“I know nothing in the world that has as much power as a word. Sometimes I write one, and I look at it, until it begins to shine.” – Emily Dickinson Your words are one of the most powerful tools at your disposal. They can ignite fury, relieve tension, destroy lives, repair broken hearts, empower …
“Always dream and shoot higher than you know you can do. Do not bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself.” – William Faulkner There is a special moment in the life of each one wherein he makes the internal decision to be better than his present …
I spent the better part of two days this weekend and last behind a chainsaw. My brother-in-law are clearing out the old and unsalvageable landscaping around my house in preparation for a new look. It's one of those projects that takes time, that unfolds in stages, and that requires patience, diligence and careful attention to …
My in-law's dog wore a path in the grass which exactly follows the line of the invisible fence around their yard. Whether he created the rut in an attempt to explore his escape options or because he sought to maximize his territory I cannot be sure, but the visual has always struck me as a …
"Nothing in the world is permanent, and we're foolish when we ask anything to last, but surely we're still more foolish not to take delight in it while we have it. If change is of the essence of existence one would have thought it only sensible to make it the premise of our philosophy." - …
The ancient Greeks and Romans had solutions for many of the problems that plague our country today. They recognized that human nature is a double-edged sword and that steps can be taken to mitigate the expression of its lesser qualities while magnifying its finer ones. They understood as well that liberty is not a given, …
"Life is a process of becoming, a combination of states we have to go through. Where people fail is that they wish to elect a state and remain in it. This is a kind of death." ~ Anaïs Nin The one constant in life is change. If you are not sure of yourself, of your …
"If you want to make enemies, try to change something." ~ Woodrow Wilson Funny enough, the first enemy you will likely encounter when changing something, anything, is yourself. Inertia is a powerful force in human nature and the legions of the status quo will quickly train their weapons on you should you threaten their possessions …
"The finest triumph of civilization, in every phase of human activity, is the tearing down of walls of separation, aloofness and antagonism between nations, classes and individuals. Commerce has done much, the telegraph, the telephone and wireless have had their part, increased travel and the spread of education have also been factors in sapping to …
"While money can buy neither mind nor heart nor soul; it can inspire, it can furnish new opportunities; it can hearten the sorrowing; it can strengthen the weak; it can give new starts in life to those fallen by the wayside; it can give new impulses, new glad hours of fresh hope and the sunrise …
Gregory Hake 