A Process of Becoming

"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 …

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Pulling on Both Oars

"It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are." ~ e.e. cummings Rare is the person who is authentic. Almost every man strains to give the appearance of qualities and a temperament which he does not possess, all in an effort to gain the approbation of others he feels he needs to …

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The True Meaning of Life

The true meaning of life is to imbue your life with meaning. Your life, despite your genetic inheritance, your socioeconomic endowment and the dumb or bad luck you’ve had over the years, did not come prepackaged like a cake mix to which the waters of time are added. That which you have - your genes, …

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The Discomfort of the Unfamiliar

I remember reading the story of Abraham when I was in my teens. This story stood out to me more than others, perhaps because it offered excellent and personally relevant advice at a time when I really needed it. As a young man I was very concerned not to waste my life bouncing around from …

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Life on Purpose

As I mentioned yesterday, cynicism is nothing more than the absence of radiance in individual expression. By radiance I do not mean the false and groundless optimism that some people manufacture by mental gymnastics or through intention and therefore “have.” The radiance of which I speak is the outward evidence of the presence of the …

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The Attitude of Cynicism

It is commonly assumed that the attitude of cynicism is something that is caught, like a cold or flu, at a certain point in life. Some contract it earlier than others, but the majority of cases seem to develop in what is known as mid-life. Secondary symptoms often accompany the heart-hardening attitude called cynicism. Men …

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Protect and Serve

Of all the things that can be in the course of a day, the two most important in my mind relate to protection and service. What is there to protect? In an nutshell, that which is sacred. Sacred things must be protected from the coarseness of the world. Sacred things cannot be destroyed, however, they …

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Dignity of the Artist

"The dignity of the artist lies in his duty of keeping awake the sense of wonder in the world. In this long vigil he often has to vary his methods of stimulation; but in this long vigil he is also himself striving against a continual tendency to sleep." ~ Marc Chagall There is a tremendously …

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The Warrior Spirit

Every so often you meet someone who embodies the warrior spirit. You know the type. They are rugged, dogged and intrepid, and they possess a remarkable capacity to overcome obstacles and move through difficulties that would crush the ordinary man. Such men are rarely bellicose in nature, in fact, they tend to be pacifists at …

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Lost in a Busy World

There is a game called by many different names that is played around the world. Where I grew up we called it "Operator." The game is simple, but revealing. One person whispers a message to another and the message is passed through the entire group until it reaches the last player, who then announces the …

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