Our Golden Voices

A news story this morning touched me emotionally.  Since I am incredibly macho and swarthy, I am loathe to use the word tears. But suffice it to say, I had not been moved in such a manner since mean old Mister dragged sweet little Nettie away from Celie in The Color Purple.  

But this morning's story was no work of fiction.  It was about a homeless man named Ted Williams with an amazing radio-announcer voice.  The story briefly goes like this:

Ted, a Brooklyn native, had a fairly successful career in radio.  Alcohol and drug addiction took hold of him in the mid-80's and life went downhill.  He lost his house, apparently his family too and moved to Ohio.  A few criminal violations ensued resulting in a arrests and Ted Williams quickly became part of the homeless population--one of those guys standing on the side of the road with a cardboard sign.

A local reporter, upon passing by and reading Ted's sign that stated he had "a golden voice," gave him an impromptu audition.  The videotape of that audition was loaded onto the Internet and within days it spread like a California hillside fire. Soon offers from the Cleveland Cavaliers to Kraft Foods came pouring in requesting Ted's golden voice.  It even brought him to the Today Show where he delivered the show's intro and sat down for an interview with Matt Lauer and Meredith Viera this morning. Here's what grabbed me about Ted's story.

After watching an interview of a politician this morning and seeing her shallow dodgy positioning of questions from Meredith, I appreciated Ted's humbleness and honesty.  When Matt and Meredith asked him the what happened to you question, Ted did not hesitate to say it was drug and alcohol addiction.  He took ownership and didn't blame anybody, anything or Bobby Brown.  He was the maker of his own undoing.  But the story doesn't stop there for me. Although chance and circumstance played a big part, Ted Williams was also the architect of his own amazing rebound.

How is that?  He stayed prepared.  Although he was on the street, Ted was always ready to show what he could do, demonstrate that golden voice and be up for any opportunity, including an impromptu roadside audition. On the Today Show when they tossed him an announcing task, Ted responded without hesitation.  And finally, cemented by a newfound faith in God, Ted Williams never gave up hope.

Here's the lesson for us.

1. Take ownership. When I don't write those pages in a given day I cannot blame it on the girlfriend, the kids, the weather, the Internet, or writer's block.  It is me who didn't feel like getting up, who got distracted by Facebook, who had to watch this TV show, or take a nap, or, or... it is me.

2. Be ready. Opportunity is out there, walking the street, randomly knocking on doors. When opportunity knocks, you don't have time to go pack a bag and put on flip-flops because when you return, opportunity will be gone.  Rather, keep the flip-flops on and a packed bag by the door by having a spec script already complete, a treatment written and fully developed ideas ready to pitch.

3. Don't Hesitate.  Years ago, I lost an opportunity to write a commercial for Coca-Cola because I spent DAYS pulling together my "creative team" to help me come up with an idea.  I didn't trust myself to do it on my own. By the time a great idea came to mind (which happened when I was alone!) the opportunity had passed.  When someone wants you to write something or work with them on a story idea do it now.  Those brain cells have to fire up immediately and you have to show yourself as a story, character, plot, cinema, literature, film expert NOW, not later. "Let me think on that" is a comfort zone we cannot not afford to wallow in.

4. Have Faith.  Oftentimes it seems like we'll never get to where our dreams once lifted us. We feel too old, too tired, too busy and just too far behind. Ted in his fifties, was on the street and now, in a matter of days, he's on top of the world. It happens to people everyday.  And it CAN happen for you too.  But you must, repeat, must believe it.  Crossed, the movie I wrote with Heavy D, will be made. Chances, the script  Nia Long and I crafted, will be shot. Alley Cats,  the sketch comedy show, will be sold. Bach, A Monster will be sold and made.  Each day I rise, feeling as if THIS will be the day. And if it happens not to be, then it just puts me one day closer to the fruition of those dreams and work.

It's all a matter of an undying faith in God and a constant belief that if we keep doing all the right things, like Ted Williams, our golden voices will be heard too.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

 Watch the video that launched Williams to fame