27Jan 2014 by CJ

Failure is not a sign of weakness – it’s a sign of courage

Life & Living, Youth
When you’re faced with a life-changing decision and you’re standing at the crossroads, do you find yourself asking… What if I make the wrong choice? What if I ultimately wind up failing? These questions are not unique however. They’re a shared human behavior that causes us all to want to succeed and be accepted favorably in everything we set out to do. I confess that in my own life my successes seem to equal my failures. But I don’t walk away from either without learning something – extracting a better understanding of myself, my desires and the environments I need in order to thrive both personally and professionally. Author Sarah Dessen writes in her book “Along for the Ride”, “Life is full of screw-ups. You're supposed to fail sometimes. It's…
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19Nov 2013 by CJ

Cherished memories are stored in the cupboard of the heart

Life & Living, Youth
I always enjoy looking at old photographs or listening to stories from the past – narrated by those who’ve experienced them first hand. This example comes from my in-laws – who once told how growing up they would walk around to neighboring houses on Thanksgiving Day, ring the doorbell and ask “Anything for Thanksgiving?” When they first told me this story, I thought perhaps they were confusing it with Halloween – where back in the late 1940’s the act of yelling “trick-or-treat” became a customary and popular tradition on October 31st. I mean what would people give you if asked “Anything for Thanksgiving?” A turkey leg? A can of cranberry sauce? Maybe a couple of dinner rolls? But my father-in-law, a master detective online, found they weren’t the only ones…
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21Oct 2013 by CJ

In life never settle for less than you deserve

Life & Living, Youth
I recently came across this anonymous quote and wanted to share it with all of you: “I've made mistakes in my life. I've let people take advantage of me and I've accepted way less than I deserve. But, I've learned from my bad choices and even though there are some things I can never get back and people who will never be sorry, I know better next time and I won't settle for anything less than I deserve.” I was struck most profoundly by the line – “I won’t settle for anything less than I deserve.” Far too often we convince ourselves that we must accept our current circumstances – that there’s nothing more we should expect out of life. We grow complacent and secure in our environments, but are…
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11Oct 2013 by CJ

Memories – a way of holding on to the ones we love

Love & Relationships, Youth
“Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.” Dr. Seuss As the morning sun poured through my bedroom window, I fully expected it to be any ordinary Tuesday. I went downstairs, waved goodbye to my wife as she drove off to work, and started my weekday morning rituals with no trepidation for the future. I poured myself a cup of coffee and placed two slices of bread into the toaster when suddenly the phone began to ring. Truthfully it surprised me, startled me even, for I rarely if ever receive calls at that hour of the day. I knew immediately something was wrong. It was my aunt, and I instantly froze where I stood. I didn’t have to pick up the phone to know that my beloved grandmother was…
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04Oct 2013 by CJ

Always just be yourself in any relationship

Love & Relationships, Youth
“He who trims himself to suit everyone will soon whittle himself away.” Raymond Hull The key to any solid relationship is unconditionally loving and respecting someone for exactly who they are - not what you hope to change them into. More and more I see people so desperate to be in a relationship, that they’re willing to compromise themselves to varying degrees – all in an effort to fit within someone else’s confines, rather than your own. As a happily married man for the last 12 years, I can tell you that compromise is a very important part of any relationship. But there’s a big difference between compromising and sacrificing the person you really are to gain the affections of someone else. I offer the following words to live by:…
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