Recovery. Sobriety. Living Wise.
There are times I’ve owned a time share in these foothills. The mind is difficult geography to guard; worry can so easily muck things up and distort reality. Small things appear large Thoughts are transformed into bogeymen Friends are turned into enemies Dr. Charles Mayo, founder of the Mayo Clinic, shared this observation: “Worry affects the circulation, the digestive system, the heart and the … Continue reading Why Worry?
Who do you look to for leadership? It’s hard to get from here to there if you don’t know the way. Some paths are marked with booby traps and dead ends, and we need men and women who have been there to share their experience. When I’ve selected my leaders unwisely I’ve gotten into loads of trouble. At 13 I chose my thrill-seeking next door … Continue reading A Successful Failure
An Easter Thought In my Roman Catholic upbringing, Easter, the culmination of Holy Week, was by far the most significant holiday of the year, and it has always been an especially reflective time for me. This Holy Week a number of dear friends are experiencing what might be described as Calvary moments, a time when hope vanishes, darkness sets in, and one can feel utterly … Continue reading Resurrection
Rousseau said, “To endure is the first thing that a child ought to learn, and that which he will have the most need to know.” I remember my Grandpa Pat sharing stories of the Irish Potato Famine (1845-50), crying as he spoke. The collective tragedy was so great that it continues to scar the Irish psyche to this day. Hard times may be collective, like … Continue reading Surviving in the Hardest of Hard Times
Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through the the experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved. – Helen Keller I’ve often found myself asking, “Am I the real thing?” I’ve wrestled with my shadow self through much of my life, maybe because it’s been easier hyping the image of me than experiencing … Continue reading The Crucible of Character