Craig Ruvere

18Jan 2020 by CJ

Keeping up with the Joneses is alive and well 106 years later

Life & Living

Many of us have undoubtedly heard the phrase, Keeping up with the Joneses but probably have no idea where it originated from. As it turns out, Keeping up with the Joneses was actually the name of a cartoon strip, which was launched back in 1913 and ran for some 26 years in The New York World and other newspapers across the country. It focuses on the McGinis family, who perpetually struggled (many times unsuccessfully) to “keep up” with their neighbors, the Joneses. The premise of the cartoon was to repeatedly mock a growing need in society to impress other people with the possessions you purchased or the activities you participated in. While Keeping up with the Joneses was first published some 106 years ago, the message is just as timely…

05Jan 2020 by CJ

A role model is someone who understands they’re always being watched

Youth

“My father didn’t tell me how to live; he lived and let me watch him do it” – Anonymous. This anonymous (and thoughtful) quote perhaps best describes what it truly means to be a role model in life – especially to children. Some believe in order to attain the title of role model, one must possess headline-making accomplishments, wealth, status and a perceived level of success. But being a true role model is all about character and behavior during the everyday circumstances of life – the times when you think no one else is looking, but someone most definitely is. Oftentimes, it’s a child, who learns from the very first teachers they ever encounter – their parents. Author Robert Fulghum once said, “Don’t worry that children never list to you;…

29Dec 2019 by CJ

The greatest gift you have are the people you share your life with

Generosity & Kindness, Life & Living, Love & Relationships

This Christmas, my wife purchased me a book entitled The Greatest Gift, written by Philip Van Doren Stern. While I was unfamiliar with the book at first, I would soon come to understand and appreciate the sentimentality of her gift. Stern spent much of his literary career as an editor and Civil War historian. But around 1938, the story of The Greatest Gift came to him in a dream – outlined from start to finish with incredible clarity. The only trouble was Stern had never composed a work of fiction before. He worked tirelessly capturing the plot from his subconscious, and by 1943 he finally completed the project, which amounted to the length of a short story. From GoodReads, it’s a, “tale about a man named George Pratt who ponders…

27Dec 2019 by CJ

New Year’s resolutions can truly be impactful for not just ourselves

Life & Living, Love & Relationships

As the holiday season comes to a close, the start of a new year is on the horizon, which means New Year's resolutions aren't far behind. For many of us, December 31 is synonymous with gatherings in Time Square – where a star-studded ball makes its decent before thousands of onlookers cheering “Happy New Year!” at the stroke of midnight. This time-honored celebration has become one of the world’s oldest holidays on record - credited to the Babylonians who first celebrated the day some 4,000 years ago. Though the timing and traditions have changed some over the years, it’s still widely practiced by millions of people all over the globe on the eve of December 31. But the start of a new year should mean more than just champagne toasts,…

16Dec 2019 by CJ

A giving tree inspires selflessness at Christmas

Love & Relationships

A Giving Tree is a popular charitable initiative during the holiday season. For those unaware of the concept, a Giving Tree is essentially a Christmas tree decorated with gift tags dangling from branches by festive colored ribbon. These tags are not blank however, for they have a very important job - carrying the holiday wishes of children and teenagers with limited resources. They’re typically found in shopping malls, religious institutions, schools, hospitals, and most recently, virtually online in order to reach as many charitable givers as possible. During this celebrated time of year, children of all ages are anxiously compiling their Christmas lists and sending them to the North Pole (or to Santa’s helpers, also known as “parents”). Like the Giving Tree, these lists are comprised of wishes, but that’s…