Life is too short to say anything but, “Thank you!”. – Darrell Fusaro, What if Godzilla Just Wanted a Hug?
This Saturday, Dec. 21, from 2 to 4 p.m. local artist, author and speaker Darrell Fusaro will be signing copies of his book, “What if Godzilla Just Wanted a Hug?” at Pauline Books and Media, located at 3908 Sepulveda Blvd. in Culver City.
This is an excellent opportunity to meet a man who has greatly influenced my approach to life and the lives of many others.
Fusaro holds a special place in our district, for the time he has volunteered, joyfully teaching children how to draw cartoons. Given his open-hearted approach to life, it is appropriate that his book, comprised of short, inspirational stories and original cartoons, is subtitled, “Leading with the Heart Instead of the Chin.”
I have a personal connection to Darrell Fusaro as a friend, mentor and co-host of our popular weekly broadcast, “Funniest Thing! with Darrell and Ed,” on Unity Online Radio.
Throughout the six years that I have known Fusaro, he has demonstrated the value of kindness, forgiveness and self-care, in everything that he does. His unique approach to these subjects is what makes him a one of a kind teacher and friend to everyone in our community.
Fusaro grew up in New Jersey, surrounded by tough guys and a less than typical home life. “What if Godzilla Just Wanted a Hug?” contains humorous, inspiring stories from his early days with his father’s mafia friends and his experiences dealing with his mother’s alcoholism.
The book highlights, often in comical ways, his attempts to fit in and feel normal. He also shares stories about his life as a successful artist (exhibiting with Andy Warhol), a stunt coordinator in Hollywood, and the ship artist on a boat in the Bering Sea.
The underlying message in all of Fusaro’s stories is one of faith in the goodness of life and the practical value of kindness.
Fusaro emphasizes the everyday aspects of living an inspired, generous, and loving life. His sense of humor and willingness to laugh at his own expense bring humility to his stories.
“What if Godzilla Just Wanted a Hug?” reminds us that we can all experience this sacred quality of life that Fusaro describes.
In his stories Fusaro demonstrates the truth in the saying, “Success is an inside job.” As an educator and parent, it is easy to look to external indicators for success. If I want to judge my parenting, there are test scores, grades and the opinions of others.
None of those things matter if I am not feeling good inside myself. This means tending to my basic needs; i.e. eating when I am hungry, paying my bills on time and washing my car when it is dirty. It also means taking the time to say kind things to myself when I encounter challenging thoughts, situations and feelings.
I spent a great deal of my life trying to change myself. I believed that I lived in a damaged world that needed to be fixed.
Now, thanks to the principles that Fusaro describes in his book, I can see that if I am feeling bad, the first thing to change is my attitude. I can find reasons to be grateful.
We all have much to be grateful for. By modeling a grateful heart for our children, they too learn that it is okay to be gentle with themselves and others, and that it is okay to celebrate life because of all the good that surrounds us.
When we take this approach to life, giving Godzilla a hug when he is grumpy, things start working out in our favor and we see that they have been all along.
So take the time to come out to Pauline Books and Media this Saturday, from 2 to 4 p.m. and get a signed copy of “What if Godzilla Just Wanted a Hug?” It is a great gift for the holidays.
Fusaro will be there to introduce you to all of the friends that he has made by practicing his unique brand of kindness, including me.
Edward Biagiotti is the Inclusion Specialist for Culver City Unified School District. He is also co-host of the popular radio show, Funniest Thing! with Darrell and Ed, live each week at 3 pm on www.UnityOnlineRadio. org.