kiss. Another question, another correct answer accompanied by cheers of congratulations and pride by loved ones.

I nervously awaited my turn, as I tried to appear confident and calm. I slid to the edge of my seat as I carefully listened to the question directed at me. I summoned my forces of concentration, my efforts were interrupted by the creak of a door being opened. As I lifted my head to focus upon the examiner and answer his question my eyes were drawn instead to the back of the room. In the half opened doorway leaned the pitiful figure of a rain-soaked 78 year-old woman so weak she could miles to be with me and support me. She searched the auditorium with her weary eyes. I saw her bony arm wave feebly above her dripping scarf. Then my grandmother whispered hoarsely God Bless you, Christos.

Love, Sacrifice - there is nothing more powerful in God’s wonderful universe. Love can turn the smallest talent into a great success. Love can open up the powers of genius within us and let them flow unencumbered. Love can motivate the simplest person to accomplish feats of glory.

Desire, Innovation, Attitude, Love - It’s an explosive combination which can move mountains.

The amazing thing about my telephone number is that it can be DIALed by anyone! I believe that there is GENIUS in each and every one of us. But it is up to each individual to discover his own unique source of Genius.

When you need Genius, don’t be afraid, don’t hesitate, just pick up the phone and D-I-A-L GENIUS.

Eva T. Nestore

295 N. Hartz Avenue

Danville, California 94526

[phone]

EVA T. NESTORE

Eva T. Nestore is a licensed Cosmetologist (Member of California Cosmetology Association of Contra Costa County, Affiliate #51) and owner of Joseph’s Beauty Salon, Danville, California. In addition she is a member of Styles Panel in charge of Makeup Artistry, as well as the California Hair Fashion Committee responsible for teaching the cosmetologists of California current styles in skin care and makeup. She also holds a Business Certificate from Diablo Valley College.

She has done extensive research and training in Makeup Artistry, Skin Care, Nutrition and Sales with the following recognized experts in their fields:

Jack Kwan, S.M.A.; Ben Benson, S.M.A.; Jack Siegler, Pres. Vivian Woodard; Don Pickett, Chr. of Board of Neo-Life Company of America; Annalee Johnson, Dr. Voder trained representative in U.S. for lymphatic drainage; Steve Toffinetti, S.M.A.; Lee Fein, Sales Motivator; Howard Ruff, TV Host, Lecturer, Author on economics and nutrition; Anuscka, Trainer, Esthetician, Payot of Paris; Erica Miller, Certified Trainer for CIDESCO International.

From 1971 to date she has been affiliated with Neo-Life Company of America and holds the title of Half Million Dollar - Master Builder. Only 12 out of approximately 60,000 persons have achieved this level.

In 1976 she was President of the California Cosmetol-ogiest Association, Affiliate #51, and held office since that time to the present. From 1969 to 1971 she was an Executive Director with Vivian Woodard Corporation, a subsidiary of General Foods.

THE GENIUS OF ENTHUSIASM

by Eva Nestore

Pregnant with child number seven, I stood in the basement beneath a house my husband and I were building above - wishing that house would hurry and be finished after three long years of temporary living in the basement. Little did I know what an exciting future lay ahead.

Recently, I returned to northern California after a trip to Europe, my second in the last six months. I went to meet with a German manufacturer of skin cream about marketing his products in California.

In the next 30 days I’ll hold three Images of Success weekend intensives - a course I designed where 250 women will get advice and consultation from experts in beauty, nutrition, motivation and the psychology of success.

At the same time I’ll continue to handle the advertising and do some training for a beauty salon, co-owned with my husband and eldest daughter, that employs 30 people. In addition, I’ll oversee operations and teach at a 90-student beauty college we acquired 18 months ago.

I have three upcoming dates to guest lecture on skin care at nearby colleges, and I’m scheduled to give a sales seminar to a group of professional women in San Francisco next week.

With all this activity I ’ll still have a weekend or two to do some more redecorating in the large country home we recently bought in the Sierra Nevada foothills. Of course I am making this sound rather glamorous, but it’s all true. (And to be honest, it is glamorous - I love every minute of it!)

BUT WAIT!! It wasn’t always so....

Born in 1930, I grew up with the Depression. I think I was about 12 when I actually realized that somebody other than FDR could be president.

Having skipped a grade, I graduated from high school at the age of 16, then married a handsome Italian two months later, just a month before my 17th birthday. That was almost 33 years ago, and Joe and I have since managed to create a family success by working hard, making sacrifices, taking chances - and making the best of what we had to work with.

Of course, it wasn’t always easy, especially with seven children. That’s right, seven children in 13 years. So my 33-year career has always included active mothering. Very active!

I look at my own life as a if she can do it, so can I story. Not that my circumstances were so terribly difficult, but they were rather typical of many heavily-burdened mother/housewives in the fifties and sixties.

One Basement, Seven Children

Joe and I first lived with my parents, then bought a house on a corner lot in a Philadelphia suburb (for $7900!) in 1948. Joe sold insurance; I had babies.

With three kids, we moved to a 3½ acre parcel still further from the city, where we would build our own home with the help of our neighbors and older children. It was a far cry from the country estate I mentioned in the introduction. I can vividly remember living in the basement of that house while it was being built on weekends. The basement had a small kitchen, a smaller bathroom, and one large utility room that we divided with bamboo curtains into living space for 8 people. (I was pregnant with number seven when we finally finished and moved in upstairs!)

But we didn’t mind, because we were working toward a goal - building our own home. And we achieved it. Furthermore, we had some great times in that basement. I remember many a Friday and Saturday that rollicked late into the night as we played shuffleboard-right there in the basement! We painted a shuffleboard court on the linoleum. We’d invite the gang over, move the curtains and cribs around, and merrily play shuffleboard while the collection of kids slept peacefully under a blanket of continual laughter and chatter.

I always had a bundle of energy, and I had married a man with a sense of humor and an ability to relax. So the many years of hard work were tempered with lots of good times.

Joe Takes a Chance, I Work for Nothing

Joe was doing quite well selling insurance when one day he just decided to quit a job he didn’t really enjoy - he became a hair dresser.

Despite disbelief and cries of You can’t do that! from family and friends, Joe went to school, earned his license, and got a job. Several months later he bought the salon from his retiring employer.

That wasn’t an easy thing to do - quit a steady job on principle and jump into an unknown future. But it’s just that willingness to stick your neck out, to risk security and comfort for something better, something more important to you personally, that opens the gates to success and departure from the crowd.

I had been doing hair for friends in my home for several years, and I was enthusiastic about Joe’s move. I thought it might be a way for us to work together and make some money. I was right. I remember bringing the babies, cribs and all, down with me on weekends when I’d help out.

Then, after my last child was born, I began to expand my own activities beyond my home and my husband’s business. Twenty years ago, professional opportunities were not as accessible to women emerging from the home as they are now. (Not to suggest it’s easy now, but it’s a different world from 1961.) So I made use of an ever-present opportunity to develop my management capabilities and get involved in an exciting and challenging use of my capacities. This opportunity is available to anyone, anytime - IF you are willing to work for no money.

I’m talking about volunteering for any of the many non-profit organizations that offer exciting work for people who can afford to contribute some time and talent. Of course, not everybody can afford to do that. But on the other hand, many women in situations like mine might be inclined to shun volunteer work, for any number of reasons.

Don’t! The experience gained - working with people, organizing events and tasks, and getting the job done - is equally valid whether