01Feb 2016 by CJ

A life of things is no life

Generosity & Kindness, Life & Living
"The best things in life aren't things." - Art Buchwald My grandmother was one of nine children living in a tiny, three bedroom apartment. Few things were truly "yours" in my grandmothers household growing up. You often shared a bed with one ore two of your sisters, not to mention clothes, toys, books and anything else which could be handed down to the next oldest child. When I used to listen to my grandmother talk about growing up, while there was no denying it was hard, the sense of family and security she felt for the people living in that tiny apartment was something few of us will ever understand. As cliche as it sounds, my grandmother would sometimes tell me, "We didn't have much, but we had each other…
Read More
28Jan 2016 by CJ

A true connection is seen, heard, valued

Life & Living, Love & Relationships, Youth
“Connection is the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard and valued; when they can give and receive without judgment; and when they derive sustenance and strength from the relationship.” - Brene Brown Seen…heard…valued. In my mind they are three incredibly powerful words which are the very foundation of all great and long-lasting relationships. That connection, that energy that two people can share is not something that comes along every day. In fact, I often wonder if there’s a possibility of one day it becoming completely extinct. I learned a long time ago that relationships (be them plutonic or intimate) require a great deal of effort in order to succeed. They need attention and care in order to develop and flourish into an invaluable resource for the…
Read More
26Jan 2016 by CJ

Forgiveness is something you do for yourself

Life & Living, Love & Relationships
“Forgiving is not forgetting; it’s actually remembering – remembering and not using your right to hit back. It’s a second chance for a new beginning. And the remembering part is particularly important. Especially if you don’t want to repeat what happened.” – Desmond Tutu Several years ago, while settling in to listen to a respected pastor give his Sunday morning sermon, I never imagined how it would help me understand a word so fundamentally basic. Forgiveness. As young children we’re taught that if we do something wrong we should immediately apologize, and in turn the person we’ve wronged will forgive us. While it sounds like an easy enough concept in theory, as we grow into adults we quickly learn that the act of forgiving charters a more complicated path. For…
Read More
25Jan 2016 by CJ

Peace comes from a place within us

Life & Living
“Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset.” – St. Francis De Sales My wife is truly an amazing person for many reasons, but the quality she possesses that I’m most envious of is her ability to continually maintain a calm spirit. Even during times of crisis or stress, she somehow manages to acknowledge her feelings and compartmentalize them constructively before they rob her earthly life of valuable time. Me? Well, I’m just the opposite. Maybe that’s why we’ve been so happily married for the last 14 years. Over the years I’ve come to realize that far too often we’re our own worst enemy. It’s easy to say that…
Read More
24Jan 2016 by CJ

Time lost is never found

Life & Living
“The key question to keep asking is, are you spending your time on the right things? Because time is all you have.” – Randy Pausch My typing teacher back in high school (yes, I did actually learn to type on a typewriter) used to always say, “Remember…time lost is never found so let’s not waste it!” And while I’m sure she was referring to our lack of focus during any given lesson, for me her words tend to speak more towards the lack of focus so many adults have as they journey through life. We are an impressionable society. We allow ourselves to be sucked in to the popularities our society deems important in order to be considered credible. We idolize people not because of their character, humility and contributions,…
Read More