Honest Arrogance

Frank Lloyd Wright wrote, “Early in my career, I had to choose between an honest arrogance and a hypocritical humility. I deliberately choose an honest arrogance, and I’ve never been sorry.” It’s okay to know you are good at something. But is it really necessary to tell everyone how good you are? With all due…

Lessons from War

On this date in history, June 8, 1862, the Battle of Cross Keys became a seminal moment in the American Civil War. On that day, Confederate General Stonewall Jackson saved the Army of Northern Virginia from a Union assault on the James Peninsula, which was led by General George B. McClellan.  On June 8, 1862,…

It’s How We Help

The 12th Step tells us to help others find recovery. Ben Franklin tells us how: “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” In order to secure our own recovery, we must help others to secure theirs. We do that by example, not lectures. It is by walking…

Amber Alerts

We are all familiar with Amber alerts, in America. These are alerts that go out over everyone’s smartphones, notifying us that someone has suddenly gone missing. But where did Amber alerts begin? The girl behind the Amber alerts was Amber Hagerman, a nine-year-old Girl Scout from Arlington, Texas. She was kidnapped while riding her bike…

The Truth Hurts

In one of the great movies of all time, Lt. Frank Drebin (Leslie Nielsen) said, “The truth hurts. Maybe not as much as jumping on a bicycle with a seat missing, but it hurts.” That line from Naked Gun 2.5 still resonates. Many times, the truth does hurt. When you discovered your dad was hooked…

Mother’s Advice

Erma Bombeck described her relationship with her mother: “When my mother asked, ‘Can I give you a piece of advice?’ it was a mere formality. Regardless of my response, I was going to get a piece of Mother’s advice.” Now, we may not always want wise counsel. But we always need wise counsel. The Bible…

Fruit Loops

Let’s start the day with a deep philosophical question.  Did you know that even though Fruit Loops are different colors, they all have the same flavor? While you ponder that, let me move on. The Bible says, “The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one body. So it is with…

The Wrong Ladder

Artist William Blake completed a well-known etching that featured a little man climbing a ladder toward the moon. The caption read, “I Want! I Want!” We are all like that little man. In our restlessness, we climb and climb, in search for the satisfaction we want. When we finally make it to the top of…

Storm Windows

It has happened several times since we moved to Florida, just a few miles from the coast. A hurricane has threatened to relocate us to Georgia. Each time that happens, I get a truck, run down to a lumber yard, and buy a bunch of plywood. Once again, it’s time to board up. We cut…

More to Follow

Years ago, an anonymous painting of Niagara Falls ended up in a gallery. Because the artist hadn’t given the painting a title, the gallery personnel decided to entitle the painting “More to Follow.” That captures the essence of Niagara Falls. Billions of gallons of water have poured over the Falls over the years, but we…