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Christopher J. Howell died at age 60 on June 3rd. His obituary was 48 words long. CJ, as we called him, was one of my high school and college friends and was a groomsman in my wedding 38 years ago. He stands tall, third from the left in one of our wedding photos, between his … Read more

I first read Henry David Thoreau in 10th grade. I must admit, I was forced to read him by my English teacher, a stern woman who firmly believed that taking any pleasure out of life was totally wrong and that you should go through life with a scowl on your face and a solid work … Read more

When I was working for the Southland Corporation, I had the good fortune to work in the Training Department with some very talented and expert trainers. During my tenure with the company, I came to learn and understand about a model for improving human performance, that is called The Performance Model. This five step model … Read more

A few weeks ago I attended a volunteer luncheon at an assisted living facility where I take communion to the residents on a monthly basis. It was a pleasant and friendly time where most of the volunteers being honored that day were actually residents of the facility. I was surprised how many of these people, … Read more

Serendipity is often described as a happy accident. People have also defined it as discovering a treasure while looking for something else. I used to believe that serendipity involved a lot of luck; but I no longer believe that is what happens. I have come to understand that serendipity will happen to you when you … Read more

In the movie Pay it Forward, Haley Joel Osment plays a young boy who learns how to “pay it forward” by  giving gifts to strangers as a result of receiving his own gift from a person he did not know. This wonderful gesture begins a series of events, where complete strangers positively change the lives … Read more

Faith is often defined as a belief in something for which there is no proof. Faith means trusting in someone or something that you cannot see, describe or quantify. Faith means that often, in spite of all evidence to the contrary, you firmly believe that what you are doing or believing in, is in fact, … Read more

“Like sand through the hour-glass, so are the days of our lives.” These words have begun the soap opera, Days of our Lives for almost fifty years. It is also one of your mother’s favorite shows and I have heard those words coming from our television on an almost daily basis. As I near my … Read more

” I shall be telling this with a sigh, somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I– I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.”  These are the last lines in the famous poem by Robert Frost and they speak to me as clearly … Read more

This month marks my 40th year in the American workforce. Over the course of those four decades, I have experienced good bosses, bad bosses and bosses in serious need of therapy. I have also been a boss, served as my own boss and witnessed many bosses in action. I am sad to report that, in … Read more