Lenny Dykstra then
In the March 12, 2012 issue of Sports Illustrated, a special report by writer David Epstein explains how former baseball star Lenny Dykstra, now forty-nine, lost millions of dollars and wound up being sentenced to three years in jail for fraud. Here’s an excerpt:
In the unreleased documentary, filmed after his bankruptcy filing, the former Met and Phillie explains the importance of a private plane to his contentedness. “I said, O.K., I know I’ll be happy when I buy my own Gulfstream,” says Dykstra, reflecting on the place he purchased in 2007. “But I got down to the end of the nose, I looked back and I said, O.K., happy, come on, come on. So it’s not about the Gulfstream. But it is about the Gulfstream. Meaning it just wasn’t as good a Gulfstream as I wanted.”
Um, Lenny, there’s something you should know. The day a Gulfstream buys anyone happiness is the day pigs polka, monkeys pole vault and penguins play volleyball. Expecting to find happiness in external conditions is like expecting to grasp a sparkling jewel by reaching into the mirror that reflects it. Happiness cannot be pursued because it is not in front of you for you to follow but within you for you to find.
Ever since Happiness heard your name,
It has been running through the streets
Trying to find you.
Hafiz
Lenny Dykstra now
If you are not satisfied with what you have, attaining all that you want will still leave you unsatisfied. The more unsatisfied you feel, the more you desire. The more you desire, the more you accumulate. The more you accumulate, the more complicated your life. The more complicated your life, the more stress you experience.
If your desires be endless, your cares and fears will be so too.
Thomas Fuller
Any happiness you derive from attaining, achieving, or overcoming is destined to be short-lived. Deep, lasting happiness springs from cherishing who you already are and what you already have.
Yes, there is a Nirvanah; it is in leading your sheep to a green pasture, and in putting your child to sleep, and in writing the last line of your poem.
Kahlil Gibran
ABOUT PHIL BOLSTA
Phil is the author of Through God’s Eyes: Finding Peace and Purpose in a Troubled World, a comprehensive guide to living a spiritual life. Who will benefit from reading it?
Anyone who is on a spiritual path, or wants to start one
Anyone who loves life, or wants to learn how to
Anyone who is happy, or wants to be happier
To order your copy of Through God’s Eyes, go to GodsEyesOrder.com OR order from Amazon at GodsEyesAmazon.com OR for an inscribed copy, click here to e-mail Phil for information.
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• chapter excerpts
• a sample end-of-chapter story
• endorsements from authors and thought leaders
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THROUGH GOD’S EYES PDF SAMPLER
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Phil is also the author of Sixty Seconds: One Moment Changes Everything, a collection of 45 inspiring, life-changing stories from prominent people he interviewed, including Joan Borysenko, Deepak Chopra, geneticist Dr. Francis Collins, acclaimed sportswriter Frank Deford, Dr. Larry Dossey, Wayne Dyer, Dan Millman, Caroline Myss, Dr. Christiane Northrup, Dr. Dean Ornish, Dr. Rachel Naomi Remen, Dr. Bernie Siegel, James Van Praagh, singer Billy Vera, Doreen Virtue, Neale Donald Walsch, and bassist Victor Wooten.
Here is a three-minute video that introduces you to Phil and his book. Click here to order Sixty Seconds. Click here to ask Phil to add you to his e-mail list for updates on his blog and books.
Reading this book is like spending a few minutes face to face with each of the contributors and listening to their personal stories. Click here to read unsolicited testimonials from readers. Learn more by visiting the official Sixty Seconds website.
Sixty Seconds was one of three finalists in the General Interest/How-To category at the 12th annual Visionary Awards presented by COVR (Coalition of Visionary Resources) in Denver on June 27, 2009.
Triumph of the Spirit 
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