Craig Ruvere

17Jan 2016 by CJ

Life’s scars – don’t let them define you

“To be alive at all is to have scars.” - John Steinbeck When we’re young - hosting pretend tea parties for your family or putting on plays with the neighborhood kids as a cast – we rarely contemplate the future or the realities that eventually plague our lives. We’re too busy enjoying life and the innocence and freedom which often comes along with being a child. There are times I truly miss those days. I can still feel the rush of a warm breeze upon my face as I sped down the hilltop of my block atop my Huffy bicycle. I could do that over and over again and never get bored. I remember spending hours in my backyard with my toy tractors and dump trucks – digging holes and…

13Jan 2016 by CJ

Set goals – but don’t forget about people

Information & Education, Youth

“It’s good to have an end to journey toward; but it’s the journey that matters in the end.” – Ursula K. Le Guin Humanity spends a great deal of time with their sights set on goals. It drives our decisions, motivation and seemingly begins to take on a life of its own. But as we go about our days, striving and pining for the goals we assign a great deal of importance to, far too often we overlook the journey and the realities going on right before our eyes. Many times those “realities” come in the form of people. Perhaps it’s a spouse who supports their mates career aspirations without fail or question – standing on the sidelines hoping their efforts and sacrifices will be noticed and appreciated. Maybe it’s…

10Jan 2016 by CJ

In the chaos of life, find opportunity

Life & Living

Sun Tzu was a high-ranking and respected general in the Chinese military around the second century BC. His book, The Art of War, has become one of the most inspiring and influential texts on military strategies and tactics ever written. But beyond its invaluable impact on the military, government and businesses, many of his teachings can be effectively and prudently applied to our ever day lives. And while his writings might seem simplistic at times, his meanings are anything but. Tzu once wrote, “In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity.” Today, perhaps more than any other generation, our lives are rarely at peace. Chaos is commonplace as we all try to stay competitive in our careers, connected with family and friends and even with ourselves. Technologies have made…

07Jan 2016 by CJ

Renew yourself – it’s not just about you

Love & Relationships

“We must always change, renew, rejuvenate ourselves so that we don’t become stick-in-the-muds” – Goethe It’s already January 9th, 2016. The new year is a little over a week old now – I wonder how many people have already broken their new year’s resolutions? Before the ball dropped in Time Square, my inbox was already littered with countless articles trying to persuade and guide me into making this or that resolution in the coming year. Needless to say, I deleted them all before ever reading them. Why you might ask? While I’m sure the writers had some interesting things to say, I don’t believe in making resolutions every 1st day in January. But you certainly can’t ignore the start of a new calendar year. So on that 1st day of…

06Jan 2016 by CJ

Every stage leads somewhere else

Life & Living

“Wherever we are, it is but a stage on the way to somewhere else, and whatever we do, however well we do it, it is only a preparation to do something else that shall be different.” – Robert Louis Stevenson My grandfather was a die cutter and machinist throughout his career. It was a trade he and his brother shared, and it provided comfortably for his family for over four decades. The job was laborious and monotonous at times – lacking any real creativity or artistry. But my grandfather was incredibly good at it – meticulous in his work down to the smallest detail. When it was time for my grandfather to retire, we all wondered if he’d be content simply sitting home watching The Price is Right after over…