Craig Ruvere

03Oct 2017 by CJ

A memory of the past is found in the photographs we keep

“A strange thing is a memory, and hope; one looks backward, and the other forward; one is of today, the other of tomorrow. Memory is history recorded in our brain, memory is a painter, it paints pictures of the past and of the day.” - Grandma Moses Nowhere is a memory better captured than in a photograph. For some families, their legacy in pictures is chronicled in hard-covered, highly organized photo albums, haphazardly tossed in shoe boxes and old dresser draws, or arranged in clearly defined folders on local hard drives. Regardless of how you choose to store and ultimately retrieve these photographs, they provide you with a memory, trigger an emotion and remind you of those who’ve sacrificed so much so that the next generation could prosper. My father-in-law…

28Sep 2017 by CJ

Ordinary day – who would you choose to spend it with?

Love & Relationships

“It has taken awhile, but I certainly do know it now – the most wonderful gift I had, the gift I finally learned to cherish above all else, was the gift of all those perfectly ordinary days.” - Katrina Kenison If you had the opportunity to spend one ordinary day with someone from your past or your present, who would it be? For me, it’s a person I’ve never had the privilege to meet – a man whose lineage I carry around with me each and every day. His name was Louis Melillo – my grandfather. He was only 55 when he passed away from cancer, just a few days after my 1st birthday. My grandmother used to always tell me that he refused to let my birthday be forever overshadowed…

20Sep 2017 by CJ

Givers are a rarity, so hold on to them when you find them

Generosity & Kindness

“If nature has made you for a giver, your hands are born open, and so is your heart; and though there may be times when your hands are empty, your heart is always full, and you can give things out of that--warm things, kind things, sweet things--help and comfort and laughter.” ― Frances Hodgson Burnett, A Little Princess Humanity is comprised of three types of people: takers, givers and matchers. While the first two are more well-known personas, “matchers” are people who will only give when they know they’ll get something back in return. What kind of person are you? Over the last decade, I’ve realized that givers are in the minority. While the matchers of the world still brand themselves as givers, that’s only to ease the guilt of their self-serving…

08Sep 2017 by CJ

Grandparents Day is Sunday, September 10

Love & Relationships

Grandparents Day is Sunday, September 10. Since 1978, Grandparents Day has been a secular holiday commemorating the important contributions seniors have contributed throughout history. And no contribution is more important than the enduring relationships many have shared with their grandchildren. I enjoy looking at old pictures - especially black and white images of family members I’ve never had the opportunity to know beyond stories passed down through the generations. Unfortunately, sometimes all we’re left with are dozens of family photographs, which are missing the narrative that makes them come alive. And while history books have aptly captured prominent times in our nation’s illustrious past, once the elders in our own families are gone, so are the stories and the glories of our own legacy. My last living grandparent, my grandmother…

29Aug 2017 by CJ

Connections are hard to come by, but worth holding on to

Love & Relationships

“I define connection as the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued; when they can give and receive without judgment; and when they derive sustenance and strength from the relationship.” ― Brené Brown As an awkward, insecure teenager, it wasn’t uncommon for me to spend a Friday or Saturday night alone – driving around listening to music as a means to busy myself from the loneliness. Inevitably, my car always managed to find its way to my grandparent’s house. The draperies covering a large picture window in their living room seemed to almost glow – no doubt caused by the television set, which was obviously on. This was a clear sign they were home before pulling into the driveway and ringing the doorbell. The hour was irrelevant;…