Craig Ruvere

“Holding on is believing that there’s only a past; letting go is knowing that there’s a future.” Daphne Rose Kingma When my wife and I decided to move from New Jersey to Colorado four years ago, I left with a heavy burden. An abundance of unresolved emotions concerning familial relationships we all deem so very important. In short, letting go was almost impossible. This week, we were back in New Jersey (only the second time since we moved) for a short visit with family and friends. I was only back in the Garden State a handful of hours when I found myself yet again plagued by those unresolved emotions and crippled from finalizing an itinerary for the remainder of the day because of them. Pretty pathetic, right? Actually, it’s a…

It’s hard for many of us to believe, and even to accept, that the way in which we see ourselves is not how the rest of world sees us. I came across this wonderful quote the other day which read, “A different version of you exists in the minds of everyone who knows you.” – Spirit Science, Archann.net A powerful revelation, isn’t it? Oftentimes, myself included, we take pride in the people we truly believe ourselves to be. And many times, those “people” are greatly exaggerated when viewed outside of our own view. We convince ourselves that our actions and behaviors are justified, that the time we afford to those around us is satisfactory, that the kindness and positive influence we share with others is actually present. Perhaps it is,…

“Perhaps they are not the stars, but rather openings in Heaven where the love of our lost ones pours through and shines down upon us to let us know they are happy.” – Unknown The other night, I had a dream about my grandmother - who passed away in November of 2005. My wife and I were browsing through what appeared to be an antique store in a quaint little town, and my grandmother apparently worked there. While my grandmother did work in retail towards the latter half of her life, it certainly wasn’t an antique store. She was fluttering about the store, acknowledging our presence with a smile each and every time she passed us, which was quiet often. Finally, her movement stopped – standing in one of the display…

Everyone wants to be appreciated, so if you appreciate someone, don't keep it a secret. - Mary Kay Ash As human beings, everyone wants to be appreciated. And rightfully so. Our lives are busy and chaotic, which means our time is limited – or should I say, our time is precious. Many years ago, a psychologist told me that just as employees are evaluated on a yearly basis, it’s important to do the same with our personal relationships. And while no formal documentation is required, the act of personal reflection is a powerful tool. For “sometimes, you have to look back in order to understand the things that lie ahead.” -  Yvonne Woon I’m always astonished, during this time of personal reflection, how surprised the other party is when you suddenly…

“But ours is a transient life lived on the run, with an endless sense of process, of movement, of chasing the future. We seldom pause to shine a light upon the ordinary moments, to hallow them with our own attentiveness, to hone them with gentle caring. They pass unnoticed, lost in the ongoing rush of time.” – Kent Nerburn When was the last time you shared an ordinary moment with someone you love? There was no fanfare, nothing special to single it out from any other day, just a moment to remind you how precious the gift of love and life can be. I share the following example which still makes me smile. On any given Saturday, on one of my impromptu visits, I often found my grandparents busily working…