What an incredible experiment in personal freedom America continues to be!

While other countries are descending into dictatorships, we are still a DEMOCRACY.

Our diversity is our strength.

It enables the practice of many religions and customs.

And how about the physical beauty of our home?

Surrounded by oceans on three sides.

The great plains that provide our food..

The Great Lakes with their awesome beauty and abundance of fresh water.

Yes, there are many blessings we enjoy as Americans.

Today’s celebration of our freedom is the gift of the pioneers who forged a country out of the wilderness.

And it has been protected by all those patriots lying under white markers at Arlington National Cemetery.

Let us always appreciate what we have as Americans.

“O Say Can You See?”

How would you measure the success you’ve had so far?

I think most people would use personal wealth as a yardstick.

Others may have overcome serious health issues and rejoice in that accomplishment.

Another important barometer would be the degree to which your loving relationships are in good order.

Last but not least must be the quality of the person you’ve made of yourself thus far.

Looking at the measurements listed above, how successful are you?

If you are lacking success in one of those categories, it is never too late to decide upon the actions you will take to make improvements.

We can always do better and become better people.

Improvement begins with your decision to improve!

If not today, when?

How can we maintain a positive attitude in the midst of so many negative things going on?

Our approach is to divide all issues into two categories: Those things we can solve and those we cannot.

THOSE WE CANNOT SOLVE: There are probably worrisome things going on in your family, in your career choice, in your friendships and in your community.

If there is nothing you personally can do to solve them, you must liberate yourself from dwelling on these unsolvable issues that sap your emotional energy.

THOSE WE CAN AND MUST SOLVE: Focus on those things that are within your grasp.

What can you do to improve the relationship with your spouse and children?

These should be your highest priority because they have a big impact on your happiness.

How about other family members and friends?

How about your daily workplace? Can you improve things there?

Dwell on what you can solve, not those things you can’t!

If not today when?

We use “PLEASE” and “THANK YOU” with complete strangers, but not with our spouse and children ENOUGH!

This is most often the case with our spouse.

Common courtesies should be extended to loved ones more often.

We probably say “PLEASE” more often than “THANK YOU.”

You may say to me, “Why should I thank him for taking out the trash? That’s his job!”

I’ll tell you why. It keeps the romance alive by showing appreciation for his or her efforts.

And do you give enough COMPLIMENTS in your family?

COMPLIMENTS are a necessary form of glue in our personal relationships and they raise the self-esteem of loved ones.

SPREAD KINDNESS IN YOUR FAMILY!!!

Don’t leave your good manners at the doorstep when you arrive home!

Make a practice of showing your appreciation of family members with GOOD MANNERS AND KINDNESS!!

If not today, when?

Our son had some items he no longer needed when moving to a new home.

So, he put their availability on the web.

He received three phone calls in the first ten minutes.

Of course, the buyers used mapping software to find our son’s house.

These transactions are a simple example of the dependency we all have on technology and specifically on our cell phones.

We travelled from Northern California to San Francisco Airport today with the use of Google Maps.

As we approached the airport exit, the speed and density of traffic caused us to miss it.

Immediately, the mapping software computed an alternate route that quickly led us back to our destination.

We all know there are many abuses of our new digital life.

I like to dwell, however, on the positives as I’ve described herein!

You don’t stop being a parent when you’re child reaches a certain chronological age.

The relationship between parent and child goes through various stages.

As a young child, dependency upon the parents is total.

As the teenage years come along, parents and children experiment with some independence of action and decision-making.

This is a painful period for both parties.

At some point, the child leaves the parents’ home and enjoys more independence.

Even at this point, your parenting role is not finished.

No, the parents are entering a lifelong relationship in which the child is making major decisions with major consequences.

When making these major decisions, the child is often unwilling to take parental advice.

So, the parent must. however, be willing to “PICK UP THE PIECES” when things go asunder.

It’s part of the job description of a parent.

You’re always a parent!

If not today, when?

Our daughter was in the hospital last week for medical treatment from a nurse.

The young nurse told us he had spent many years in his family’s business.

He, however, did not feel fulfilled and decided upon a dramatic change in his career. He went back to school to become a nurse.

He has been assigned to the TRANSPLANT DEPARTMENT where he treats critically ill cancer patients.

He is very good at his new profession.

No, it was not easy, but he enjoys his new responsibilities and feels he’s making a difference.

How about your current career path?

Should you re-evaluate your alternatives?

Would you look forward to awakening each morning and going off to a job you really love?

It is never too late to improve your life!

If not today, when?

I’m sure you’ve heard about the building collapse in Miami.

The technical details and forewarning are beginning to emerge.

I want to talk, however, about another aspect of the tragedy.

How prepared were the victims to meet their Maker?

In an instant without warning, their lives were taken from them.

Now, let’s talk about you.

Do you have any unattended business that should be addressed?

Friends who are friends no more because of your actions or inactions?

How about those family members who have drifted apart?

How about promises made, but not kept?

Are there bridges that must be rebuilt?

If you’re house is in order, life can be lived to the full each day.

If some relationship needs to be fixed, take the initiative regardless of who was at fault.

It’s better to be loved than to be right!

If not today, when?

We all have good and bad surprises.

Our son and his wife moved from the Midwest to Northern California.

After they were living there a while, we decided to surprise them with a visit.

Their furniture was supposed to arrive last Tuesday.

So, we planned on flying out there yesterday on Thursday.

This would give them a couple days to get settled in their new digs before we got there.

Well, wouldn’t you know, the moving van arrived yesterday.

We flew into LAX and then connected to San Francisco to be followed by a bumper-to-bumper rush hour trip that took a while.

Thank goodness, the moving van was still there as we pulled in.

I parked around the corner so our son did not see us.

I crept up to the opposite side of the van and asked the driver to give me a box to carry into the house.

We saw him working with things in the garage with his back to us.

I asked, “Where do you want this box?”

When he turned, his eyes got real big with the shock that his parents had traveled all that way just to carry a box into the house.

It was A GOOD SURPRISE!!!!

I know the saying is supposed to be, “Customers come first.”

The great majority of companies put their own wellbeing ahead of the customer.

Grocery stores are a perfect example.

Although grocery chains enjoyed great profitability during the pandemic, they have decided to cut costs where it directly disadvantages the customer.

There are fewer checkout employees and no baggers.

Today’s grocery customer must check themselves out and fill their own bags.

I was in a line of 12 shoppers waiting for a self-checkout position to become available while the regular checkouts stood empty.

My son hired a well-known moving company to move him from Detroit to Northern California.

The moving van broke down in Salt Lake City.

The company refused to send another truck to hook onto the trailer and deliver on schedule.

His belongings are now two weeks late.

Customers come last!