Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt. William Shakespeare 1564 – 1616 When I was a young boy, summers were spent playing ball and fishing. Baseball took only a small portion of the time; our favorite activity was fishing. … [ Continue Reading ]
We always have a choice about the content and character of our inner lives. Epictetus 55 – 135 A.D. I enjoy reading the comic strips in the newspaper. Frequently, they offer a bit of humor — a pleasant diversion in our troubling world. And sometimes they offer great insight into … [ Continue Reading ]
A faithful friend is a strong defense: And he that hath found such a one hath found a treasure. Ecclesiastes 6:14 We all engage in worry at times — some of us on a daily basis. Many of the things we worry about have little chance of happening, so a … [ Continue Reading ]
You become what you give your attention to. Epictetus 55 – 135 A.D. I’m always looking for little things people can do to improve their quality of life. I recently heard of a good exercise from an associate in Dallas; he calls it the pillow test. It’s simple, but it … [ Continue Reading ]
As every scuba diver knows, panic is your worst enemy: when it hits, your mind starts to thrash and you are likely to do something really stupid and self-destructive. Daniel Dennett 1942 – I grew up in a small town in east central Mississippi. In my high school years, I … [ Continue Reading ]
The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, is nothing, and becomes nothing. He may avoid suffering and sorrow, but he simply cannot learn and feel and change and grow and love and live. Leo Buscaglia 1924 – 1998 If you reflect back on your life, what’s the worst … [ Continue Reading ]
If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment. Marcus Aurelius 121 – 180 AD On August 12, 1819, the whale ship Essex and its crew … [ Continue Reading ]
Iron rusts from disuse; stagnant water loses its purity and in cold weather becomes frozen; even so does inaction sap the vigor of the mind. Leonardo da Vinci 1452 – 1519 How would you answer the question, “Are you a risk taker?” If you’re like most people, you probably want … [ Continue Reading ]
Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge: it is those who know little, and not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science. Charles Darwin 1809Â -Â 1882 A couple of years ago, my daughter was contacted by an association … [ Continue Reading ]
A good plan today is better than a perfect plan tomorrow. George S. Patton 1885 – 1945 A few years ago, there was a feel-good show called Leverage, in which former criminals used their unique skills to help people in need. In the pilot episode, things start going wrong on a job and the … [ Continue Reading ]