Category: Love & Relationships

Everyone wants to be appreciated, so if you appreciate someone, don't keep it a secret. - Mary Kay Ash As human beings, everyone wants to be appreciated. And rightfully so. Our lives are busy and chaotic, which means our time is limited – or should I say, our time is precious. Many years ago, a psychologist told me that just as employees are evaluated on a yearly basis, it’s important to do the same with our personal relationships. And while no formal documentation is required, the act of personal reflection is a powerful tool. For “sometimes, you have to look back in order to understand the things that lie ahead.” -  Yvonne Woon I’m always astonished, during this time of personal reflection, how surprised the other party is when you suddenly…

“But ours is a transient life lived on the run, with an endless sense of process, of movement, of chasing the future. We seldom pause to shine a light upon the ordinary moments, to hallow them with our own attentiveness, to hone them with gentle caring. They pass unnoticed, lost in the ongoing rush of time.” – Kent Nerburn When was the last time you shared an ordinary moment with someone you love? There was no fanfare, nothing special to single it out from any other day, just a moment to remind you how precious the gift of love and life can be. I share the following example which still makes me smile. On any given Saturday, on one of my impromptu visits, I often found my grandparents busily working…

“I miss you. Not in some cheesy “Let’s hold hands and be together forever kind of way”. I just miss you, plain and simple. I miss your presence in my life. I miss you always being there for me. I miss you best friend.” – Anonymous My current job requires me to travel throughout the country about 15% of the time. While the experience has certainly made me a savvy traveler, it’s been an adjustment leaving my home for any length of time. More importantly my wife, whose smile, embrace and laughter continues to warm my heart and soul. We’ve been married almost 17 years now and after all that time I still find myself calling or texting “I miss you” throughout the day whenever I’m traveling. The distance often…

“A birthday is a time to reflect on the year gone by, but to also set your goals for the upcoming year.” ­– Catherine Pulsifer April 18th. Forty-three years ago, I entered the world in a hospital in Passaic, New Jersey at around 12:06 PM – just in time for lunch! Forty-three years. I thought my fortieth birthday was hard to swallow. While I realize only three years have passed since, the shock of that number has been lingering on my mind over the last few days. As Pulsifer says, birthday reflections are common. As a young boy, I used to wonder why people would say that. I mean, weren’t birthdays for balloons, presents, cake and claiming one day out of the year solely as your own? But I get…

“How can you learn nothing from someone you love dying? Doesn’t that speak to just how little you thought of them when they were alive?” – Unknown I was there when my grandfather passed away eleven years ago in a hospice facility in New Jersey. I was in my early 30’s and his presence in my life was familiar and always expected. But as I was reminded that day, nothing lasts forever. For me, watching someone you love dying was a truly peaceful and cathartic experience, though I understand it’s not always so for everyone experiencing death for the first time. Though he lived a long and prosperous life, his passing still affected me deeply – providing me with some much-needed perspective on love, life and everything in between. Seeing…