The Return of the Rag Picker Ch 10

Og Mandino's Life and Home

• The text describes Og Mandino's home in New Hampshire and recounts a visit from his friend Simon Potter.
• Mandino lives in an old farmhouse with a large television room nicknamed the "Arizona Room".
• The room decor includes southwest desert elements such as kachina dolls, branding irons, and china plates from his previous Scottsdale home.
• It features a six-foot-wide screen projection television, a large brass container with various cacti, and a photo of artist Ted DeGrazia.
• Mandino's studio is a replica of his Scottsdale studio described in his book, A Better Way to Live.
• The studio has a celebrity wall of autographed photos, plaques and awards, comfortable couches, a fireplace, and a large desk.
• Mandino explains that he replicated this studio to maintain authenticity and provide a sense of familiarity for his readers.

Simon Potter's Visit and Advice

• Simon Potter visits Mandino with a rusty screwdriver gift from a great blue heron named Franklin.
• He had promised himself a visit after completing a project about life and happiness.
• He is impressed by Mandino's home and television room.
• He acknowledges that Mandino's success in writing and speaking is a result of learning from Simon.
• Simon emphasizes the importance of giving and altruism in achieving happiness.
• He reminds Mandino that the greatest gift one can give is oneself.

Key Insights from Simon Potter's Journey

• Simon recounts Mandino's emotional experience in New York City in 1987, reflecting on the changes and challenges faced by Mandino over the years.
• Simon stresses that despite external struggles and despair, hope and faith are critical for overcoming life's challenges.
• He compares despair to children who throw away their belongings in anger.
• He sees despair as a result of fear and a loss of confidence in oneself and God's ability to assist.
• Simon emphasizes the importance of creating a "self-confident, inspired army" to rescue others from failure and create a better world.

Simon’s Argument

• Simon believes that humanity is struggling with issues like despair, failure, poverty, and other struggles. He feels that people are overwhelmed by information and resources available, neglecting action.
• Simon advocates for a simple, daily routine that can empower individuals. He believes that constant repetition can instill self-esteem, faith, confidence, hope, and enthusiasm, leading to overcoming challenges.
• Simon uses the analogy of cleaning a cat to explain that people need guidance and space to find their own solutions. He believes that by providing this guidance, people can develop self-reliance and overcome their struggles.
• Simon emphasizes the importance of simple, powerful messages and draws parallels with historical examples like the Ten Commandments, Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, and Longfellow's Psalm of Life.
• He argues that simple, repeateable messages can create habits that improve well-being and success, referencing Stanford University's health program as an example.
• Simon believes that a short, powerful message, digestible within six minutes, should be read daily to foster positive change.
• He sees the collaboration with the narrator as planting millions of good seeds through the potential reach of the narrator's book.

Key Points & Connections

• Simon and the narrator plan to create a concise message that individuals can read every morning to promote positive change in their lives.
• Their intent is to reach a large audience and equip them with the "key" to unlock their potential.
• They emphasize the importance of repetition and subconscious absorption of the message to foster sustained growth.

Rainbow Symbolism

• The appearance of a magnificent rainbow is juxtaposed with Simon’s discussion of the powerful, enduring impact of simple messages.
• This could be interpreted as a visual representation of hope and God's presence, supporting his argument that even simple messages can have a lasting impact on people's lives.
• Simon further connects the rainbow with the "realm where the rainbow never fades," suggesting a hopeful and transformative afterlife.