Words make a difference. They influence our thoughts, which in turn become our actions. Dad had a fabulous memory. He made a life-long practice of storing meaningful things he came across in his “mental treasure chest.” He was fond of reciting entries from memory. Dad said his “treasure chest” brought inspiration during difficult times. I …
Merry Christmas!
The year has gotten away from me. On our return to Minneapolis, we immediately went out shopping for a Christmas tree. We were lucky to find one! Most of them were sold out. Then there is the matter of gifts. Jumping online, I discovered that many of my choices could not be guaranteed for Christmas …
Half-Full
How we view our life determines our experience of life. The past two years are a good example. Two years ago, while gathered around the Christmas tree, we learned our first Grandchild would be arriving the following year. We were thrilled! For every yin, there is a yang. Ten days later, a medical emergency put …
Photographs
A few years ago I was fortunate to have breakfast with an astronaut who flew a mission on the space shuttle. I remember being fearful of asking the same questions he’s been asked a thousand times, but I went ahead and asked them anyway. It was a fascinating conversation. When breakfast was over and …
Beyond the “Fourth Turning”
Yogi Berra famously said, “It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future.” Prior to retirement, my job involved anticipating the future. Generally speaking, our forecasts were no more sophisticated than projecting a continuation of current trends. Often this proved incorrect. The best-selling author and demographer Neil Howe says we are in the “4th turning,” …
The GOAT
Who would you say the GOAT (Greatest of All Time) in athletics is? Many would vote for football star Tom Brady. He's not the most likable guy, but at age 43, he's still lighting up the scoreboard. Lance Armstrong won the Tour de France seven times! It's hard to deny his accomplishments and skill, despite …
Mistaken Identity
Experienced poker players say that if you don’t know the patsy at the table, it’s you! It might be true! I pride myself on being open-minded; it was part of my training. Few people, however, look at both sides of an issue. Why bother when we know we are right? I am concerned about polarization …
A Strange New World
World leaders met in Glasgow last week to discuss actions to address climate change. I’d like to be optimistic, but there are economic realities to overcome! I studied economics in college. Unfortunately, much of what I learned is dangerously outdated, beginning with the extolled supremacy of market-based economies. Please don’t get me wrong, I’m not …
Discipline
Discipline separates who we are from who we want to be. That may sound harsh, and a little old fashion, but that’s the way it is! I remember a story about an adoring fan meeting Itzhak Perlman. He told the great violinist that he would be willing to give his life to play like him. …
Choose Kindness
I like to listen to podcasts when exercising. Recently, the American author George Saunders was on The Ezra Klien Show (highly recommended). The subject was kindness, and I have been thinking about their discussion ever since. Who deserves kindness? That may seem like a ridiculous question. Doesn't everyone deserve kindness? Perhaps a better question would …
Towards A Life Well-Lived 