Sleeping with the enemy

TM Sleeping With the Enemy


Mr/Madam Toastmaster, fellow toastmasters and most honored guest.

A few weeks ago an email was sent to me suggesting that people enter into our lives for three specific purposes;
1. Reason
2. Season
3. Life Time

To be as transparent as possible I confess that I did not give much attention to the message in the beginning.

But after giving some thought to the email I found myself on the cusp of a mid-life crisis. For the first time I am exceedingly uncomfortable as I sat up on my California King watching the 1986 electrifying movie entitled 9-1/2 weeks starring Kim Besieger and Mickey Rourke.

Somewhere in the film around scene 12 act 7 passions erupts and confusion sets in. And my feelings began to wrestle with my inner emotions.

Here I am just over thirty-three years of age and I am now trying to define the reasons within the lessons of dating my ex-girlfriends. My list went somewhat like this:



 How did they enrich my life
 Did they help me to see things from another perspective
 And to remember that I am my own best friend and my worst enemy

As respect to a Season, I admit with this I struggled. Some relationships or friendships I prolonged further than necessary.

Seasonal relationships are like medicine. As long as you take them within the prescribed time of the doctor it will make you better. Take it any longer than suggested, it becomes a potential poison.

I don’t know about you but that just scares the HEBE JEBIES out of me.

To take it further, some of us have failed miserably by having children with seasonal people. And now those who were only to be around for a season are stuck in our lives for a life time.

John Bobbetts said it best, “What was once friendly has the power of becoming an enemy?”

The actual people to be with us for a life time are the soul mates / spouses, best friends and mentors. They are the people that balance our existence and complete the link between heaven and earth. They motivate us to set aside self inhibitions because in our weakness they make us strong.

In my conclusion: Yes there is a reason for people to enter into our lives. But there are only four types of people you will ever meet.

There are those that will add on to you. Those that will subtract from you. Those who will divide you and those who will multiple you.

The lessons are for you to determine and to determine within the shortest amount of time as possible.

Second some seasonal relationships could have been best left as friendships. And be happy when someone walks out of your life, they might be doing you a favor.

Finally, be careful of how you look into the eyes of that special someone you love, because it could be them who is sleeping with the enemy.

Mr. Toastmaster.

Biography of Anthony Sampson Toastmasters

Biography



Mr. Anthony Sampson…

…is a native of Baltimore, Maryland, and eldest of four children.

As a husband and father of two sons, Anthony understands the value of effective leadership and self improvement.

In 1994 he was honorably discharged from the United States Marine Corps too successfully seek a BA in Business from Morgan State University.

He is the CEO and Founder of Mental Toughness Transformation Corporation

and Force and Power Academy.

Whenever possible Mr. Sampson, teaches fitness as an 8th degree black belt in martial arts for the Academy.

He is a certified realtor with Tarbell, Realtors and desires a career in professional speaking.

His motto is; In life you do no get what you deserve perhaps only what you negotiate.

Please put your hands together and welcome Mr. Anthony Sampson.

Ice breaker

Ice Breaker

As a native of Baltimore, Maryland born on the Westside of the inner city, one could never say that I was given the best that life had to offer…

Mr. Toastmaster, fellow toastmasters and most honored guest.

I am the product of; In life you do not get what you deserve perhaps only what you negotiate. Years ago I’ve learned to accept this truth, for if we all received what we truly deserved we would either be in the best of hospitals or the finest of cemeteries because the wages of sin is death. And make no mistakes about it, I did sin.

Imagine me at the tender age of eighteen scrambling for a better living just to find my self upon the infamous yellow foot prints outside the United States Marine Corps Recruit Depot of Paris Island, South Carolina. Even at this very moment I can hear the melodious voice of my Senior Drill Instructor “On your left rought, low righty… left right low rought” It just never ceases to saturate my soul.

Contrary to the rumors during boot camp I wasn’t verbally or morally abused however mentally and physically enthused to go after my deepest dreams by living the motto of Spedi da Corps, meaning to seize the day. And in the time of war to fight the good fight as a good soldier should.

Nothing could have actually prepare me for the emotional battles that were yet to come. Fellow Toastmasters, one of the most devastating moments I ever had to experience is to find the person of your dreams all to realize that they were not dreaming of you. Coping mechanisms such as drugs and alcohol are not my cup of tea. Revenge did cross my mind, until I realized that I am a U.S. Marine nationally and internationally known as the world’s finest. Even if infidelity, social detachment out trumps branch of service, youthfulness and a flashy uniform so be it. I have better things to negotiate for my life.

So today I stand as most of us who have lost many past relationships. And within my personal room for self improvement stands a closet marked with an “X”; an “X” for ex-wife, ex-girlfriends and ex-dreams. I’ve learned to replace that “X” with a “Y” because I do not know why I even dated or hooked up with most of them in the first place.

It has taught to me the third and last point I would like to share with you and that’s the power of forgiveness. I’ve found that it is more important for me to forgive them than it is for them to be forgiven.

As I begin to take my seat, I leave you with this. First, no one owes you a thing but you can have everything you desire if you learn to master the art of negotiation. Become the master of your fate and the captain of your soul, by taking advantage of the moment and seizing the day. Lastly disappointments may come and relationships may go. But make no mistake about it forgiveness is personal because it allows the healing process and keeps you from dragging those emotions into your next relationship. Fellow Toastmasters thank you for listening.
Mr. Toastmaster…