Nelson Mandela tells a story of a hope inspiring visit he had with his daughter while in Robben Island prison. The visit occurred shortly after his daughter Zeni had married into the Swazi royal family to the prince Thumbumuzi. Once married to a member of the Swazi royal family, it gave Zeni diplomatic privileges and […]
An old Eastern proverb says: The fox has many tricks, but the porcupine has one big trick. In his book, The Gift of Adversity: The Unexpected Benefits of Life’s Difficulties, Setbacks, and Imperfection, Dr. Rosenthal suggests when dealing with adversity, we are better off being more like the fox than the porcupine. In other words, […]
While on the Big Island of Hawaii [which explains why you haven’t seen a blog post for a while], we came across a bale of Green Sea Turtles hovering on the ocean’s edge. Seeing these turtles, I was reminded of the dangerous journey new born turtles face when starting out in life. The cycle of […]
There’s a difference between talking to yourself and listening to yourself. It’s the difference between anxiety and confusion compared to perspective and traction. You’re not crazy if you talk to yourself. It’s a practice many people find helpful – including me. It helps me see more clearly what’s really going on. When listening to yourself […]
In 1904, the cleaning agent VIM first appeared on the scene. 109 years later it’s still a leading cleanser of choice because it works! VIM lives up to its name – coming from the Latin word vis or vim meaning “force” or “vigor.” VIM transforms a mess into a place of beauty! Life can get […]
Ol’ Fred had lived a good life and was now lying in a hospital bed near the end of his life. The family was gathered around along with their pastor who had come to say a few words and offer some encouragement. As the pastor stood next to the bed, Ol’ Fred’s condition appeared to […]
The slinky first came out in 1945. I received my first one several years after that and remember coaxing it down the stairs until it eventually started to move on its own. I watched in amazement as the shiny coiled spring moved effortlessly down the stairs without my help. Imagine the slinky as a metaphor […]
A proud young man came to Socrates asking for wisdom. He walked up to him and said, “O great Socrates, I come to you for wisdom.” Socrates, recognizing a pompous fool when he saw one, led him down to the sea and took him chest deep into the water. Then he asked him, “What did […]
This week I got stuck. I don’t enjoy getting stuck but it seems like getting stuck (from time to time) is as sure as the sun will come up in the morning. I’ll get into why I think I got stuck but before I do, let’s dig a little deeper (pun intended) into this subject. […]
Man can live 40 days without food, three days without water, eight minutes without air, but only one second without hope. (Author unknown) The answers to three critical questions makes plain the purpose hope plays in our lives. The three questions are: What exactly is it you can’t live without? What are the warning signs […]
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