When my daughter Nancy graduated from Arizona State University, Barack Obama, who was president at the time, delivered the commencement address. I remember watching and listening as his speech mesmerized an entire football stadium full of people for 27 minutes. In essence, he told the graduates that chasing after the traditional brass rings—big money, material…
One of my daughters sent me a quote from Beverly Sills. It read, “There are no short-cuts to any place worth going.” What this means is that if you want to experience a high level of success, you have to be willing to pay your dues–to start at the bottom and work your way…
I have come across several articles that say kindness is a lost art. So, I decided to test this notion as I went about my daily business. That morning as I attempted to enter the freeway, a driver slowed down and let me cut in front of him. When I got to Lowe’s to buy…
Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom. is a true story about Mitch paying weekly visits to his old college professor, Morrie Schwartz, who is dying from Lou Gehrig’s Disease. During these visits, Morrie passes on some wonderful life lessons from the perspective of a dying man. At one point, he said, “Why do you think…
This is the first half of a quote that a friend of mine posted on Facebook. What this means is that the way you make others feel after they’ve interacted with you is your trademark—the distinguishing characteristic of how you become known. As Maya Angelou put it, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you…
The website happy-whole.com posted the following list of things you don’t need to apologize for. I couldn’t argue with any of them, so I’m passing them on to you. If you have any things you’d like to add to the list, please send them to me. Loving someone Saying “no” Following your dreams Taking “me”…
Since the 1990s, longevity expert and author, Dan Buettner, has been traveling with teams of researchers to areas around the world where people live the longest. His teams have studied how lifestyle and environment impact the length of people’s lives. According to an article which appeared in USA Today, “Buettner says that while a strong…
A friend sent me a document titled “Life from the Seat of a Tractor.” It contained 30 excellent bullet points on how to live a better life. I’d like to share some of them with you. Life is simpler when you plow around the stump. Words that soak into your ears are whispered…not yelled. You cannot…
Many people prefer comfort of security over the excitement of taking risks. They would rather sit inside the safety of their comfort zones and watch the world go by. As a result, they miss out on much of the good life. Blind and deaf American author and political activist Helen Keller understood this well.…
One of my daughters recently emailed a quote to me that read, “Happy people are those who continuously evaluate and improve themselves. Unhappy people are those who continuously evaluate others.” What this means is that happy people are focused on personal growth–trying and learning new things, going to new places and making new friends. For…