Musings
Safety In Numbers
As our last child is a senior in high school this year, we have seen many “lasts.” One was our last Christmas band concert. I must admit, I have, over the years, been an impatient and at times intolerant concert goer. This year was different. I not only really enjoyed the program, but I realized something…
Read MoreFickle Food
As I watched the responses this week to a certain coach leaving a certain football program, I was reminded of this quote: “Fame is a fickle food upon a shifting plate.” Emily Dickenson It is not unusual for a leader to be a hero one minute and a scourge the next. Did the character of…
Read MoreEnough
I was part of a CEO panel recently and was asked to answer the question, “What is the most important trait for a leader to possess?” My answer was humility, but if I could go back, I would change my answer to gratefulness. As we prepare for Thanksgiving this week, I find myself revisiting the…
Read MoreThe Turning Away
On the turning awayFrom the pale and downtroddenAnd the words they sayWhich we won’t understand Anthony Moore & David Gilmour A week ago in my recovery group, we were discussing the parable of the Good Samaritan. It is an interesting tale regarding a man who is robbed, beaten, and left for dead on the roadside.…
Read MoreRug Pull
Often used in comics and older movies, the rug pull is a classic slapstick move which involves grabbing hold of the rug someone is standing on and quickly pulling it towards you. The unsuspecting individual finds their feet going out from under them as they fall to the floor. This visual trope is the origin…
Read MoreMomentary Lapse
Recently, someone asked me how I was doing, and I heard myself say, “I’m really busy, but once I get past the next couple of weeks…” I wish I had corrected myself right then, but it wasn’t until later that I realized the tragic mistake I was making. I was wasting my life by letting…
Read MoreThe Substance of Life
Most of us are familiar with suffering. If you have been in a relationship, been a parent, been an employee, lost someone or something you love, had dreams or even goals, you have had ample opportunity to suffer. Suffering is the substance of life and the root of personality, for it is only suffering that…
Read MoreDespair-ity
I was in California this weekend to look at cars with my youngest son, his friends, and their dads. Fast cars, historic cars, unique cars, expensive cars. Driving between locations we also saw some spectacular cars on the street. What we also saw on the street were human beings living in tents, broken down vehicles,…
Read MorePassion Tamed
Have you ever been hurried or bullied into making a decision? Had your hand forced by someone who called your ability or authority into question in front of others? Made a snap judgement under pressure that you later regretted? Unfortunately, this is not uncommon among leaders. We often find ourselves in situations where everyone is…
Read MoreSick And Tired
I got sick this past week, and I should have seen it coming. I have less than optimum sinuses. Two surgeries and a lot of OTC meds later, I live a mostly normal life, but from time to time I miss the clues, fail to care for myself, and end up with a sinus infection.…
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