Hammers and Magnifying Glasses

 In honor of my mom and in memory of my Uncle Ed

As little boys, we all do it!  Whether it’s a magnifying glass or a ball peen hammer, we find a way to exact justice on a colony of ants.  It wasn’t that long ago when my son would grab  his implements of divine power and create a whole world of imaginary heroes and villains out of a the string of ants that would march across the sidewalk and into the grass.  On one particular day my son explained to me that he was lord of the ants and he was deciding which ant would get fried and Continue reading

Family vs. Family

 For the introduction to the Lessons From My Father Series – Click Here

Mark Twain said, “Brevity is the soul of wit”.  Apparently, this post is ‘witless‘…get some coffee – it will be a long read!!!

 

We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms — to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.

– Victor Frankl

I don’t cry.  That’s right – no tears…just like Johnson’s Baby Shampoo!  It is strange, though, that the older I get, the more trouble I have with occasional moisture build-up in the corner of my eye.  It seems to be worse when I watch certain movies or attend significant ceremonies.  I have seen the same trend with my dad.  When we were growing up, Old Yeller yelp his last and dad would let out exaggerated yawns Continue reading

Anniversary of Pain

Anniversary of Pain

The withered dreams of a lost tomorrow
Still haunt the dark of the night
Threads of memory replay each sorrow
Breathing life into squandered spite

If Time’s a Healer and mends the heart
Why do the winds still send rain?
Sights and sounds send a fiery dart
And make this an Anniversary of Pain

A new kind of normal describes every thought Continue reading