Dare to Grow Rich

Back Row, from left: to right: Lori Threlkeld, Robin Collins, Michael Penland, Lee Collins, Gail Seignious, Dee Bright, Ken English and Paulyah E. Kaufman. Front Row, from left: Janice Foxworth, Sherrie Penland, Mary Louise English and Lynn Hatler. 

December 14 to 16, 2007
Orlando, Florida

It was a great weekend - December 14 to 16, 2007 - in Orlando, Florida. As my friend Ray Pelletier used to say, it was 'better than terrific.'  For now, I'll just say I learned how to change the past, and it's a good thing to do - for most of us.

The weekend was organized and hosted by Michael & Sherrie Penland. In addition to Micheal, Lee Collins, Dee Bright and Paulyah Kaufman were there - each contributing significantly to the content of the program.

I know I am speaking for the other participants when I say it was worth the time, the money and the emotional energy.

The foundation of Dare to Grow Rich is a simple principle - you become what you think you should become. In other words, 'your mind, aka imagination, can not distinguish the difference between real and imagined experiences. It's NOT about the MONEY, is the mantra. It's about the mental influences that shape your perceptions, and, consequently, your actions - or, lack thereof, for the rest of your life.

For me, I remembered a sixth grade experience I had suppressed for more that 50 years.

If you, like me, choose to ignore the past, it, let me tell you I now understand ignoring the past only created more problems. You can't ignore the past, but you can 'rewrite' it. Did you know that your mind can not distinguish between what is real and what is imagined? I didn't. But I do now.

For me, an incident in my sixth grade music class had more impact on me than I thought.

Let me tell you about Sister Mary Francis, the nun who taught music. She would walk the aisles while we sang, tapping her fingers on the desk of those students who were not singing in tune. Each day, she would stop at my desk, slap a ruler down, look over the top of her glasses, jerk her her head from side to side and harshly whisper, 'be quiet, you can't sing.'

She set in motion a belief in me that I couldn't sing - which no doubt allowed Elvis to take my place. That 'discouragement' gradually made a transition to other things I 'could not do.'

So, with the help of Dee Bright, and my new 'classmates,' I was able to revisit St. Gabriel's elementary school. Lori Threlkeld helped me 'rewrite' the screenplay. Later that night I felt a significant change in my physical well-being. The group was a dinner. My wife and I left early. I was dizzy. I was ill for a few hours, sleep thru the night and awoke with a sense of 'relief.'

At some point during the night, Sister Mary Francis and I had a conversation. She said she was sorry for telling a 10 year old boy he could not do something. She said she now realizes singing in tune in sixth grade isn't REALLY important in one's life, but encouraging a 10 year old boy to sing the best he can, in-tune or not, is a lesson for life.

Ken English