BRADBURY TEACHES ZICREE SECRET OF LIFE!

Just spoke to my wonderful, brilliant, eternally-young friend RAY BRADBURY today and will be seeing him next week.

Ray has been a great friend in recent times and has been mentoring me on my new book, LOVE, GLORIA, a memoir about my mother that will be completed by May.

One of the proudest moments in my life was when Ray recently asked me to write an introductory piece to the forthcoming limited-edition COMPLETE MARTIAN CHRONICLES. Ray was moved to tears when he read the piece -- what could be better than that?!(I'll post the intro here sometime soon.)

I first became close with Ray after my father suffered a series of life-threatening events two years back -- heart, strokes, stomach cancer -- all in a matter of two months. My father survived amazingly well, but afterwards was looking to find meaning in his life. I sought out Ray to learn from him the secrets of his amazing creativity, vitality and joyfulness. I thought at first I was doing this just for my Dad, but soon realized these were vital lessons for me, too (and anyone, for that matter).

What follows is some of what Ray taught me. The lessons continue... and what a great gift that is.

Cheers,
Marc

WHAT I’VE LEARNED FROM RAY BRADBURY

·Get up and work, five days a week.

·If you need help getting your work done, reach out to those who love you. They want to help.

·Take time off on the weekend. Be with those you love.

·Live from love, work from love, and do everything else from love.

·Find joy in every day, every hour, every moment.

·Save everything that matters to you, and keep it within reach.

·Get out into the world, no matter how difficult.

·Laugh at what limits you. It pits your life force against the darkness. (This doesn’t mean you can’t be pissed off at it, too.)

·At the same time, always keep fighting to be and do your best.

·Never sell out, and don’t suffer those who have.

·Do everything with gusto.

·Take naps.

·Help your friends, and view everyone with compassion.

·Stand up for yourself. Modesty is not a strength.

·Answer your own phone.

·Mourn for those who are gone and don’t forget them, but don’t bury yourself with them.

·Cry easily. It’s not a weakness.

·Never grow up. At least, not in the areas where it counts.

·Stay curious about everything.