28May 2013 by CJ

With you I am home

Love & Relationships
I've posted parts of this blog previously, but felt it needed a little repeating - not only for those around me, but for myself as well.   The term “walkman” refers to a portable audio cassette player, which was immensely popular in the 1980’s. Though now considered a relic and inferior by modern day standards, at its peak it allowed music lovers to enjoy their favorite tunes just about anywhere you traveled – as long as your AA batteries were fully charged. An avid music lover myself, I prolonged purchasing the latest portable audio technology for several years, while I tried to justify the cost versus the need. But eventually I succumbed to desire - aided greatly by a gift card I received for Christmas, which thankfully covered much of…
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23May 2013 by CJ

It’s good to be home

Love & Relationships
For the last seven days I’ve been calling a posh hotel in Chicago, IL “home” – though it felt like anything but. The room environment was stark and sterile, lacking the character and warmth I’m used to surrounding myself with at home. Because of this, I spent as little time as possible inside the walls of my hotel room – always feeling uncomfortable, uninspired and even a little depressed. It’s funny how the spaces we inhabit contribute to our overall mood. But beyond that, I think being away from our “homes” can oftentimes change the people we are – especially in mixed company. Frederick W. Robertson said it best. “Home is the one place in all this world where hearts are sure of each other. It is the place of…
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06May 2013 by CJ

Grandparents – they hold a special place in our hearts

Love & Relationships, Youth
My wife and I made a regular habit of visiting my grandparents on a weekly basis. Sometimes it was just for cake and coffee, others grandma would go all out preparing a feast, which could easily feed an army. We all had such a good time eating, playing games, talking about our lives and recanting cherished tales from yesterday. It became something we looked forward to from one week to another. But while our regular visits remained unchanged, my grandparent’s health began to deteriorate. My grandfather would battle Alzheimer’s disease for several years before his death. It was heart wrenching to watch his decline, though I’m happy to say that both my wife and I were by his side when he took his last breath. As for my grandmother, she’s…
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23Apr 2013 by CJ

Check out my new poetry page

Love & Relationships
If you have some time, check out my new POETRY page. https://craigruvere.com/inspiring-song-lyrics/ I’ve been writing for many, many years and this is the first time I’m sharing many of these with a mass audience. As any writer will tell you, poetry can oftentimes be very personal – which makes sharing it with others a difficult reality. But instead of having them buried in a drawer, I thought maybe it was finally time to share some of my inner most thoughts and feelings with the world. Enjoy!
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27Mar 2013 by CJ

The Ban on Gay Marriage – what are we all so afraid of?

Love & Relationships
In author Kent Nerburn’s book “Simple Truths”, he sums up his chapter on marriage with the following sentiment: “If you believe in your heart that you have found someone with whom you are able to grow, if you have sufficient faith that you can resist the endless attraction of the road not taken and the partner not chosen, if you have the strength to embrace the cycles and seasons that your love will experience, then you may be ready to seek the miracle that marriage offers.” Speaking from over a decade of marital experience, I consider myself fortunate to have found someone who’s allowed me to seek the miracle of marriage and embrace it wholeheartedly. But as both she and I will tell you with great certainty, gender has no…
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