This past Sunday evening (as I write this) my wife and I enjoyed an evening at a friend’s house. We sat on the patio with he, his wife and his son, who just happens to be the same age as our youngest son. Difficult topics were being discussed and, at one point, I commented on…
On one of my social media feeds, a man I’ve met only briefly but who I hold in high regard posted (paraphrased): “In a cosmic sense, man isn’t far above the cockroach and we might do well to remember that.” Another comment was made that there is a distinct difference between those who recognize that…
I have had several friends make fun of me for my outlook on sleeping. As much as I enjoy it when I’m exhausted, I also resent it. No matter how long I (you) live, if sleep consumes six to eight hours per night, 25%-33% of a life is spent sleeping. That’s time that can never…
The glory days of spring and summer have passed. The days are shorter, the nights are longer, the fires are warm and blankets are good. Snuggling occurs far more often. For all that, many people will tell you “spring” if you ask them what their favorite season is. They’ll cite the rebirth, the returning greenery,…
Words have meaning. In a perfect world, the same word would have the same meaning to everyone. That alone would reduce the amount of miscommunication and misunderstandings that occur. We don’t live in a perfect world though, and those misthings occur. Just recently there was a conversation held, that was unfortunately (or fortunately?) overhead, and…
“What follows ‘I am’ is far more important than what follows ‘You are’.” I put that quote up on Facebook a while back and got a LOT of traction with it. It seems so simple a concept – what you think and say about yourself matters more than what others think and say about you….
This is something we all know, but some of us need a reminder about every now and then. You don’t measure your life by how long it is (although that’s no reason to desire less than a long life); you measure it by how much you’ve lived in the time span you’re given. Since none…
Inspired by Michelle Johnson-Brown, From the Cigar Lounge Wisdom series It was a mid-July evening and, as I have for many an evening, I sat at the local cigar bar and enjoyed the company of some friends. One young lady and I had previously enjoyed a contemplative conversation about the human spirit and everything that goes…
Someone once said that there are two truly important days in our life: the day we are born and the day we discover what we were born for. That “what we were born for” could also be described as our purpose in this life. It’s something a great many people search for over a span…
Here we are in the early years of the 21st century. It’s a setting saturated with social media. Some of those outlets I can think of off the top of my head are Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, LinkedIn and more. The existence of these social outlets has allowed for people to become quite popular for…
Every now and then I get involved in some interesting discussions with friends at the local cigar bar. Last evening (as I type this) I got involved in a discussion about the human soul, the value of it, where it originates, where it goes after we die and so on. As you can imagine, everyone…
“I’m a man of my convictions; call me wrong; call me right.” – Toby Keith Conviction: a fixed or firm belief. (www.dictionary.com) Integrity: adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty. Ethical: pertaining to or dealing with morals or the principles of morality; pertaining to right and wrong in conduct.
Although we don’t tend to think about it much, our lives are full of traditions. We inherit them from our families without thinking about it. We learn them as young children and then either look forward to them as we get older or dread them; one or the other. How we celebrate holidays is usually…
Sure, we’d all like to be rich. If you’re familiar with the Avengers in Marvel Comics, then you know who Tony Stark is. It’s no surprise that, when asked which Avenger they’d like to be, most people answered, “Iron Man.” When asked to explain why people most often cited the fact that Iron Man’s alter…
In every kind of relationship: personal, work, friends, whatever – in EVERY kind of relationship there are requirements of both parties involved if the relationship is going to be successful. No relationship can be forever carried by one half; both have to participate. The three things that are required are communication, motivation and initiative. Let’s…
It’s been said that “I Am” are two of the most powerful words in the English language – because what you put after them literally defines you. How you define yourself has a powerful impact on how you live, what you pursue, what you accomplish and more. It literally drives your motivation… or lack thereof. …
In the military and law enforcement fields of endeavor – where I have spent almost my entire adult life – time is a precious commodity. Sometimes there is absolutely nothing going on and it’s easy to get bored. Time moves SO slow then. Then there are those moments of utter chaos with potential for great…
I know a few people who have a difficult time handling the criticism of others. When I talk with them, I try to encourage them to understand the difference between criticism and critique. One, criticism, is nothing more than verbal judgment with no suggestion on how to improve. The other, critique, is feedback on something…
As most folks who read my blogs know, I have been a police officer for over 30 years. Like everyone else, I’ve faced challenges in my life and like everyone else I’ve faced times when I had to work in an efficient and professional manner even when life wasn’t all peaches and cream. It’s often…
As I type this it’s Sunday afternoon, November 12, 2006. Two days ago, November 10th was the Marine Corps’ Birthday (231st). Happy Birthday Marines! I’m proud to have to call my older brothers on that day and wish them all a Happy Birthday since all four served as Marines and two even retired from the…