Just for Today, Try a Little Non-Judgment
All the while, images of the Harley Davidson bar in Pee Wee's Big Adventure are going through my head - this man looks like he could be the bouncer for the toughest, most frightening biker bar out there.
Suddenly, his grizzled appearance goes into a smile, and he says, "No worries, little lady," in a style so reminiscent of John Wayne that I look a bit harder to see if this isn't a John Wayne sighting in Jacksonville, Florida (for all you conspiracy buffs out there, sorry, no go).
He and I part ways, and as I glance back, I watch him carefully picking out a sundress for a child - perhaps a grand-daughter? I smile at the obvious tenderness of this big, burly, scary-looking man.
My Oprah Casting Call (Part 6)
So, my gut instinct about him was right on - he was annoying, sure, but he has a good heart. Much like the real Del from Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, there is a lot to be learned from my casting call buddy: Be optimistic about life. You might have to go through 8 jobs in a year, but you don’t have to be depressed while you are doing it. You can inspire people with your life even if you aren’t Oprah or Dr. Phil, and maybe because you aren’t.
And finally, Del definitely epitomizes lesson #1: He is, in all ways, unapologetically, exactly who he is. Not everyone is going to like him, but that is going to happen whenever you are who you really are. At the end of the day, if you don’t have a few people who dislike you, you probably haven’t ever been your true self or stood up for something you truly believe in. So, don’t obsess when people don’t like you. When you think about it, you probably don’t really value their opinion or view of the world, either.