As many middle aged men and women have done throughout the history of mankind, I, too, am facing things that all middle aged men do.  Things like, receding hairlines and expanding waistlines; saying to younger people, “Well, in my day, (fill in your most boring statistic here); paying closer attention to the AARP ads, and falling asleep far earlier than I ever imagined that I would.

I am also faced with the same important questions about life that all middle aged guys do.  Questions like, “shall I buy a cool sports car, wear my shirt open and see how many gold chains I can wear around my neck without pulling all of the hair off of my chest, and leave my lovely wife of “X” number of years for a bombshell with more silicon than brains?”  Or, “Have I wasted my life?”  “Is this all there is to life?”  “What can I do to make the most of the rest of my life?”  “How can I be a better human being?” And, “Why am I asking so many questions?”

You know what I’m talking about.

As is often the case with all of us who have faced this crisis of mid-life, these middle aged musings have led me to spiritual pursuits.  While many before me have investigated the world’s various religions for answers, I’ve discovered a new purpose in life - a new kind of spiritual journey. 

I’ve analyzed various stages of my life to see what events and influences have made me the questioning man that I am today.  After ruling out the trauma of child birth, potty training, the horrible realization that there is, in fact, no Santa Claus or Easter Bunny, I realized that television has had the most impact on me and what I am today. 

And not just TV in general but a very specific program popular during the days of my youth in Phoenix.  Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I’m, of course, referring to The Wallace and Ladmo show that, until 1989, was a staple on KPHO Channel 5 for over 30 years.

After analyzing the tremendous impact Wall-Boy and the gang had on me, I went to sleep thinking about all that had come to mind.

That’s when the most amazing thing happened.  I was awaken by a blinding light and, there in a white tuxedo, complete with a tailcoat and white top hat, was Ladmo, smiling his memorable ear-to-ear smile, holding a glistening golden Ladmo Bag.  The smile was comforting and inviting.  Then, as quick as he appeared, he disappeared with that infectious laugh he was known for.

Rubbing my eyes in disbelief as to what I just witnessed, I stared in further disbelief at the small pile of Ladmo dust laying on my bedroom floor, shaped in the same comforting smile of his.  It was then that I had a spiritual epiphany that has started me on a new and meaningful religious journey.

I’m in search of my inner Ladmo.

As I see it, the highest spiritual level that we can reach in life is to discover, attain and unleash our “inner Ladmo” during our time on earth and, if we happen to be sitting in the right “seat” in life when our number is called, we’ll be rewarded with a golden Ladmo Bag in big TV set in the sky.

What is our “inner Ladmo”?  That’s a very good question.  First, let me explain to you newbies in the Valley of the Sun just who Ladmo was.  But first, I’ll need to explain to you what the Wallace and Ladmo Show was.

The Wallace and Ladmo Show was a children’s show that aired on a local, then-independent TV station (KPHO Channel 5).  They showed cartoons, performed various skits and was visited by various characters.  More about that in a moment.

Ladmo was always the good guy.  Sometimes he got framed for something he didn’t do but he was almost always nice (although Mr. Grudgemeyer did manage to push Ladmo’s buttons).  Sometimes he cried, but he always left everyone smiling.  No matter what happened during the show, he was almost certainly always smiling at the end.

He was never the boss or the cool guy, but he was ALWAYS the one kids loved and wanted to hug.  Ladmo gave kids good things, too.  How many of us who were privileged to have watched those shows use to dream about winning a “Ladmo Bag” filled with sweets and coupons for all sorts of cool stuff?  When I think about it now, it wasn’t the stuff in the bag that I wanted to win.  It was the bag itself. 

Yeah, we wanted to receive, but there was a gleam in Ladmo’s eyes when he gave.

So, our inner Ladmo are the traits that we bring to the surface that will bring out the best in ourselves and others.  Our inner “L” will allow us to be okay with not being the boss or being the cool guy.  It also motivates us to suppress the negative urges that are innate to human nature and give what’s good to others.

How do we attain our “inner Ladmo”?  Yet another good question.  (You guys are good!)

Well, to start with, we’ve got to identify the obstacles to finding our inner Ladmo.  It is by identifying those obstacles and conquering them that we find our “L” and get to hear Wall-Boy say, “Well done!”

The obstacles are illustrated by some of the regular characters that appeared in the show.  Memorable characters such as Gerald, Mr. Grudgemeyer, Captain Super, Marshall Good, Aunt Maude, Boffo the Clown (my personal favorite) and Bobby Joe Trouble added lots of laughs to each episode.

In the proceeding several chapters of these new scriptures, I will reveal personified character flaws in my character and how they suppressed my inner-Ladmo and quashing said flaws, have come closer to reaching my inner Ladmo.

Next, I will share with you my battles with my inner-Captain Super and Bobby Jo Trouble.