10Feb 2014 by CJ

Valentine’s Day shouldn’t be celebrated only once a year

Love & Relationships
Today I made plans for my wife and I to see a dear friend of ours this coming Friday. She reminded me it was “v-day” as she put in her text, and admittedly at first I had no idea what she was talking about. V-day could mean the global movement to end violence against women, or the political campaign organized by Beppe Grillo in Italy years ago. But the “v-day” she was referring to was Valentine’s Day – the supposed day of love. Anyone who knows me is well aware that my wife and I do not celebrate Valentine’s Day. While many will spend far too much money trying to convince their significant other how their love can be measure in overpriced dinners, flowers and gifts, we refuse to adopt…
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19Jan 2014 by CJ

As long as people still think of you, you’re not lonely

Love & Relationships
I admit that I’m a bit of a homebody. My home, and the person I share it with, provide me with a warm, supportive and comforting place to return to at the end of a busy day – so much so that I enjoy just spending time there whatever the circumstance might be. I’m not a hermit however – I do enjoying going out from time to time to see family and friends in social situations. Still it always nice to know I have such a memorable place to return home to. But some weeks seem busier than others and often leave me with a feeling of anxiety. When my day starts at seven in the morning and I don’t return home until well after seven at night, that’s a…
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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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16Dec 2013 by CJ

Making Struffoli and enjoying the memories that come along with it

Love & Relationships
I always remember my grandmother making Struffoli (honey balls) around Christmas time. Struffoli is a kind of Italian cookie, which was originally created to symbolize abundance and good luck. Stories exist that nuns once gave them to the Italian aristocracy during the holiday as a sort of thank you for all the good works they’d done for charity. However they came into existence, they’re a gooey sweet treat I always enjoyed eating growing up – and still do! When my grandmother reached the age where she could no longer fully prepare a meal for herself, my wife and I decided we would make the Struffoli dough at our house and then bring it over to assemble it with grams. On the small television in one corner of her kitchen, we’d…
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