life lessons

Life’s Four Levels Of Learning

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Logically if not methodically, we begin to learn as soon as we are born and continue to learn until we take our last breath.

At first, it’s primitive like fussing loudly until someone changes our wet diaper or eagerly reaching toward food that’s about to be given to us. No matter how simple or direct our efforts, we are rewarded.

That’s the beginning of the first shelf of learning — what we learn from family. Not until later do we realize how many opportunities are provided by family members: the uncle who is an auto mechanic, the cousin who is … Read the rest “Life’s Four Levels Of Learning”

An Unprecedented Happening

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Yes, what I am about to describe to you has never happened before.

I am writing this at 3 A.M. on Wednesday. My latest column about timing was posted early yesterday and by late afternoon I had already received a note from a reader in Arizona who told me how much she enjoyed reading the column. 

Fast forward to a few minutes ago deep in the middle of the night when my sub-conscience confirmed that yes, it was a good column except I hadn’t gone far enough. That is, as soon as one recognizes that the time is right, it’s … Read the rest “An Unprecedented Happening”

No, You Aren’t Alone

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Most authors of columns such as this probably think of themselves as being merchants of knowledge — educating, informing, urging, enlightening, and in some cases, even offering support.

Aside from serving intellectual or uplifting mental food to the masses, however, they are prompted to keep it more personal, recognizing or describing small particles rather than chunks of this event we call life. 

At first, my only reason for creating the website was to inform people of my first book. Soon afterward, however, I recognized it as a chance to share with others much of what I’ve learned over the years as … Read the rest “No, You Aren’t Alone”

This Ain’t No Dress Rehearsal!

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From somebody came a sperm and from another somebody came an egg. They got together and from that speck there soon began to sprout a head, arms, and legs. Soon it all got big enough, and out you plopped — wet, hungry, and squalling.

Some wildly anticipated your arrival, everybody else ho-hummed it. Whatever the welcome, there you were. Ready to live. Ready for a life. You could hardly wait.

If that happened back in the olden days, you were allowed to be a kid — get dirty and sunburned, jump off diving boards, climb trees, learn to ride a … Read the rest “This Ain’t No Dress Rehearsal!”

Hanging Loose While Pulling Tight

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No one lived up to that title better than Wade, a guy I met while serving in the U.S. Army. He began the day happy, and insisted on staying that way until the lights went out that night. There was nothing fake about those smiles or him. As a person, he was genuine.

That, however, was only half the story. Although he often laughingly and sometimes with a dash of daring tried to put elastic into a normally hard and fast rule, he never broke one. Fact is, he cast a dim view toward anyone who did.

Looking at Wade … Read the rest “Hanging Loose While Pulling Tight”