The meaning of life is often found in moments of simple joy. Perhaps the greatest gift we can give is to share those moments with others.
The conversation began innocently enough. Our initial discussion focused on the usual two topics discussed by men in their seventies; our medical issues and our grandchildren. We are both fortunate, as the health issues we face are minor and our grandchildren are the lights of our lives. Rich then asked me, “Anything else new and exciting going on?” …
“You can destroy your now,
by worrying about tomorrow.”
He was an unlikely cover boy. His distinct face, parted red hair, gap-tooth smile, freckles, protruding nose, and scrawny body, first graced the cover of the magazine in November of 1954. He would appear on all but a handful of the magazine’s over 550 issues, being last seen on the final publication in November, 2019. The publication was “Mad Magazine“, the cover boy was Alfred E. Newman and his mantra was simple, “What – Me worry?”…
“We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned,
so as to have the life that is waiting for us.”
His words stick with me until this day. It was just prior to retirement, and I was attending a study council session at the University of PA. Richard Shell, a Wharton Professor and author of The Conscience Code and Springboard: Launching Your Personal Journey to Success had concluded his presentation and was now enjoying informal interaction with those who had attended the program. …
“Have the maturity to know that sometimes silence
is more powerful than having the last word.”
– Thema David
Do you remember the last time it happened? It was uncomfortable to say the least. Eyes looked nervously about the room. At the ten second mark it was unbearable, and then, thank God, the silence was broken. Someone spoke up. A sense of relief swept over the room, the silence had ended. There were two powerful lessons to be gained through that experience:
Silence is Powerful
Silence Fosters Communication
Communication is the bond that connects people. …
“The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” – A. Toffler
I remember my father once telling me, “Knowing what something is, is also knowing what it’s not.” The phrase stuck with me, and I was reminded of it the other day when reading an article examining the importance of learning as a contributing factor to healthy aging. Yes, I read lots of things about aging, not just because I’m a senior citizen, but to better understand the process. …