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Nbii, (pronounced "nuh-bye) I'd love for it to become a greeting and a goodbye, a wink, a hug, an affirmation of friendship and faith.... nbii. (pronounced nuh-bye) Similar to the Hawaiian "Aloha" that serves so beautifully both coming and going. This wallpaper was inspired by Tom Hanks in the movie Castaway. It's the reason I used this ocean scene. Remember in the movie where he says, "You just never know what the tide will bring in."? That's an inoculation against giving up. I'm grateful they put it in such a great and memorable movie. That movie is a tool for a happier life.
If you missed it on the big screen, rent it or buy it as soon as it comes out. It's the best suicide prevention movie of our time.
Today I want to share with you my personal nbii story. It's the most extraordinary true story of my life. Maybe it's just about the power of prayer, even when it may not be right and even when you don't know how to pray correctly. Maybe not. You decide.
It was 1971. The Vietnam war was in full swing. My brother, David Seth, age 19, got drunk and joined the Marines. My mother, who hated the war and hated the Marines, could not bear it. She believed with great physical intensity that she would die if she couldn't get her son out of the Marines.
I don't know if she was right or not. I know she convinced my father, and he loved her dearly. So he went to the Red Cross and every possible politician, trying to get David out of the Marines on a hardship discharge. Trouble was, we really weren't quite qualifed for a hardship discharge. So every where Daddy went, the answer was again, and again, no.
My brother RW, an adult and for some reason unable to get in the military, really, really wished he could have joined. So he was very upset with my mother. They had different beliefs about almost everything, especially the war and the Marines. And in my family, that wasn't treated lightly, rather it was treated with traditional family cruelty.
One night he came over and sat there laughing in my mother's face, telling her all the logical reasons there was NO way we could get David out of the Marines. "Why if he comes home before six years is up it'll either be in a body bag or with his legs blown off. Accept it Mom." He kept smiling. "The Marines have the toughest legal contract in the world. It's impossible to get him out. Especially while he's still in basic. Gimmie a break! No way. Oh yeah, a body bag. That's the only way. You want him out of the Marines that bad Mom? Count on the Viet Cong, they'll be the ones that will gladly give you what you want. Get it through your head, Mom..... Give up because it's IMPOSSIBLE." I'll never forget the way he kept grinning as she cried. That's family for ya. Sometimes. Go figure.
It was a long time ago. I don't remember why I remained silent while he was there. It wasn't my way. I don't know why Daddy didn't tell him to leave. I just plain don't remember.
But I do remember, that later that night, I went to my room, sat with legs crossed on my bed and behaved in a manner that most anyone would call nuts. All I did, all night long, was rock back and forth, whispering over and over through tears of intense determination, "I don't care if it's impossible. He's coming home. He's coming home NOW. Impossible doesn't impress me. Impossible doesn't mean anything to me. It's nothing. Impossible, indeed! Impossible or not, he's coming home, alive, all in one piece and he's coming home NOW!"
That would be weird if I'd only done it for an hour. I did it all night long. And the longer I said it, the more intense I became. I didn't quit until I heard my father get up and start making coffee. I seldom lied. In my whole life, I've never been much of one to fib. But I was ready to lie if I needed to. So I took a shower, put drops in my eyes, tried to look like I hadn't been crying and weirding-out all night long. Then I went into the kitchen and in the calmest voice I could muster, I said, "Daddy, who are you gonna go see today about getting David out?"
"Oh Lollie, you heard RW last night. And I guess he must be right cause I've been to everyone. I've been to every politician I can think of and I've been to the Red Cross five times already."
It was a huge challenge not to burst into tears, I was still feeling that intense. But I held it in check and lied like I was born to it. "Well Daddy, see, I had one of my special dreams last night, and in it, it said that if you just got in your car and went to whoever it lead to, that person would be able to get him out. So please Dad, just one more. Really, the dream felt so real, come on. Just one more. Okay? Please??" The only truth in that statement was that I did occasionally have special dreams that were intuitive. And Daddy knew it. So he went.
As God would have it, he drove to Democratic Representative, Jim Hamilton's office there in Poteau. That particular day, Jim happened to be in, he hadn't been the times Daddy had been to his office before. One more time, Daddy told the story of how my mother would surely die if we didn't get David out. And again, the fact remained that it wasn't quite close enough to call for a hardship discharge. Heck, many mothers didn't want their sons in that war. But, just to help out all he could, he'd leave a message with Carl Albert's Secretary. Carl Albert was at that time, the Democratic Speaker of the House, hailing from Bugtussle, OK.
Had the secretary been at her desk, things would surely have turned out differently. Instead, Carl Albert was walking past her desk when the phone rang and he answered it himself. After hearing Jim out, he said, "Tell that Oklahoma Mother that her boy is coming home today." I guess it was about fifteen minutes later, that my brother's Drill Sargent ran up to him and told him to get back to the barracks and pack his "stuff" because he was on the next plane out of there. David was stunned. He asked what was going on and the Sargent said, "Seth, I don't who you know or what strings you've pulled, but "rears" have been kicked from the top of this post right down to mine to be sure you're outta here before the sun sets. Move it soldier! Don't walk, RUN!"
My eyes water up as I write this. It will always make my eyes water up with the impact of the awareness, that truly, nothing is impossible. Because in less than twenty four hours of the time my brother RW was laughing at my mother's tears, my brother David was standing on Oklahoma soil with a hardship discharge!
Please don't write to me complaining about the unfairness of it all. I was a 20 year old kid with a determination to save my mother and prove RW wrong. Life is unfair. War especially is unfair. That's not the purpose of this true story. The purpose of recording it here today is to remind you now and in your darkest hours, that virtually NOTHING is impossible.
I'd love for it to become a greeting and a goodbye, a wink, a hug, an affirmation of friendship and faith.... nbii. (pronounced nuh-bye) Nbii, nbii, NBII!!! NEVER BELIEVE IN IMPOSSIBLE!
And of course the obvious little line right under it.... With God, nothing is impossible. I believe it to the very center of my soul. I pray you see I'm right.
Another Impossible wallpaper
I'mpossible.dreams (Fall in love with Pallotta Teamworks
Pictures of Impossible Objects - too cool!
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