As we go through life we are presented with many opportunities to make decisions. Taking the time to evaluate those decisions is prudent and wise. Being scared to make a decision is natural, but often keeps us from enjoying the fruits of what that decision may bring us. A quote that I heard by Sherry Lansing who was the first female to head a movie studio got me to thinking. She said, “If you take risks, you are going to be wrong as much as you are right. That’s the pain of… Read More

This quote was on my nephew’s Facebook page (where I get a lot of my inspiration) and it really resonated. In our lives we have things that we do that either have just become habit or for some reason we continue to repeat them over and over. They may be things that we would like to stop doing, but for some reason we can’t figure out why we can’t quit. Many people struggle with many different things such as addictions, bad habits and uncontrolled urges. Although the desire may be there to… Read More

Do you ever wonder what it is that motivates us to do something? That one thing that you know at the core of your very being is the thing that you were meant to do. You go through life with that burning desire, yet there is just never the opportunity for the outlet you need to fulfill that desire. Then, before you know it, the chance to do what you love presents itself in ways that you never knew were possible. Such is the case for me with writing. From an early… Read More

This quote was on a friend’s Facebook page recently and when I read it I thought to myself how meaningful and true, while at the same time simple. I don’t think we have any greater responsibility outside that which we have for ourselves than the responsibility to set an example for our younger generation on what makes kind, cooperative and responsible adults. I am married to a third grade school teacher and I can tell you first hand some of the stories that make their way home are not only horrifying but… Read More

Without a doubt there will be people who read this quote that will respond that there is nothing wrong with a little friendly competition. We see it in school, sports, among siblings, in contests and in many other ways. Imagine with me for a second that competition isn’t about winning, but encouraging each other to be the best that we can be?  The avid sports enthusiast would likely have me committed, but sometimes it is that very competition and winning at any cost that often leads to us feeling our worst rather… Read More

This was one of the wonderful cards that we received from one of our card angels in the Bring Smiles to Seniors program. It not only made me smile, but made me think. How simple is the saying “Love Life”? Simple, but oh so powerful when you really think about it. However, what does Love Life really mean? Society, social norms, other people’s opinions and keeping up with what everyone else is doing has become the mantra for how we live our lives. We have because others have. We wear clothes because… Read More

Sometimes I question where we get our strength when the curve balls that life throws at us continue to come from unexpected places. They say that things often come in threes, but when that starts to multiply and they come in fours and fives, you wonder how you will find the strength to help all those that need you in their time of need? It is in those moments that you find out just how strong you are and exactly how much energy you can muster. There is a reason for that…. Read More

Picture Credit: The Contemplative Monk Once again I took another quote from my friend Tim’s Facebook page. He always seems to find what I am thinking just as I am preparing for my next post and this was no exception. We all deal with our demons and issues. Some have been with us for years, some are self imposed, others just seem to find us because we keep ourselves open to letting mire infiltrate our lives. Often those issues are so intense that we can’t seem to keep them from being part… Read More

As much as we do things for the good of others and the satisfaction that brings, there are times that we just need a little validation for what we do. It can be a sign, a note, a comment or some little thing that just tells us yes, you are on the right path and doing the right thing. Such is the case with our work in the Bring Smiles to Seniors program. Our volunteers, decorators and card angels work tirelessly to keep our program going. Many have full time jobs in… Read More

This year we had the privilege of attending two graduations. My oldest nephew graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and my youngest from a high school in Michigan. At the high school graduation my niece orchestrated a photographer to take family pictures of all of us for the first time ever. This got me to thinking about the importance of capturing those family moments when you have the opportunity to do so. When we are younger, there seem to be many moments that families come together as a whole and for various reasons…. Read More