Thank you, Don Cornelius

Evidence of #72 AND #6

Note: Before this begins, you don’t need to ask if there is a Soul Train DVD box set in my household: There is.  And I have been meaning to have a Soul Train themed party where said DVDs are played exclusively providing both musical and visual entertainment for my guests. It’ll likely be a bar-b-q. BTW, I have declared today as "Soul Train Appreciation Day." Get down how you live.

There are at least 100 things that I can thank Don Cornelius for, randomly selected items include:

#72. Keeping an immaculately shaped Afro

#33. Bringing this commercial to the world; where the ghost of Frederick Douglass has to incarnate to tell a dude to get his Afro right

#6. Being a paragon of sartorial distinction

#2. Creating Soul Train

Anyone would at this point wonder, “Why is creating Soul Train #2? That show had wide reaching cultural impact as an example of the influence of black music, fashion, and dance. As well, Cornelius’ entrepreneurship is inspirational.” And I would of course agree with your point.  But what Cornelius accomplished was merely the evidence and result of an attitude and philosophy that I remember his sharing with us. “Love, Peace, and Soul?” Not that one. It was…

“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars.”

I’m not even sure that Don Cornelius coined the phrase. As a matter of fact, a Google search attributes it to 3 different people – none of whom are Cornelius.  But my mind clearly recalls seeing Don Cornelius in a green velvet 3 piece suit holding a two-foot long microphone and saying it directly to me.

So what was "The Don" telling me? He was telling me to set lofty goals, even seemingly impossible ones. And in the attempt to meet these goals, I will still achieve something amazingly worthwhile.  So even if I don’t meet my goal of being featured in Men’s Health or Men’s Fitness, I’ll still get into great shape.  Even if I don’t learn Mandarin in two weeks, I’ll still be able to introduce myself and ask directions from a Chinese delegation from Fujian province.  And even if the Awesomeness Consultant doesn’t become a huge brand that leads to a series of books and a broadcast show, I still would have shared my adulation of Don Cornelius, Game of Thrones, Ron Swanson, honey badgers, Daniel Larusso, and all things awesome. And hopefully that will mean something to somebody.  

Until next time…Love, Peace, and Soul.