Memorial Days

Today is Memorial Day in the United States—a day set aside to remember those who have died in the service of our country. Originally called Decoration Day, the tradition of visiting the graves of fallen soldiers likely began before the Civil War was even over. In 1971, Congress standardized the holiday as “Memorial Day” and…

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Trust Gives You Wings

During a luncheon at Wings Special Needs Community, the presenter made a statement that stuck in my mind. Wings is a day program in OKC for adults with developmental disabilities. They provide carefully curated programs designed to enhance independence, grow life skills, and allow members to live vibrantly. The speaker said that when working with the…

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Scratch It Off

A dear friend of mine lost her twin brother recently in a tragic accident. At the funeral, they told a story about when the two of them were young and got a spanking, they would vigorously scratch their legs to make the pain go away. They would “scratch it off” they said. This got me…

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The Real Magic Of Leadership

My daughter and I love to watch movies together. Since she is currently home for the holidays, we recently watched “Encanto” (we love Disney movies), and I was intrigued by many aspects of the story. The most relevant one for me involved the matriarch of a magical family and the way her leadership impacted all…

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Body, Mind, And Soul

This past week was a difficult one for me. Unless you are one of my closest friends, you wouldn’t have known, and that is the problem. We’ll talk more about that in a minute. In Doe Parker’s “The Good House & The Bad House”, the author uses a physical house to represent the past and…

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Momentary 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…

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Passion 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…

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Fake Plastic Trees

Are you tired? Not “I only got three hours of sleep last night…” tired, but weary, soul heavy, worn-out tired. Have you ever used a paper towel to scrub the stove? It works for a few swipes, but then it rapidly starts falling apart and turning to mush. The paper towel wasn’t meant to be…

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Body Of Memories

“Gratitude is when memory is stored in the heart and not in the mind.” – Lionel Hampton What we remember (or don’t) about our past can define our future. Today, our nation observes Memorial Day to collectively remember and honor those who perished serving their country. As the families of those men and women know…

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Post Manners

“It is, in fact, only the person who is afraid that someone may encroach upon their exceedingly insecure dignity, who shows neither courtesy nor consideration to any except those whom they consider it to their advantage to please.” Emily Post, Etiquette 1922 Society seems to have lost its way. There are so many things that…

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