16Oct 2013 by CJ

All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy

Life & Living
For the better part of a decade, I was a contributing editorialist for a respected and admired weekly newspaper with a long history and very loyal following. Though I was only in my mid-twenties when I began writing for The Leader, my more mature-minded writing (not unlike this blog) seemed to appeal to a wide range of readers. I’ve always been much older in terms of thought and behavior than my age might suggest. I’m not sure how or why that happens to certain individuals journeying through life, but I’ve always been one of them – still am. I credit this character trait for my many successful years with the newspaper. During my affiliation with The Leader, my columns were a popular part of the weekly publication. They were filled…
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15Oct 2013 by CJ

Life’s only a “failure” if you haven’t learned anything from it

Life & Living
“Failure is only the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.” Henry Ford It’s easy to look through the history of one’s life and categorize certain events or experiences as being failures. I hate that word. By definition the word failure speaks of a person or thing that is unsuccessful or disappointing. Okay, there are parts of my life I wish I would’ve handled differently, but to say that I was “unsuccessful” or that my life was somehow “disappointing” because of it just seems a little harsh. I believe the only reason something should be classified as a failure is if you haven’t learned anything from it. If you’ve gone through a string of relationships or friendships and still can’t love someone unconditionally; if you’ve bounced from job to job but…
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14Oct 2013 by CJ

Weekends should be about making a life

Life & Living
Come Friday afternoon of any given work-week I’m often asked by fellow co-workers, “Do you have any big plans this weekend?” I know this sounds strange, but I’m always a little unsure how to answer that. After all, what really describes “big weekend plans”? Going away for a few days; heading into the city for dinner and a show; traveling to a local festival or outdoor event? While my wife and I have certainly participated in all of the above at one time or another, our weekends are traditionally quiet, laid back and often infinitely relaxing. Let’s face it - work-weeks are often filled with stress, anxiety and unforeseen events that seem to pop-up out of nowhere. Unfortunately, there’s just not enough time in the day to accomplish everything we…
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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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