Have you thanked the people who made a big difference in your life?

Hopefully, it’s not too late and they are still among us.

Most of us can’t take sole credit for our accomplishments.

There is usually someone who gave us the boost we needed along the way.

Our dad always told me I I could do anything I wanted to do.

And I believed him.

I think we all need someone who believes in us.

That “someone” should be thanked.

Unfortunately, our dad passed away many years ago.

Don’t be late in thanking that ‘someone.”

This is a true story about a mama brown bear carrying her wounded cub in her teeth.

Obviously, the homeowner was shocked at the site.

When the bear saw the homeowner, she dropped the cub and backed away.

The cub was bleeding from one leg. and was limp.

It seemed that the mama bear wanted help from the homeowner.

So, the homeowner slowly approached the cub and picked it up.

As he came to his front door, thr mama bear followed.

The cub was badly wounded.

He called a veterinary friend of his who gave him some advice.

Meanwhile, mama bear had advanced to the front porch and was watching.

She never left the front porch while care was being given.

Eventually, the homeowner drove the cub to the veterinary leaving mama behind.

The baby bear was revived and sent back to its mother in a crate.

As the homeowner drove off, the vet shouted, “Do not return!”

Mama was waiting and ran off into the woods with her cub close behind.

The most noble creature is a mom!

Yep, moose are a big deal in Sweden!

I fact, 77,000 people witness the annual moose migration from northern to southern Sweden.

That’s the size of the audience on Facebook.

It takes 3 weeks for the moose to make the trip..

34 cameras are used to broadcast the migration live along the route.

The route was begun by their ancestors going back to the ice age.

The moose do not know they’re being watched.

Wonderful!

You must have fear of something in order to have courage.

And you must put your courage into action with a strong will.

I also believe passion is an important ingredient of a strong will.

If you strongly believe in a cause, reach down and summon the willpower to act.

None of us are really aware of the willpower within us.

Many times misfortune brings it out.

At the time, there is really no other viable alternative.

If not today, when?

“Rivers don’t drink their own water.

Trees don’t eat their own fruit.

The sun does not shine on itself.

Flowers do not spread their fragrance for themselves.

LIVING FOR OTHERS IS A RULE OF NATURE!

We are all born to help each other no matter how difficult it is.

Life is good when you are happy, but much better when others are happy because of you.”

(Pope Francis)

Rory Mcilroy was in a high drama with uncertain outcome in this year’s Masters Tournament.

He had a 4 point lead over the rest of the field in yesterday’s final round.

He obviously felt quite comfortable and seemed to be enjoying his position atop the leader board.

Suddenly, his game began to deteriorate while Justin Rose began to catch fire.

As Mcilroy began a series of mistakes, Rose became flawless and took the lead!

After 18 holes, they were tied at at 11 under par.

On the playoff hole, Mcilroy pulled off the victory by 1 stroke.

He took home $4,200,000 in first place prize money.

It was a real cliff hanger!

This is an interesting comparison

We all understand when physical courage is required.

It is surprising, however, when we may be confronted with a moral challenge.

A simple example of a moral challenge is to lie or tell the truth.

Many times, it is easier to lie!

Telling the truth brings more pressure and sometimes unwanted repercussions.

Another example is speaking out against injustice.

It’s always easier to remain silent.

In the end, you must be able to live with yourself.

If not today, when?

This is a tough time of transition for all of us.

It is particularly impactful in the lives of teens trying to grow into adulthood.

Because of the immediacy of news stories, we are all inundated with more news than we can possibly assimilate.

These changes include shifts in attitudes, norms and behaviors within our society.

They are often driven by technological advancements or economic changes.

These factors can create significant alterations in how people live and interact.

I recently wrote a blog entitled, “What happened to neighborhoods?”

Oh, our houses are still close together, but we don’t know our neighbors.

It is often hard to find people who share our beliefs and our values.

We find that our morals are often under attack.

“Misinformation” often lurks in our lives which deliberately tries to lead us in the wrong direction.

It is a constant challenge to hold our own and stand firm in our belief system.

Of course, the following thoughts don’t apply in every situation.

One thought is to compare the defeat with the blessings in your life.

When we think about our blessings, the comparison puts the defeat in perspective.

Another thought is not to try to forget the defeat, but to accept that it happened.

Once you accept that it happened, ask yourself what went wrong and what you’d do differently?

This second thought is very effective if you must confront the same situation again.

Such as in sports!

(Photo is NOT me!)

It was my decision!

It was one of the most difficult in my 83 years of life!

I really enjoy driving and I just got a new car two months ago.

I didn’t have any near misses that compelled my quitting.

But, I did have a few episodes that told me, “It’s time.”

Many older people have to be persuaded to stop driving.

Or, they get into an accident in which it was their fault.

And then, they finally relent.

If it’s time for you stop, STOP before you hurt someone!

If not today, when?