07Jan 2014 by CJ

Making time for someone who deserves the company

Life & Living, Love & Relationships
In today’s materialistic society, few will ever understand the importance of giving your time to someone in need. To take a moment out of your busy schedule to interact with someone who will genuinely benefit from your tender contact and unconditional love. The more I journey through life, the more I understand that many times that’s really all a person needs in life – a reminder that someone cares and is there for them regardless of circumstance or situation. The gift of your time costs nothing, but its value is infinite to both parties involved. I’m not naïve to the business we all feel in society today – the pressures of raising a family, earning a living and maintaining a home can be exhausting at the end of any given…
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06Jan 2014 by CJ

Happiness may not be infinite, but sometimes you have to help find it

Generosity & Kindness, Life & Living, Love & Relationships
You learn quickly in life that happiness is not infinite. That everyone at one time or another experiences challenges and struggles that often rob a person of the ability to smile or feel great joy with any regularity. Of late I’ve been finding myself there – even though my life is filled with many wonderful blessings I should be grateful for, and I am. But lately my spirit seems to be in a bit of a funk – seemingly unsatisfied with the current state of my existence (except for my amazing wife who remains my one constant). At times I feel somewhat trapped by the complacency of my life – the routine that carries on from one day to the next. While I understand that you cannot escape your problems…
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30Dec 2013 by CJ

A New Year is a time for a new chapter filled with opportunities

Life & Living
“We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day.” Edith Lovejoy Pierce It occurred to me recently that many of the hobbies I once found great fulfillment in have since ceased being a part of my existence. From reading books and magazines to writing poems and lyrics to composing musical arrangements on the piano – somehow they’ve all gotten away from me as the busyness of life seems to have overshadowed them. It saddened me to think how I’ve let myself forget about these treasured hobbies, which once were at the center of my being – helping me through difficult times and easing my anxieties throughout various stages…
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19Dec 2013 by CJ

Reflecting on the end of the year doesn’t always have to be a bad thing

Life & Living
For some reason the holidays are always a time for reflection. A time to applaud our accomplishments, lament our failures and mourn the loss of those no longer in our presence. Perhaps its location towards the end of the calendar is what spurs on this personal reflection in so many of us. This coming to a close if you will is often the impetus for us to look back over the last year to evaluate the past - hoping for a better future. Art Buchwald once said, “Whether it’s the best of times or the worst of times, it’s the only time we’ve got.” And I guess that’s really the only way to look at life isn’t it? This year marks the first Christmas I will spend without my beloved…
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04Dec 2013 by CJ

Though the experience is over, memories are a window into the past

Life & Living, Love & Relationships
The other day I was rummaging through a drawer for something-or-other and came across the enclosed photograph. Within seconds I was transported back to being a teenager for a pleasant trip down memory lane. Throughout high school, I always worked behind-the-scenes on the school plays. [caption id="attachment_2010" align="alignright" width="283"] Craig's moment in drag[/caption] Fascinated by the workings of theatrical productions as a kid, this became one of the highlights of my high school years whether it was working on sets, organizing props and furnishings or pulling open the curtain at show time.My drama teacher Mr. Richard Snyder, who also directed and produced all of our main stage productions, was an incredible influence on me. A friend and mentor, he made a shy and insecure teenager feel appreciated and accepted and…
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