If it is true that history repeats itself and there is nothing new under the sun, why then do you insist on judging your circumstances and others? Can you simply observe without interpolating, comparing, drawing conclusions, or asking yourself “How can I get the most out of this?” Can you watch and listen objectively, act …
One of my Bernese mountain dogs devoured a giant cooked chicken bone that she had dug out of a lidded garbage can in the butler's pantry a number of months ago and we had to rush her to the vet for surgery to have it removed. You would think that the trauma of the event …
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, …
"You are not here merely to make a living. You are here to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, and with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world. You impoverish yourself if you forget this errand." ~ Woodrow Wilson I was giving thought yesterday …
One of the hallmarks of an effective parent, manager or leader is the attitude of graciousness. Gracious living is much more than a technique, in fact, it is a general approach to living that gives evidence of a refined relationship to life itself. What is life, anyway? Is it something that you have or something …
You've probably come across the idea in your life that "everything happens for a reason." People usually make this point known when they are suffering an ill of some unknown origin or counseling another who is moving through a difficult situation. Some say of the god they claim to worship, "God gave me this because …
"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 …
"None can love freedom heartily, but good men; the rest love not freedom, but licence." ~ John Milton One of my responsibilities as CEO is to foster a corporate culture that best serves all of the stakeholders in our company. I love this part of my job, as it is a microcosm in which I …
I am inclined to agree more with Theodore Roosevelt's assessment that courtesy is "as much a mark of a gentleman" than with Honore de Balzac's less encouraging assessment of courtesy being "only a thin veneer on the general selfishness." While the latter may be more predominantly the case, the former holds in it the promise …
"Reputation is what the world thinks a man is; character is what he really is. Anyone can play shuttlecock with a man’s reputation; his character is his alone. No one can injure his character but he himself. Character is the sword; reputation is the scabbard. Many men acquire insomnia in standing guard over their reputation, …
Gregory Hake 