Category Archives: Humility

The True Value of a Shoeshine

Forty-five years ago I met Pete, the old gentleman who ran the shoeshine stand in the Eastern Airlines Shuttle Terminal at LaGuardia Airport, a stand he’d manned since the late 1940’s. It’s there I learned the true value of a good shoeshine. Back then, in olden times, people wore shoes that needed shoe polish, so having a good shine was a grooming ritual for many … Continue reading The True Value of a Shoeshine »

Stepping Stones or Stumbling Blocks?

There are times when getting from here to there is no easy matter; when the route is unclear and obstacles seem insurmountable.   There’s an old saying: “The only difference between a stepping stone and a stumbling block is how we use them.” Will you walk in between the stones with a mind to missing them, or walk on top of the stones with a … Continue reading Stepping Stones or Stumbling Blocks? »

The Practice of Listening

I once thought wisdom was the exclusive domain of old folks but I’ve discovered some of my most important lessons have been taught by the very young.  One such lesson came from my nephew Jack when he was all of six years old.  I was newly sober and still stinging from a number of painful losses.  At the time I kept pretty much to myself as I felt … Continue reading The Practice of Listening »

Greatness In Goodness

Over the last few years MAGA (Make America Great Again) has become the call letters of a new political movement, one that has attracted millions of fervent followers. But this movement and its call to return to a nondescript time of American greatness is one that has raised many thorny questions. Like — what era would we be returning to? President John Adams counseled against … Continue reading Greatness In Goodness »