A very special friend mentioned to me that she was once told to pattern her life after a tree. And this comment struck a chord in me, to say the least. I love the outdoors and spent over two decades in the landscape industry in one capacity or another, so this piece of advice really got me to thinking about trees and their structure and function in our world. The root system of a deciduous…
Your time is the most valuable asset that you will ever have. And how you choose to spend your time is a decision that must be carefully evaluated. Time cannot be regained or recovered once it is lost. Dwelling on that loss will only cost you more time. Your only constructive option is to briefly reflect and then act on the changes that will stop further losses from occurring in the future.
“It was the best of times it was the worst of times” That quote resonates endlessly in my head as I reflect on this past year. Maybe it is just me getting philosophical as the big five-oh is approaching or maybe it is simply an apt description. But I recall the first time I read Mr. Dickens famous words and the thought that was rattling around in my juvenile head at the time. I was…
Be yourself. Be your original self. Be the person who you want to be. When you think about who you have become, are you happy? Or are you regretting? No one else can make you happy but you! Do what you want to do! Live how you want to live. Live where you want to live. There is always going to be someone who thinks they know better than you on how to live your…
Finding the beauty in a breathtaking sunset or the view from atop a mountain is easy. But being able to see the beauty in simply sitting in your own backyard or on your own sofa with your spouse at the end of a long day, that is a talent that is truly important. We must find that glimpse of beauty in everyday life to maintain true happiness.
Loyalty is very unique in that it is both incredibly durable and yet also very delicate. When put to the test, it is amazing what one person will endure to remain loyal to another. Look at brothers in arms who will literally lay down their own life to protect a fellow soldier. There is an unspoken bond that is somehow stronger than the most primal survival instinct. It can’t be taught or demanded, it must…
A good leader is measured by the successes he helps others achieve rather than just his personal achievements. He is the person who will jump into any position that needs to be filled, for the betterment of the team. He will forge a path out in front of his team to ease their workload. He will get behind his team and push when they need momentum, and he will walk side by side with any…
When I was young, in my 20’s and even 30’s, I couldn’t picture myself growing old. It was as if the images just stopped before that ever happened. Maybe I truly believed that young at heart could stop the physical process of aging. So it just wasn’t going to happen to me or maybe I was just blocking out what I was afraid of. But life is a fluid thing, ever moving and changing. And…
Life can be a lot like reading a good book. You get caught up in the exciting parts and just want to go faster and faster to discover what is on the next page or in the next chapter. And even when life becomes very challenging, we tend to push forward thinking that moving more quickly will get the trouble behind us sooner. But the truth is that we are not in control of time,…
I cannot let the sun set today, April 1, without sharing this story on the anniversary of their wedding day… Most Americans are familiar with the story of the Sullivan family, if not by name, then by their place in World War II history. All five Sullivan boys, George, Francis Henry, Joseph, Madison, and Albert, joined the U.S. Navy on January 3, 1942. They all served together on The U.S.S. Juneau, and all perished in…