10Apr 2013 by CJ

Kids do still ride their bikes

Life & Living, Youth
As a young boy, I used to love riding my fire engine red Huffy bicycle all the way to the top of my block – okay, I had to push it up the last ten feet or so. Then once I caught my breath, I’d go into the middle of the street and start peddling as fast as I could until I could lift my feet off the pedals and gravity took over. I can still remember that exhilarating feeling of having your body cut through the air with the greatest of ease – not a care in the world. That was a long time ago. You don’t see many kids riding bikes or playing outside anymore. I guess they’re too busy playing with their computers and cell phones to…
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05Apr 2013 by CJ

The power of a kind word

Generosity & Kindness
What does it mean when someone doesn’t say “good morning” to you? Now I’m not talking about strangers you pass by on the street, but people you see repeatedly in your everyday life be it at work, in school or any repetitious situation. While I may not always be a morning person, it’s just common courtesy to extend someone the pleasantry of saying “good morning” at the start of a new day. Isn’t it? I’ve always believed that you should do something because YOU want to do it, not because you’re looking for something in return. But after a while you do have to ask yourself, why should I go out of my way to show kindness and respect to someone who obviously doesn’t have the time to offer it…
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03Apr 2013 by CJ

Remembering the elderly

Life & Living
Nursing facilities are unfortunately overflowing with human beings closing out the final chapter of their lives. They’re left with little in the way of dignity – a pale comparison to their younger selves. There’s no doubt it’s a sad reality for lives that have existed, triumphed and survived for some 80 or 90 years, but there’s little that can be done beyond making their last days as comfortable as possible. Seems terribly inadequate, but the human body can only bare so much. Admittedly, such facilities can be a rather depressing place to visit with any regularity. Watching a human life succumb to the aging process is not always pleasant – especially when it’s someone you love dearly. Some will say they simply cannot visit family members in such facilities –…
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01Apr 2013 by CJ

Life’s journey is a never ending classroom

Information & Education, Life & Living, Youth
The other day I came across this quote by Charlotte Joko Beck, which really made me think. “Life always gives us exactly the teacher we need at every moment. This includes every mosquito, every misfortune, every red light, every traffic jam, every obnoxious supervisor (or employee), every illness, every loss, every moment of joy or depression, every addiction, every piece of garbage, every breath. Every moment is the guru.” Interesting, right? “The teacher we need at every moment” - I don’t think I’ve ever thought about the journey of life in that way before, but looking back it makes total sense. I’ve learned invaluable lessons through the challenges life’s handed me over the years. And while they certainly were stressful and difficult to navigate at the time, I emerged with…
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27Mar 2013 by CJ

The Ban on Gay Marriage – what are we all so afraid of?

Love & Relationships
In author Kent Nerburn’s book “Simple Truths”, he sums up his chapter on marriage with the following sentiment: “If you believe in your heart that you have found someone with whom you are able to grow, if you have sufficient faith that you can resist the endless attraction of the road not taken and the partner not chosen, if you have the strength to embrace the cycles and seasons that your love will experience, then you may be ready to seek the miracle that marriage offers.” Speaking from over a decade of marital experience, I consider myself fortunate to have found someone who’s allowed me to seek the miracle of marriage and embrace it wholeheartedly. But as both she and I will tell you with great certainty, gender has no…
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