What can we learn from "American Idol"?

I know, I know...What the heck is this guy talking about? What in the world does that show have to do with security and/or self improvement. Well the first may not be so obvious but the second should be fairly obvious. Again, give me a modicum of your ever so stretched patience.

Well first off, it can be debated whether "American Idol" is actually purely a singing contest or a popularity contest. I do happen to think that the best singer has not always won or even placed commensurate to the talents ability. That being said, it is not my intent to critique singers here. What I do want to comment on are the singers as plain old people. The day before the auditions are even aired, these folks were salespeople, teachers, high school students, etc. They came from every walk of life imaginable. We have seen them rich, poor, tall, short, white, brown, beautiful, and ugly.

Of course all of these observations are relative to the person making them. Me and you. There is one common thread that ties all of these people together no matter what any body's observations are. Each one of these people had enough belief in themselves and the intestinal fortitude to go through the onerous procedure of first trying out for this show then doing what it took to stay in contention for as long as the soft hearted public would allow. That to me is a prime example of creating an ultimate goal for oneself then following a narrow and stringent path toward the ultimate realization of that goal. Again, everything being relevant to the person living the dream, for some, even getting in line in the first place was an accomplishment that would change their lives forever. Remember that lives are lived not one day at a time, but one decision at a time. Would your life be any different today if Fantasia decided that it was too hot to stand in line while she was waiting to audition and left? If your memories are a part of what you are today, then yes, your life would not be the same. For some, the idea of a struggling single mother suddenly not having to worry about next months rent would be at the very least inspiring. If her deciding not to get out of line that day can change lives, Should you be more concerned about how your decisions may affect other peoples lives? If you cannot see this logic then please ask the drunk driver how he felt after the accident when he could have not had that last couple of beers. If you cannot see this logic then ask the child of a single teenage mother who did not insist that her boyfriend wear that condom.

We are not only a product of the decisions that we make, but quite frequently others can become a casualty of the decisions that we make. In the end, when you do something erring on the side of the positive, more often than not the outcome will also err on the side of something good.

My next blog entry will focus more on the cookie cutter side of "Security", but as we grow together, you will see that everything has to do ultimately with us needing to be the best us that we can be. Take care.