02Mar 2016 by CJ

The storms along the journey are guidelines

Life & Living
“Once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain: When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm’s all about.” – Haruki Murakami There are times when I’m still disheartened by the way certain parts of my life have turned out. When we’re young, and filled with hope and optimism, we never dream of the hardships which might befall us. We just keep on living and believing that life will be as we imagine it inside our heads. But life doesn’t quite work out that way. Even what’s perceived to be the happiest of…
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29Feb 2016 by CJ

A birthday lesson in your own backyard

Youth
"Not what we have but what we enjoy constitutes our abundance." - Epicurus This weekend, my neighbor's son celebrated his 5th birthday. Today, birthday celebrations for children five years and under are radically different then the occasions I celebrated decades ago. My parties consisted of a house-full of family and friends, snacks, a cake and maybe a few balloons and party favors. That was it. Now there are "party destinations" for children. You're no longer the "star" of your own birthday - you're sharing the day with dozens of other kids and their families doing the very same thing. To me those aren't the memories birthday celebrations should be all about. So when I saw my neighbor hanging balloons on his mailbox, blowing up a bouncy house in the backyard…
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25Feb 2016 by CJ

Employee fairness should be something we expect

Life & Living
“Always treat your employees exactly as you want them to treat your best customers.” – Stephen R. Covey I thought about this quote today after hearing two stories regarding employee relations – more specifically on the subject of fairness. In my mind, here are the facts: Life has never been, nor will it ever be truly “fair”. In any line of work, there will always be those who work harder than most, and others who do a great job pretending they do. It doesn’t take a nuclear physicist to conclude the two points I mention above. The only research that’s needed is employment, because sadly every organization has yet to realize that treating employees fairly is a sign of good management. Management and leadership expert, F. John Reh, once said, “When…
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24Feb 2016 by CJ

Fitting in makes you stand out even more

Youth
“We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful what we pretend to be.” – Kurt Vonnegut The only thing I really remember about being a sophomore in high school was how awful it was. As a shy, chubby, insecure teenager, I longed to fit in with the popular crowd. And so I tried to “be” just like them. I tried to talk the way they did, walk the way they did and even behave the way they did – all in an attempt to be “ordinary” rather than bullied and picked on for being different. The only problem with my game of pretend? That wasn’t me. No matter how hard I tried to fit in, all it really did was make me stand out even more.…
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23Feb 2016 by CJ

Personal perceptions lead to unfair judgements

Youth
“Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens.” – Kahlil Gibran “…the attitude you bring to life” “…the way your mind looks at what happens” These are powerful statements which speak directly to someone’s personal perception. Look outside your window and you’ll be amazed to see just how much is going on at any given time. People are living and dying; loving and suffering; at peace and at war.  Yet through it all, everyone’s perception of this life is unique - regardless of their position in society. Sadly, perceptions often lead to judgements, which then lead to prejudices, and…
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