30May 2014 by CJ

Everyone deserves to hear the words “thank you”

Life & Living, Love & Relationships, Youth
My wife is one of the eternal givers of this world. Be it personally or professionally, she possesses an admirable compassion – always giving much more than any one situation might require. Having known her for some 15 years now, I can tell you with great certainty that she is the epitome of humility – more concerned with offering support and care, than obtaining praise for her actions. I consider myself truly blessed that I get to wake up each day and share my life with such an amazing individual. But regardless of her humble nature, I believe she deserves to hear those few little words every now and then – “thank you”. It’s so easy to take people for granted – to assume that someone’s actions are simply expected…
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28May 2014 by CJ

Separating what is fact from fiction

Life & Living, Youth
Phil Collins’ popular song entitled, Both Sides of the Story contains the following lyrics: And the lights are all on, the world is watching now. People looking for truth, we must not fail them now. Be sure, before we close our eyes, Don’t walk away from here, till you hear both sides. Today, more than ever, Americans are searching, longing for the truth. But in our quest for answers we often forget that every story, much like a coin, has two sides to it. Sadly, we’ll listen to whoever might be speaking the loudest at any given moment. Does that mean their story is factual and relevant? No, it simply means they realize that in order to deflect blame from themselves they have to publicly blame someone else. It’s a…
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08May 2014 by CJ

Masculinity should be defined by MORE than just strength

Information & Education, Life & Living, Youth
Our society has long proclaimed what they believe comprises the measure of a man – courage and bravery; dominance and power; unfeeling and cold. These distinctions are nothing new however. From the dawn of the caveman to the ancient Romans to those roaming the earth this very day, men have continuously defined themselves by their strength, NOT their emotions. We see sensitivity and emotional expression as a flaw in the armor that protects the reputation of masculinity – often questioning any man who dances to the beat of a much different drum. I’ve personally spent years battling this stigma – always more in tune with my emotional side, rather than caring to support the antiquated beliefs of my gender. I’ve come to understand that the measure of one’s manhood goes…
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30Apr 2014 by CJ

You may not always win the battle, but that doesn’t mean you should stop fighting

Life & Living, Youth
“Expecting the world to treat you fairly because you are a good person is a little like expecting the bull not to attack you because you are a vegetarian.” -Dennis Wholey I suppose I’m a little naïve when it comes to the workings of the world. Deep down there’s a part of me that believes if you stand up for injustices you feel passionately about, while making a strong and factual argument, that you have the power to change things for the better. To abolish or at least contain the unfairness that seems to plague every facet of our society. But as I said, I’m a little naïve and life simply doesn’t resolve itself neat and tidy like an episode of Little House on the Prairie. Still, that doesn’t stop…
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29Apr 2014 by CJ

Opportunities are everywhere if you know where to look

Information & Education, Life & Living, Youth
Life is a never-ending battleground of problems it seems. Day to day our lives are plagued with challenges we’re forced to navigate through – oftentimes with little or no knowledge of how to escape unscathed. But Joseph Sugarman once said something that definitely rings true for me. "Each problem has hidden in it an opportunity so powerful that it literally dwarfs the problem. The greatest success stories were created by people who recognized a problem and turned it into an opportunity." Joseph Sugarman Problems will never cease to exist in our lives. But that doesn’t mean they can’t lead us to a better place – force us to grow and break free of our comfort zone in ways we never imagined. Life is all about change; and change often brings…
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