Life’s Greatest Lesson is Often Overlooked

Life’s Greatest Lesson is Often Overlooked

Love & Relationships
My first reading of Mitch Albom's inspirational memoir about his revered sociology professor was back in early 2000, at the urging of my then girlfriend (now most treasured wife). The book is Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life's Greatest Lesson.  Since that first reading, I've revisited the now-famous memoir several times over the last 23 years - most recently, last evening. While a short read at around 192 pages, I had never begun and completed my reading all within the span of a few hours. But on this particular night, that's exactly what happened.  As I lay in bed reading through the last few pages while my wife slept comfortably next to me and tears now moistened my eyes, I was yet again profoundly impacted…
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Thankful for Where We Are, Not Where We’ve Been

Thankful for Where We Are, Not Where We’ve Been

Life & Living, Love & Relationships
Many of us rarely think about our lives in the present. That's because we often go about our days with memories of the past or expectations of the future influencing our perceptions of ourselves and the world around us. So being truly thankful for where we are in this moment – grateful for all the blessings right here, right now – is a monumental task. The holiday season between Thanksgiving and the first of the new year can be difficult for many of us. Memories of long-gone holiday traditions, joyous celebrations, and familiar faces, now vacant from our reality, haunt our current existence causing us to struggle to maintain any semblance of positivity. Being thankful for where we are in the present is a challenging concept to adopt. Many often…
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How to Know if Someone Truly Values You in Their Life

How to Know if Someone Truly Values You in Their Life

Life & Living, Love & Relationships
As we grow older and wiser, relationships (whether familial, platonic, or romantic) inevitably change – that’s simply a reality of the human experience. Some of those relationships continue to improve and strengthen with time and maturity. In contrast, others seem to wither away from a lack of nurturing. However, it becomes puzzling how to accurately determine if someone still truly values you in their life. Many of us rarely entertain such a question. Understandably, we’re fearful of the answers, which challenge our often skewed perception of reality – of a true, connecting, and binding relationship having taken place. A relationship shouldn’t feel like a chore – a one-sided exercise with little return on your investment. Unfortunately, this often forces you to tolerate a handful of repetitive excuses for one’s inability…
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What Defines a Successful Life Comes From the Heart

What Defines a Successful Life Comes From the Heart

Love & Relationships
If you asked the average person today what defines a successful life, they’d provide you with one or all of the bullet points below. A high-paying salary from a respected career. Material possessions (an impressive house, expensive car, fancy gadgets, etc.). The satisfaction of knowing that you have more than your neighbors, friends, and even your family members. I’ve always struggled with America’s rationale of what defines a successful life. While I consider myself incredibly fortunate regarding the first two bullet points above, I’m not sure I would classify my life as a success because of them. Financial stability is essential in providing one with the necessities we all need to live and maintain our health and well-being. But surely, there must be more to defining a successful life than…
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Gosar deserves the same fate ordinary Americas would face

Gosar deserves the same fate ordinary Americas would face

Love & Relationships
I’m rarely at a loss for words, and often this blog provides me with an opportunity to share my thoughts and feelings in the hopes of inspiring positive change in others. But I have to tell you, after learning about the animated attack by Rep. Paul Gosar on both Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and President Joe Biden, I actually said out loud, I’m not sure I can write about this. Why? Because I’m in utter disbelief that an elected official – who I might add works for and is paid by the American people – thought it was appropriate and acceptable to post such a violent video in the first place. For those of you unaware of the story, Rep. Paul Gosar (Arizona) posted an anime video on social media showing him…
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