In school, long ago, I learned in order to learn a tree’s age, you count its rings. That was long before I ever took ownership of property, or ever planted a tree. Since that time, I’ve planted trees in the yard and watched them grow. The trees have gotten taller, added rings, and helped us…
Thinking Outside the Rubric
In the midst of final exams, my daughter went to school early three days during the week. Preparing for final exams? No, she was spending time working on a clay box for social studies class. It is debatable as to whether a grade is even assigned for that clay box. It was also debatable as…
The Other Silent Killer
The other silent killer strikes many of us each day. We hardly seem to notice though, because we get used to things as they are. Families and organizations suffer alike. The Fortune 500 Company suffers the same lot as the local nonprofit organization, when it comes to feeling the effects of the other silent killer….
The Soundtrack of Life
I’ve been working a lot lately with the windows open – and thinking of baseball. Long before the kids come home and start up a game in the backyard, I catch my mind wandering with thoughts of the upcoming season. Maybe it’s the fact that signs of spring are poking up all over, or maybe…
Freedom, Honor and Sacrifice
This past weekend, I was planning to visit my friend Gene and his family, as son Stephen prepared to depart to USMC boot camp. Stephen’s trip to Parris Island, SC began long ago. I believe it was love for God and country, passed down from his family, which caused him to arrive at his decision to…
Making the Improbable Possible
“The candidate I support can’t possibly win, so I’m going with ___ instead.” I’ve heard this too many times to count – maybe even more so in this election cycle. Self-fulfilling hogwash is what I call it! If you support a candidate, why not show your support at the ballot box? If enough people decide…
Block and Tackle
You and I could be having a better year. Sure, maybe we feel like we’re getting a little busier, but doesn’t it feel like there might be just a little more opportunity out there for the taking? Or maybe we feel like we’re just “spinning our wheels” sometimes. It isn’t right to blame circumstances –…
That One Thing
There are times when, regardless of the industry we are in, competition seems pretty stiff. We sometimes find ourselves in functions and situations where we are surrounded by people who do the very same thing we do for a living. Or do we? There is that one thing that sets you and I apart from…
The Changing Seasons of Success
Winter has been especially mild in Atlanta this year. We’ve had the occasional cold days and some nights when lighting a fire in the fireplace added a cozy feeling of comfort, but for the most part the days have been unseasonably warm. Warmer days remind me that spring is right around the corner. Spring reminds…
Scrap the Resolutions and Keep the Resolve
I haven’t believed in New Year’s Resolutions for a long time. Like the holiday egg nog, they seem to lack the proper shelf life and they tend to disappoint us when we come up short. Let’s face it, how often does a formal resolution fall flat sometime during the second or third week of January?…
The Christmas Tree
When I look at my Christmas tree, I see a tree that is unique from any other tree. Sure, some of the ornaments purchased by retailers are the same as the ornaments on other trees. Along with the purchased ornaments, we have the handmade ornaments made by the kids. We have ornaments to remind us…
The Memorable Victories
We rarely remember the easy victories. The four-game World Series sweeps in life… The blowouts that occur with little resistance… We rarely forget the victories that come about from battling adversity. The victories that defy all reason and baffle the “experts”… In life, as in sport, giving extra in order to overcome is something we…
Random Moments at Specific Times 