Love: the Ingredient that makes all the Difference

Recently, I was watching an episode of Globe Trekker on Public Television. The host of the show was passing through a city in Mississippi where he met a woman who was heralded as being an outstanding cook of Southern food. When he asked her what her secret was she reeled off a list of ingredients…

Make it Easy for Others to be Nice to You

During this past year, I spent seven weeks getting infused with antibiotics twice a day at a local hospital. During that time, I got to know the reception employees and volunteers very well and they treated me with the utmost kindness. So much so that when my treatments were finished I wrote the hospital CEO…

Trader Joe’s is Number One Again

According to a recent study conducted by Market Force Information, Trader Joe’s is ranked as America’s favorite grocery store for the third consecutive year. According to a press release from Market Force Information, Trader Joe’s has built a following of devoted customers because of its “…neighborhood feel, zealous customer service, and an array of exotic…

A Lesson in Work-Life Balance from a Successful NBA Coach

Steve Kerr has had a very successful first year as head coach of the Golden State Warriors. His team won 67 of the 82 regular season games—best in the NBA. Coaching at that level can be an all-consuming and stressful job because the pressure to win is enormous. Achieving a balance between work and life…

A Lesson in Aging from two Hollywood Legends

Donna Freydkin wrote an article, which appeared in a recent issue of USA Today, about Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin who are staring in a new Netflix TV series called Grace and Frankie. The two play aging women whose husbands come out as gay and decide to marry. According to the article, what makes this…

The Secret to becoming a Day Brightener

​​Recently David Brooks, Op-Ed columnist for The New York Times, wrote an essay titled “The Moral Bucket List” that was posted in the SundayReview section of nytimes.com. He began his essay with this paragraph: “About once a month I run across a person who radiates an inner light. These people can be in any walk of…

Tapping into the Power of a Smile

When someone smiles at me, it makes me feel better and it puts a smile on my face as well. The same holds true when I smile at someone else. Research has shown that there are many benefits associated with smiling. For example, people who smile feel better, look better to others, live longer, are…

Trying to live in the Past can be Depressing

One of my observations from being on Facebook is that there are a fair number of people who are trying to live in the past. They regularly post videos from YouTube featuring musical groups and recording artists from “their era” and they talk about going to dances featuring bands and music from the “good old…