“Commitment is an act, not a word!”

Jean Paul Sarte

I think it was in Jr. High School that I heard the story about Hernan Cortez.  In 1519 his fleet landed in Veracruz to begin the great conquest of the Aztec Empire.  Upon arriving he gave an order to burn the ships.  There would be no going back.  One officer made the mistake of questioning the order.  He was immediately slain by Cortez.  The story goes that the rest of his army drank the rum on the beach as they watched the glow of the fleet burning in he harbor.…

“My biggest fear was that I would have come to
the end of my life and discover that
I had lived someone else’s dream.”
                             
                                                        – Karen Blixen

The past week has been powerful.  A variety of activities served to stir my emotions, foster reflection, create a sense of satisfaction, encourage the pursuit of a new challenge, and create a question. What caused this epiphany you ask?  Well it all began this past Monday morning. I woke earlier that normal, showered, dressed, grabbed some coffee, something to eat, and was out of the door by 7:45.

…

“You must be the change
you want to see in the world.”

MAHATMA GANDHI

Each year many, if not most of us, make resolutions for the new year.  We focus on the ways we would like to improve our personal lives and hopefully make resolutions to pay it forward and let our actions serve to improve the lives of others.  It’s that second part that intrigues me; letting our actions improve the lives of others. As Gandhi points out, changing the world starts with us.…

Here we are, the end of another year.  It seems that not so long ago we were considering the opportunities that would face us in the year to come.  If you recall, my pre-New Year post last December, Looking Back as We Move Forward, encouraged you to let your reflections on the past year guide the selection of the goals you will establish for yourself in 2018.…

It’s the time of year when we become preoccupied with the purchase and exchange of gifts.  When opening gifts, all too often we focus on what’s inside.  This year, take a moment to think about the love and care that went into the selection of the gift. Perhaps that’s even beautiful than what you will find when you remove the wrapping paper.

I read once of a wise angel who shared that happiness is not found in money or success, but rather in meaningful work, good health, and love. …