It happened only an hour ago, a bit of small talk while we were ordering.

The server said she had been working for her parents, but four months ago decided to take a job here, one of the area’s best restaurants.

When she brought the check, she added that although she regretted leaving the family business, all had gone well. She not only liked her new job, she loved it. The owners were “so nice” as were most of the patrons.

After mentioning a couple of proven pointers for creating a good working relationship with an employer, I explained what … Read the rest “Giving’s Other Bright Side”

Before you ask, yes, these events did happen in just one day.

6:19 A.M.
A fellow subscriber on a forum devoted to photography detailed how, despite his best efforts, his bank account narrowly missed being robbed by an internet thief. That reminded me of our son’s friend who just last week lost $11,000 when a thief cleaned out his bank account. Another forum subscriber said AI (artificial intelligence) will soon be able to duplicate any person complete with photo I.D., handwriting, and almost all related statistics. His educated view: Thieves and scammers are outwitting the best of security systems.

9:05 … Read the rest “A Day Of Contradictions”

All rivers have a beginning. Some are hidden and rarely seen while others are popular tourist destinations.

For example, a small spring at the bottom of a hill on a farm in southwest Virginia is the most distant source of water that eventually becomes the Tennessee River. There are no signs, so you must know exactly where to look to find this river’s birthplace. In human terms, being born there would be a quiet event.

The much larger Mississippi River, however, begins as the outflow of Lake Itasca in Minnesota. There, you can actually wade across the Mississippi, and on … Read the rest “Inviting Rivers And Oceans To Enter Your Life”

Hard to believe but true: Only two lifetimes ago, the only light your kinfolks had came from candles, lanterns, and fireplaces. From nightfall to sunup, darkness had the upper hand. Then came the electric light, a development realized every time we flip a switch to flood with light what an instant before was in darkness.

A bit of indispensable even remarkable progress? Of course, but at an expense of which most of us are unaware.

You see, with the coming of darkness, we also sense tiredness, the result of a busy day. Its intensity increases to the point that we … Read the rest “The Logic In Magical Darkness”

Every civilization has had those who thought, believed, acted, and spoke wisely and with solid logic. Such wisdom was often hidden beneath another label such as an elder, minister, or teacher. Social standing didn’t matter, neither did wealth nor lack of it. The invisible badge they wore, and often in humble fashion, was that of Wise One.

In that respect, the past is also the present. Many people throughout the world qualify for that badge. They can be anywhere and everywhere, well-known or obscure, in a city or tucked away in some small town or on a farm.

So, you … Read the rest “Staking Our Future On The Wise Ones”

By extraordinary, I mean something wild and illogical enough to be exciting. It wouldn’t be impossible, but it would be probable enough to awaken and stimulate your brain cells to new heights.

The idea here is to step outside whatever you or someone else has assumed you would do. It would take advantage of your personality and talents, and activate your ability to go where you’ve never gone before. In making that happen, you would add spice to your life, and open new opportunities you never dreamed existed.

Sure, it would test your courage and your ability to innovate, to … Read the rest “You And Your Extraordinary Idea”

Yes, the marketing geniuses had designed the box to colorfully display good things organically related to the proper nourishment of humanity—butterflies flitting from flower to flower, trees loaded with ripening fruit, kids happily romping through tall green grass.

I shoved the hype aside to tell myself that yes, I really could use this latest electro-mechanical wonder. Even if it made good on only half the claims, it would be an efficient helper in my quest for a longer life. At twenty-two bucks, even the price was right.

As I left the store, I peeked into the shopping bag to again … Read the rest “A Monster In A Pretty Box”

It seems like only yesterday that she existed, when she was voted that title because she was unquestionably qualified. She was the girl next door—friendly, engaging, an innocent bundle of energy, fun to be around, a girl with a sense of excitement who went beyond the ordinary to meet, greet, and visit with people.

Although the likes of her were everywhere, there was never a contest to see who was the best. No one cared. It was enough to admire such qualities and hope that whoever had them continued to be themselves.

Over the long haul, many who were never … Read the rest “Where Is Miss Congeniality?”