I was schooled by this 10-year old Buddha

Rick Martinez
3 min readNov 10, 2020
Photo by Mehmet Turgut Kirkgoz on Unsplash

In 1977 this totally happened, and it changed my life, 43 years later.

Nineteen seventy-seven may seem like a loooong time ago for many of youz. For others, you likely weren’t even a twinkle in yo daddy’s eye.

Yeah, 1977 may have been your best years, but for me, back in 1977, I was legit schooled by a ten-year-old, snot-faced kid.

Here’s what I mean.

That ten-year-old told me about all the mistakes I had (or would be making)…and to make them anyway.

Weird right?

I mean, if you know you’re gonna make mistakes, then why on God’s green earth would you make them anyway?

Lessons.

Learning.

Growth.

That same 10-year-old lad also told me this.

He said that just when you think you’ve found love…it won’t be love. But you’ll THINK it is without knowing any better.

Any better? I don’t understand, I thought to myself.

He then said…love anyway.

I mean, if you know you’re gonna find what you think is love and get hurt or burned OR hurt or burn someone…why would you love?

Lessons.

Learning.

Growth.

That darn kid, throwing me surprise life lessons at every turn of that sand-filled hourglass, also said that I’d give (or had given?) my life to a profession and job that, while fulfilling, I won’t get thanks or praise for being self-less.

Shiiiiitttttt. Seriously?

Why the heck would anyone in their right mind pursue a career where you give…give…give…and you never receive thanks, praise, and if we’re honest, a pretty basic/simple/lousy wage.

You do it because it’s right and because the greater good needs selflessness. But you really do it for the…

Lessons.

Learning.

Growth.

That ten-year-old Buddha then went on to say that despite all of the life lessons I…

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Rick Martinez

My journey began on food stamps • I help CEOs & entrepreneurs write & publish books that give them authority & legacy • Former CEO turned ghostwriter