“Neighboring,” what is it? It’s the art and science of getting to know the people around you. You encounter people where you live (houses, duplexes, apartments/condos, other), at work, where you play and shop – people are everywhere. So, everywhere is your neighborhood, and everyone is your neighbor. This isn’t rocket science, but it does require intentionality, time, and effort. Mix in some genuineness, care, kindness, and love; and you have the recipe for neighboring.

Now and then, a young person refers to me as an “Old” person. I quickly say, “I am not old; I am older.” There is a big difference between being old and being older. Yes, it may be a chronological issue, but more important is that age is relative to your attitude, beliefs, and daily actions. Here’s a good example.

An award is something every person craves. Numerous awards are given in almost all fields, from literature to architecture. And there are some awards, absolutely bizarre in their aspects. They recognize some hilarious and rare achievements. Over the years, they have...

Work is a four-letter work. Sometimes, work is seen as bad, and it gets in the way of what I really want to do. Other times, work is welcome and is seen as a means to an end. What is the right way to view work?

In James Clear’s book Atomic Habits, he provides this learning scenario for the reader to think about. Say you’re a smoker but desperately want to break the habit. You’re standing in the smoking area, and someone offers you a cigarette. How do you respond?

Recently, I received an email saying, “Every successful business/organization needs FIVE systems to run. It then stated the five systems are…

Look at the picture above. What do you see? Yes, it is a photo showing the tread of a boot. Whose boot is it? It’s astronaut Buzz Aldrin’s boot footprint, which he left on the moon in 1969. Scientists say that footprint is likely, unchanged after all these years. Nothing on the moon gets eroded without wind or water, so what happens on the lunar landscape stays there. Unchanged, wow!

A friend recently took a trip to the western part of the US to visit a few national parks. One of the stops he and his family made was at the Sequoia National Park. The picture above is one he took of a great sequoia tree. This is the McKinley Tree name after President William McKinley, the 25th President of the United States.

When it comes to escaping the comparison trap, there may be no more helpful illustrations than the Parable of the Talents found in the Bible: Matthew 25:14-30. 

The parable focuses on a Master who “entrusted his wealth” to three servants. “To one, he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and another one bag,” and then, he went on a long journey. 

Spring is a time of flourishing. Winter has passed, and the time of new birth arrives right on schedule. Things start greening up, plants break through the ground and reappear, flowers begin to bloom, and it’s time to turn the soil, reseed, fertilize, and plant. The birds are chirping, and nests are being built and populated with the hope of new arrivals. It’s spring, and the hope of flourishing is in the air.