Hercules and the Hulk… A Story about Destinies, and Super Heroes, too. As a writer, you always write about what you know, based on your life’s often times bumpy, Black Ribbon travels that lead you to discover something better, and something more: The Long White Line… Your destined path. Well, mine at least. This… is one of those stories. In early April 2012, I began trading emails with an actor, and author that most would recognize from his well traveled thespian jaunts, boldly, yet gracefully stepping within the entertainment industries glittery landscape reaching recognizable, lofty celebrity status and his hit television show. He speaks his heart, unremitting, regarding his committed beliefs, and owns his convictions with a fervor and passion for family, and its better way of life, and for the most part, being a rather private guy. I came to connect up with him, through a common friend, some eleven months earlier. He is a giver…for What Matters Most, owning a genuine, philanthropic spirit and heart. That same day, I felt compelled to reach out to him because an Amazon notification graced my emails inbox that same morning referencing his newly released book: TRUE STRENGTH - MY JOURNEY FROM HERCULES TO MERE MORTAL AND HOW NEARLY DYING SAVED MY LIFE What happened after, makes one scratch their head and wonder about the “what if” side of our lives, and all those weird, serendipitous, unexplainable happenstance occurrences that magically, and mysteriously pop up from time to time, and leave one scratching their head about the possibilities surrounding space and time probabilities. During our email exchange that afternoon, I mentioned a dear friend and business associate who had been a general manager of a long standing chain of well known restaurants within the Los Angeles region. “Too funny… I just had a lunch meeting there.” More emails soon followed and the degrees of separation between us shrank to several of our acquaintances and friends knowing each of us. Kevin Bacon would be clapping loudly! Later in April, I received a request to connect on LinkedIn from someone. Not knowing who this person was—I get tons of connection requests, and daily sort through them—I soon discovered that this person was a multiple #1 NY Times bestselling author within the faith-based community and represented by the same literary agency as many other #1 NY Times and bestselling authors as well. In looking further, I discovered that his production company had done a film titled: “What if…” that his son directed, and costarred “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” actress, Kristy Swanson; former “Cheers” costar: John Ratzenberger, and my new email friend…. Hercules. I was colored curious, because this same person had also produced a faith-based film that starred another well recognized actor—and one as sincere, and genuine as they come—that I had met and came to know from spending an evening sitting next to him two years earlier at a privately held function in Beverly Hills—and the degrees of separation, grew all the closer. This was the email in response to my query about the connection request that he had sent: “Good to hear from you. It is truly amazing, because I don’t use LinkedIn and have never reached out to contact anyone on it. I mean, I’m listed and have some sort of network, but it’s never done by my choice. I don’t know how it happens. Maybe some automatic setting. I’m currently on deadline through August, writing my most ambitious novel to date, but am always available via email.” Lets fast forward to Monday morning, October 27, 2014… Herk and I hadn’t tossed words back and forth for quite some time — due to his very busy filming schedule, my remoteness, and being pinned to my chair living in Northern California, hours away from all the mania with its speed of light living in Tinsel Town. But on this particular day, something was going to occur that I couldn’t have seen coming in a million years. I was in town for a week connecting with folks regarding my developing film/trilogy novel project: The Long White Line. I had scheduled a breakfast meeting with that same friend mentioned earlier — and we were to meet at one of the same restaurant locations mentioned earlier within my email exchange with Herk. As we were sharing our meal, catching up on life and talking business, I happened to glance out through the windows, and noticed a very familiar face of someone I knew taking his seat sharing a table with three other gentlemen . Comments followed: “Hey, look who just sat down outside.” “Whatta ya know? How ‘bout that...” “Man, I told you about all the emails we’d traded, and never have been able to meet. This is so cool! Finally, we will!” “I know. I remember… You know what?” “No, What?” “I had a dream last night that he was going to show up while we were having breakfast!” “WOW! Thats wild! God is rockin’ my world today, Brother!” “YES HE IS!!!” We both sat there looking at one another, and glancing outside—caught up in this serendipitous, spiritual moment. Another “destiny” had just arrived in my life by paying attention to the signs and listening to whispers from that special, quiet voice that always seems to get you to places you belong, and just can’t get to in your car, and keeps HOPE alive, for What Matters Most. We finished our meal, and my friend headed off to another meeting while I stayed behind waiting to cross palms, share a hug, and finally meet an email amigo for the first time. I sat at the bar sipping on some lemon water as the manager asked how I knew my friend—her former workmate with the restaurant. Then I mentioned why I was still sitting at the bar. “What’s your name, and I’ll go tell him you’re inside waiting.” “Kevin James Richardson…” “I’ll be right back!” She scurried across the restaurant floor weaving in between tables, opened the door to the patio, walked up and boldly interrupted the meeting where Herk and his friends were sitting. They chatted, and she returned, moments later. “He said, ‘I know that guy. I’ll be right in!’” A minute later, a destiny had arrived that had been in the making since early April 2012. That morning, Kevin Sorbo of television “Hercules” fame, and I, finally met. So now you know the Destiny part of this story. But, why the “Super Heroes” mention, right? In 1979, one of my young cousins started calling me “Hulk” because he saw me similarly to Lou Ferrigno with my Hulkish physique, and due to the wide popularity of Lous top-rated show: “The Incredible Hulk” being on television at that time. Now you know the beginnings, of the rest of the “Super Hero” connection — but, there’s more. I mentioned the movie “What if…” that Kevin costarred with Kristy Swanson. Two days before Kevin and my destiny meeting, I met Kristy at another event where I had been an invited guest by its founder. Kristy gave me her cell number, and within the sequence of numbers, a certain number appeared, and something tapped inside of me as another destiny had just occurred. I later discovered that evening that Kristy was also born in the same year as that two-digit number appearing in her phone number. Hang on folks, this is where it gets that much better! After Kevin and I shared a commemorating photo, we walked outside, parted company, and continued on, going our separate ways and stating that we would stay in touch. I thought… “Now, what are the odds that Kevin would show up like he did, we’d finally get to meet, and two days ago, I met Kristy, who costarred with him in ‘What if…’?” But then I had to catch myself, and consider the likelihood of such chance encounters with The Land of All That Glitters being a strong possibility, right? As I was driving to exit the parking lot with that afterglow of events spinning magically in my mind despite rationalizing it away in my mind, I pulled in behind a car waiting for the light to change. To my awestruck amazement, right in front of me, on this car’s license plate, were the same three last numbers on my car’s license plate at home, and two of those numbers, were the same that appeared in Kristy’s phone number sequence, and the year of birth. Okay, those with doubting minds, what are the odds?!! To me, this was another nice little “God wink” because this happens to me every day, and happens, when I’m not looking for it. It just “shows up” as it does… Another Black Ribbon Tale, while staying true, and following: The Long White Line. Enjoy the video interview with Kevin about “God’s Not Dead” below, and a few pics… that tell the rest of the story… Keep The Shiny Side UP!!! https://youtube/watch?v=d7kH5EMVQtQ
Posted on: Wed, 03 Dec 2014 09:44:01 +0000
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