13May 2015 by CJ

Trusting others is never easy – no matter your age

Life & Living, Love & Relationships, Youth
"Whoever is careless with the truth in small matters cannot be trusted with important matters." --Albert Einstein When I was in my early 20’s, I was far too trusting of people – sharing personal emotions, experiences and opinions with little concern about the credibility of the person I was revealing them to. But once that trust was violated, I eventually grew to become incredibly guarded – remaining superficial when it came to interacting with acquaintances around me. At this stage in my life, I trust few people with the internal workings of my heart and mind – protecting myself from those who have a difficult time simply being a listener. But the other day I let my guard down. As we form new relationships in life, we all possess and…
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05May 2015 by CJ

Characteristics of those with down syndrome – they know how to live

Life & Living, Love & Relationships, Youth
Life at times can be daunting. An endless journey filled with one insurmountable challenge after another. From our homes to our businesses to the world going on all around us – it’s often hard to stay focused on the proverbial “big picture” when faced with a continuous sea of unknowns. I present to you the following story – words once spoken by the late Fred Rogers as only he could. “There was a story going around about the Special Olympics. For the hundred-yard dash, there were nine contestants, all of them so-called physically or mentally disabled. All nine of them assembled at the starting line and, at the sound of the gun, they took off. But one little boy didn’t get very far. He stumbled and fell and hurt his…
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20Apr 2015 by CJ

Decision making is tough, but it’s better than the unknown

Life & Living, Youth
“It doesn't matter which side of the fence you get off on sometimes. What matters most is getting off. You cannot make progress without making decisions.” Jim Rohn Making choices in life is never easy. What often compounds our decision making ability is the uncertainty of those decisions and the incredible (often unpredictable) impact they will have on the course of our lives. The questions we undoubtedly ask ourselves during the decision making process can be crippling at times. They prevent us from making a firm commitment – leaving us in a constant state of limbo. While some believe living in that constant state prevents them from experiencing the negative repercussions of their decisions, all it really does is limit our opportunities. I think many of us fail to realize…
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17Apr 2015 by CJ

A birthday song can be heartbreaking not happy

Love & Relationships, Youth
When we’re children, birthdays are met with uncontainable excitement. But as we grow older, they begin to represent something quiet different. The excitement seems to be replaced with a more somber emotion – a feeling of longing and regret that seems to only increase as the years go by. People keep telling me that I should do something “exciting” in commemoration of my birthday (my 40th this year). But what those individuals fail to realize is that I’m not in need of something “exciting” – some over-the-top celebration with short-lived gratification. What I “need” is highlighted in the song below. So often on my blog I’m quoting others for their profound and inspiring wisdom. But today, I’m quoting myself. I wrote this back in 2009 (on my birthday) and sadly…
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16Apr 2015 by CJ

A Birthday Message with invaluable inspiration

Love & Relationships, Youth
There’s an unspoken expectation amongst children - that grandparents often give gifts with little fanfare attached to them. They aren’t wrapped in fancy paper or oversized packages - eliciting a feeling of wonderment and excitement in a child’s eye. No, they’re referred to as “practical gifts” – such as clothing or money – offered in small, flat boxes and ordinary white envelopes. And while parents often rightfully encourage their children to show their appreciation, no youngster really enjoys getting a shirt or a twenty-dollar bill on birthdays and holidays. The practicality of gift-giving is further refined as children grow into young adults – the small, flat boxes disappearing completely and replaced with that ordinary white envelope your grandmother typically pulls from her purse. Yes the monetary gift is appreciated at…
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