Edward's Sharebook 

According to Roget's Thesaurus, opportunity, n. is also an opening; an occurrence; a chance; and an occasion.

Does opportunity knock?

Well, no, it doesn't.

Just like a pig won't crap a twenty dollar gold piece if you kiss it.

And just like love, opportunity is also blind. Opportunity can't see people and select the ones most suitable to take advantage of it. However, unlike opportunity and love, some people see opportunity everywhere. These people will find something that will let them take advantage of their talents no matter how limited those talents may be. They want success so bad they'll pursue opportunities over and over until they make it. They won't quit no matter how many people tell them they are stupid, foolish or a sucker. But when they finally 'make it', who is the foolish or stupid one?

And then there are those that always say, "Oh, whoa is me." "I'm so poor, I can't do anything to improve my life, etc, etc." These are the people that can't see opportunity, won't see opportunity, and refuse to see opportunity when it is pointed out to them. They'll usually say, "Huh? You expect me to do that?" "I can't do that." "It costs too much money." "I can't sell." "I can't yada yada yada." Their slogan in life is, "I can't."

Other quips from those disjointed at the brain are, "That's a scam." "That's a pyramid scheme." "That's too hard." "I couldn't give that stuff away." With all of the scams in the market place today, there is the possibility that much of what is said about some alleged opportunities is true. But if people say this about everything, well, it tells the world that they have given up.

Even if you've been financially hurt by one kind of pig, it doesn't mean another pig won't crap a 20 dollar gold piece for you if you kiss it just right.

Here is an example. Have you seen the commercial that says, "Feed the pig?" It's a reference to a piggy bank where you should be putting money away for your future. If you follow this advice, you will kiss this pig many times for what it returns to you.

Money talks, BS walks.

Who hasn't heard this? People with money get what they want, while those with no money usually don't. You've seen people escape jail because they could hire the best attorneys. You've seen the expensive cars, trucks and RV's on the road, and they cost a lot of money. You've seen the big houses for people with money, while many people without a lot of money live in apartments. This narrative isn't a class envy piece, it's about getting people off their assets, to kiss a couple of pigs, and to get the money, things, and solutions they want to see accomplished.

What are your goals? What are you trying to achieve? And what have been your successes? Have you signed an initiative to get something on the ballot, only to have the general public vote against your wishes because the opposition had more money to support its position? Yeah, money talks, and it
can talk real loud.

Let's suppose you want to save yellow canaries from going into the coal mines. You can petition for the benefit of yellow canaries and beg others to sign it, but if you could buy 1,000 acres and create a sanctuary for yellow canaries, can you see the possibilities if you had the money to do the latter?

"I couldn't give that stuff away."

Oh, really? There is a place for everything. If you have doubts about this, take a look at what is sold on Ebay. If someone can sell the banana peel from a banana eaten by Paris Hilton (ficticious), why is it not feasible to give stuff away?

There are different ways to give things away. You can go to a discount store and buy something, pay tax on it, ship it, get a letter of thanks, any maybe get a tax deduction. Or, you can kiss a pig, you can opt out of paying the tax, let someone else ship it, get a letter of thanks, maybe get a tax deduction, and quite possibly make some money for doing it.

Can you hear the opportunity silently screaming at you? If you search diligently, you will see the opportunity. Or you can be told about the opportunity and reject it out of hand.

And that would be too bad, because then there would be no recipients of your potential donation. The kids may get some toothpaste to brush their teeth, but it won't be from you. The homeless may get some toothpaste, shampoo and deoderant, but it won't be from you. The battered women in the family shelters may get some toothpaste, shampoo and other necessities, but they won't get it from you. The non-profit hospitals may provide what is needed for children, especially babies, but it won't be from you.

So, in response to, ""I couldn't give that stuff away," yes you can. But will you?

There is chance you can make some money doing it. Isn't it worth trying instead of saying it won't work? If it works, you can use the money for other worthwhile causes, because as stated above, money talks, BS walks.

The following are a few of the many places seeking help. There are even email addresses you can send a query to. http://www.lighthousemissioncenter.org/donationvolunteer.html  http://www.alliance-for-africa.org/New%20Website/30.%20new%20donations%20list.htm  http://www.stlabre.org/ 

If you want a source of things to send, use the following site. You may contact me as well. http://www.ineways.com/usa/index.asp?Site=ebiz

In closing, I tripped over this opportunity. It took me a while to figure it out. Please don't wait as long as it took me to figure it out.