04Dec 2011 by CJ

Finding your way home on Christmas Day is a feeling too many share

Generosity & Kindness, Life & Living, Love & Relationships
Home on Christmas Day. That means so many different things to different people. Throughout the month of December, constant reminders of the holidays captivate our senses. We marvel at the sight of twinkling lights intertwined on festive decorations, salivate at the smell of freshly baked gingerbread men lined like toy soldiers on cookie sheets, and hum along to the sound of holiday tunes joyfully playing in the background. For me, the sounds of the season have always been my favorite. As a young child, I remember listening to songs about a magical snowman with a corncob pipe and a button nose, and wondering if it really was fun to ride in a one horse open sleigh. But as an adult, I find myself drawn to musical themes which many times…
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02Dec 2011 by CJ

Service men and women – A Mother’s Wish for her military son

Life & Living, Love & Relationships
[caption id="attachment_683" align="alignleft" width="245"] Photo courtesy of MetroCreativeConnection[/caption] It's easy to forget there are still thousands of active service men and women stationed overseas, fighting to protect the very freedoms we take for granted on a daily basis. Beyond the potential dangers wartime brings, I assume it must be terribly difficult to celebrate the holidays with such a distance between your hearts. I couldn't imagine what this shared sacrifice must feel like, and as a lifelong American I say thank you not only to our troops but their families as well. While holiday favorites such as "Jingle Bells" or "Let It Snow" are fun to listen to during the season, I tend to appreciate songs which touch upon the realities of life and the struggles so many of us face…
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20Nov 2011 by CJ

One kind word can unlock the goodness in other people’s hearts

Generosity & Kindness, Love & Relationships
As a young boy Mister Rogers' television program was a personal favorite of mine. His greatest gift was in making everyone feel welcomed in his charming, make-believe neighborhood – an asset for any child feeling a little lost in their own. And while many of his teachings were geared towards the younger generation, I’ve come to discover how appropriate they truly are for everyone - especially the act of one kind word. He once said, "“Imagine what our real neighborhoods would be like if each of us offered, as a matter of course, just one kind word to another person. There have been so many stories about the lack of courtesy, the impatience of today’s world, the road rage and even restaurant rage. Sometimes, all it takes is one kind…
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28Oct 2011 by CJ

A record player could spin a song that stirs a cherished memory

Life & Living, Love & Relationships
As a youngster I was always fascinated by a record player, remember those? No matter how they were packaged or sized, for some reason I just loved their functionality - even drawing pictures of them in art class when I was in first grade. I might be alone on this one, but truthfully I miss not having one around. Back in the day, it wasn't uncommon for many living rooms to feature a piece of furniture which resembled an enclosed console table. But cleverly housed inside was in fact a record player, speakers and even some storage for 33's and 45's (record sizes for those of you who don't remember). My grandparents were one such household, and as you can imagine I loved going there and listening to a few…
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31Aug 2011 by CJ

The elderly deserve our attention and a sense of dignity

Love & Relationships
What do people have against the elderly? In many cultures, the more senior members of the group, the elderly, are revered and treated with the utmost respect and dignity. But not here in America. Once you hit a certain age and you're perceived to be a burden, people just forget about you all together. People whom without their existence we ourselves would not exist and yet we cast them aside like a snotty old tissue.There's an elderly woman on my block who has many grandchildren, and yet in the nine years that we've been neighbors, I can count on my hands how many times they've been around to visit her. A gentleman I'm acquainted with has his adult grandson living just a few towns away from him and yet it's…
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