The gifts are opened. The air is cleared. It’s time to start a brand new year. Before you do, I’ve one request to ask. Reflect on the days of all of your past. Consider the changes you intend to make. Think of the opportunities you’d like to take. Blue days have come, but also have…
Tone of voice is to words what a visual impression is to sight. It’s an underestimated aspect of communication. Whether written or spoken, tone of voice reveals itself. A message can take on a very different meaning depending on the tone of the delivery. Emotions are conveyed, and moods are influenced by how something is…
We’re all familiar with the fairytale of “Jack and the Beanstalk.” The expression of being an ostrich with their head in the sand is also well-known. Here’s my own cautionary version of the two. Don’t be Jack, the Giant, or the ostrich. Jack has the advantage of seeing life from above and below the clouds…
Life doesn’t always make sense, especially as it’s unfolding. We might never know “why” things happen, but if we can find acceptance, we can make sense of life’s hard knocks. There are silver linings if we are willing to look up. Last fall kicked off a series of events that left my family reeling. Challenges…
Once upon a time, there was a bored child. To alleviate his boredom, he began spying on his neighbors. He knew what he witnessed wasn’t his business. The people he observed were unaware, and most of the time, what he saw was of no interest to him. However, there was one time that disturbed him…
Indulge me for a moment. Picture yourself in the mountains on a dirt hiking trail. There is blue sky above, a river flowing below, and a rainbow of wildflowers in every direction. The beauty and silence are intoxicating until an out-of-place sound pierces the moment. In a split second, your defenses are up as you…
How is it that the older one gets, the faster time passes? When you’re a kid, time moves at a snail’s pace. Waiting for summer or your next birthday seems to take forever. The words, “How much longer?” escape the lips of every child. “Faster! Faster! Hurry up!” is the mantra of youth. Before you…
Much of my happiness comes from the outdoors, either being outside or bringing parts of it inside. Nature fascinates me to the point of referring to myself as a “Nature Nerd.” It’s impossible for me to walk a beach or hike a mountain without collecting seashells or rocks. I am easily awed by the intricate and colorful patterns of a…
Fantasizing about what life will be like as grown-ups is part of childhood. Children’s imaginations continually bloom with thoughts of careers, houses, spouses, and the possibility of children. They paint colorful pictures of what their lives will be like. They dream, without abandon, about their futures. With time and maturity, those dreams, or variations of…
Monumental events leave a lasting impression. Some years roll over into one another with no distinct variation. You go through the motions without noteworthy happenings. Other years go down in the books for being extraordinarily eventful. The past twelve months have been of the eventful kind for my family. There have been plenty of blessings…