Have you ever thought about all the negativity coming at your child?

Bullying has become an artform with the advent of social media.

Bullying doesn’t end at the school door.

No, it actually follows your child home and may become part of their self image.

You, as a parent, may be dealing with challenges of your own.

These challenges may be distracting you from the world your child lives in.

I think this pressure filled, problem filled world requires you to be your child’s cheerleader.

Try being light on the discipline and heavy on the praise!

If not today, when?

Nurses are on strike.

Many nurses are leaving the profession after the burnout from the pandemic.

Pharmacists are on strike.

With an aging population, pharmacists are filling more prescriptions than ever.

And they are being asked to administer vacccines.

So many professions are understaffed causing customer frustration.

Yesterday, the monthly job report came out with the good news that 336,000 people were employed in September.

Maybe those sitting on the sidelines are returning to work.

Professionals like nurses and pharmacists, however, require extensive schooling.

So, shortages in those fields will take some time to recover.

When we are the customers of shorthanded employees, we must be patient with their dilemma.

If not today, when?

I have experienced business failure, but have no regrets.

I think most people have the opposite story to tell.

I believe many people are not risk takers by nature and probably haven’t failed.

But, that may not be true either!

If you have an objective you’d love to pursue, but don’t, isn’t that also a failure?

You’re not going to get through this life without bumps and bruises.

So, why not take on the bruises while chasing your dream?

If not today, when?

Do you and your friends and family always talk about the same old things?

YOURSELF? Most people like to talk about themselves.

I guess that’s alright as long as you allow equal time to ask about the other person or people.

PERSONAL HEALTH? As people get older, it seems that health begins to dominate their conscious thought.

This is understandable because most older people are dealing with some health issue.

But, it shouldn’t be the sole focus of your discourse.

GOSSIP? A definition: Details that are not confirmed as being true.

Many times, gossipers like to spread negative news about other people.

It is important not to participate in gossip of any kind.

POLITICS? Some people feel very passionate about their political views.

During this season of political campaigns, this is especially true.

Unfortunately, our fractured society is not conducive to a healthy discussion of opposing views.

Diversity in discussions is challenging but possible if given thoughtful preparation.

Joe was the winning quarterback in the 1969 Super Bowl upset of the Baltimore Colts.

Obviously, he went “all the way” as an NFL quarterback.

He fulfilled the dream of every NFL quarterback, to win the Super Bowl.

How about you?

Are you prepared to go all the way in pursuit of your dream?

I believe that failure in trying your best is better than never trying at all.

If you don’t go for it, you might always regret not having tried.

If not today, when?

Many of us don’t listen as well as we should.

While the other person is speaking, we’re often thinking of what we will say.

Listening is not easy in today’s high tech world.

We have so much information coming at us from a variety of sources.

If we are having a conversation with a person, we must have a singular focus.

We should also practice the following ACTIVE LISTENING techniques:

Let the speaker express themselves fully.

Resist the urge to interject your opinions.

Encourage the speaker to share more information.

Listening requires patience and kindness.

It is not easy.

“Miggy” said goodbye to 21 years in the majors yesterday.

The Detroit Tigers and 41,000 fans showed him their love in return.

It was a beautiful, but like all goodbyes, a sad day.

When asked what he’ll do tomorrow, he said he would take his kids to school.

And so, like the rest of us, he must turn the page and go in a new direction.

That is what our lives are, after all, a transition to the next phase that awaits us.

Let’s do it as graciously as we can!

Do you pray?

If you don’t pray, why don’t you?

Is it because you don’t believe in a superior being?

Perhaps you have concluded that this a Godless world and prayer is useless.

Or, is it because you used to pray, but didn’t get the result you were looking for?

If you do pray, do you ask for help or give thanks?

I do both.

Are my requests for help always answered? No.

Is it reasonable for me to always expect a positive response? No.

I actually spend much more time giving thanks for all the blessings in my life.

As I look around the world, I am overwhelmed with the incredible suffering of most people.

In India, they have a name for the suffering multitudes.

The name is “The Untouchables.”

My advice: be thankful for the blessings that have come your way!

If not today, when?

Do you pray?

If you don’t pray, why don’t you?

Is it because you don’t believe in a superior being?

Perhaps you have concluded that this a Godless world and prayer is useless.

Or, is it because you used to pray, but didn’t get the result you were looking for?

If you do pray, do you ask for help or give thanks?

I do both.

Are my requests for help always answered? No.

Is it reasonable for me to always expect a positive response? No.

I actually spend much more time giving thanks for all the blessings in my life.

As I look around the world, I am overwhelmed with the incredible suffering of most people.

In India, they have a name for the suffering multitudes.

The name is “The Untouchables.”

My advice: be thankfull for the blessings that have come your way!

If not today, when?

If you want to keep your kids from drinking, start by looking at your own consumption.

That’s because adolescents whose parents drank regularly or binge drank were four times more likely to drink themselves, according to a study published September 14 in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

Binge drinking is defined as at least four drinks for women and five drinks for men on one occasion, the study said. (CNN)

This shouldn’t be a surprise.

If the parent drinks regularly, even daily, the kids must think it is alright.

And the kids’ peers are also drinking at a younger age.

So, consumption of alcohol must be the cool thing to do?