"The final wisdom of life requires not the annulment of incongruity but the achievement of serenity within and above it." ~ Reinhold Niebuhr How do you achieve serenity while living in a world of incongruity and limitations? Everywhere you look in the world today there is evidence of turmoil, conflict and unrest, a state that …
Tag: Uncommon Life
Commit to the Move
A younger friend of mine was describing the keys to advancement in the sport of wakeboarding to my brother-in-law and I and his philosophy was summarized by the brilliant statement that at a certain point you have to stop thinking and commit to the move. The idea, for instance of jumping the wake and doing …
Uncomplicated Willingness
You've no doubt heard the name Betsy Ross as she occupies a significant place in the history of our great nation. Born the eighth of seventeen children to Quaker parents, Ross was thrice widowed, lost her mother, father and sister within days to yellow fever and eventually became blind herself, a fact which did not …
You are well-endowed!
"At bottom, every man knows perfectly well that he is a unique being, only once on this earth; and by no extraordinary chance will such a marvelously picturesque piece of diversity in unity as he is, ever be put together a second time." ~ Friedrich Nietzsche Having had the good fortune to travel to foreign …
A Cure for Superficiality
“Democracy needs to be reborn in each generation and education is its midwife.” ~ John Dewey, Twentieth Century Education Theorist A friend of mine recommended New York Times columnist David Brooks' recent TED presentation to me yesterday (David Brooks: The Social Animal) and after having listened to it I am pleased to pass it along …
The Long, Anxious Search
A friend introduced me to a short essay many years ago called "A Message to Garcia." Made into two motion pictures and translated into 37 languages, this inspirational essay points to the value of (as well as the scarcity of) those who take initiative in the living of life. Written by artist, writer and philosopher …
Invincible Determination
"An invincible determination can accomplish almost anything and in this lies the great distinction between great men and little men." ~ Thomas Fuller How determined are you to leave a legacy of blessing, encouragement and inspiration? Does the adjective "invincible" best describe your determination or would it be better described as "better than average" or …
Pushing through to Victory
When you are approaching the border of your present capability, you have three options. You can: 1) go backwards, 2) stay where you are or 3) continue to move forward. The choice is yours to make and you must remember that your habits are formed according to the pattern of your choices. How you handle …
Preparation – The Key to Success
"Before anything else, preparation is the key to success." ~ Alexander Graham Bell There is no substitute for preparation. Some people pride themselves on their ability to "wing it," but when it comes down to it, those who prepare more often than not have the upper hand in relation to the inevitable elements of surprise …
The Best of Every Man
"I have believed the best of every man. And find that to believe is enough to make a bad man show him at his best, or even a good man swings his lantern higher." ~ William Butler Yeats You are making a grave error if you love your friends and hate your enemies. Both love …
Gregory Hake 