Sign My Autograph

by BizMum

I sign my Autograph so the whole world will know me. But there is one person I have to trust first. And that person is me. I have to believe in myself first. All that I had done which I assumed were failures have made me strong. Failures never destroyed me. They simply pushed my resolve further and bigger to become my calling. The result has become my autograph.

Sign My Autograph

Thank you, the once negative me, you have taught me to become my autograph. I release you! Where there is no darkness in your heart your door will open. But you must desire to cross the threshold to the other side and journey on with courage.

I once had a teacher as a child who told me that he much preferred to find inspirational people to get autographs from. He declined to give me his because he wanted me to find people better than he to teach me. After so many years the poem he wrote in my book is his autograph: “Always be humble but gain wisdom through learning from the wiser you.”

What Does Your Autograph Say About You?

Opening that door is not the end of my journey from darkness. It is only the beginning. It’s crossing from one phase to another which I had fought so hard to achieve and change. I have no desire to say, “I’ve done it! Therefore I may rest in peace.” How many people I know have done just that and simply passed on. They have told their minds that to survive the tough days is victory. Actually I consider that a waste of experience. You defeat the negatives of your life at all costs and now you decide to dump all that knowledge and die. They can’t see to enjoy the fruits now at their disposal. That’s dumb, not honourable.

I have memories of old soldiers who ended their lives after surviving wars are only remembered for their time in the war. Their time on earth is lost elsewhere. Where a tragedy struck like a loved one was killed unjustly, I witnessed the parents chase down the crime for years. After ‘justice’ was found, these such determined people simply went their way and found ‘peace’ by letting go of their lives within a very few months.

Then once in a while I find someone who inspires me greatly. I want to know who he or she is by knowing his or her journey. I want an autograph. I want to know what that brief powerful summary of this person’s life. This is what inspires. My gratification is this is what motivates me on my journey even further.

The Autograph

Surely a statement but how long must it be? Surprisingly the statement need not be long to say much. Some of these summaries of a life have become clichés. For example, say, “He’s a Buddha” and we all know what a holy person this person must have become. Say, “The Duke of Zhou” and students of Chinese cultures will have volumes of materials in their heads about this pivotal historical figure.

Brevity is great to capture the imagination. But how you live and what you do with your life is what you must achieve. To write my autograph is what I consider far better than writing my epitaph. I much prefer to live as I say I would rather than just to be known by others, as others see it. I write my autograph as I want to see and live.

Signatures from actors or public figures are not really autographs in this sense. You find memorabilia on baseballs, photos, books and all other matter of collectibles. These are not these famous peoples’ autographs. These are marks made to become merchandise. They only remind you about one aspect of a person. Ask them for their true personal autograph which say who they really are, it is much different. It is a powerful and inspirational tale that you will get.

Thus my autograph or yours is a statement about your life. How do you want to live? What do you want to do with that life is entirely up to you. If you’ve learnt to be always learning, then you can become the wiser for it. Make a brief statement and make it stick. Stick your autograph where you can find it and read it every day and every hour. Put your money where your mouth is and go do it.