For the man, love making is an instant pleasure.

For the woman, it may be the beginning of a lifelong commitment to the nurturing and wellbeing of another human being.

Mothering begins with discomfort and unequalled physical pain while birthing.

From the beginning, the child requires nourishment only a mother can give.

So, the relationship between mother and child grows from physical dependency to emotional and psychological dependency.

The mother’s life is never the same as it was prior to the birth of a child.

Her personal needs become secondary to the needs of her offspring.

It begins a life of giving unconditional love to another person.

Hopefully, but not in all instances, the child loves her in return.

Although the father has the same responsibilities as the mother, there are no guarantees.

The world is full of single mothers left to fulfill the the dual roles of mom and dad.

In many ways the mother’s sacrifices overwhelm those of fathers.

Dear GOD, thank you, thank you for our mothers !!!!!

Our lives are being built one day at a time.

Just as a building is built one block at a time.

How solid is the foundation of your building?

Is it based on a system of values that you believe in and practice?

Are there any values (blocks) that should be added?

Are there some that should be dropped?

In times of stress or disappointment, a strong foundation of personal beliefs can help you cope.

It’s NEVER TOO LATE to review the values you are living by and make corrections.

And if you have children, are they building a solid foundation that will serve them as adults?

Most kids imitate the values of their parents.

So, you have a responsibility to yourself and to them!

If not today, when?

The statue (above) is a memorial to a dog named HACHIKO who lived in Japan in the early 20th century.

Every morning he would walk with his owner to the train depot to see him board the commuter train that took him to work.

Every evening, precisely at 5PM, HACHIKO would return to the depot to walk home with his owner.

One day, his owner suddenly died of a stroke while at work.

For the next ten years, HACHIKO, until his death, returned to the depot at 5PM every day while waiting for his owner to return.

This is a true story which dramatically reminds us of the power of LOYALTY!

Loyalty must be the CENTERPIECE of our relationship with friends and loved ones.

If not today, when?

On November 29, 2020, in the first lap in the Bahrain Grand Prix, Formula 1 driver Romain Grosjean hit the wall.

His race car broke in half and exploded in flames.

Trapped in the front half for 2 minutes, 43 seconds, he thought he would die.

He suddenly had a vision of his children saying, “Daddy, get out.”

He was finally able to free his foot from the wreckage and escape.

He had burns on both hands and his right foot.

HE IS SO THANKFUL THAT GOD HAS GIVEN HIM A SECOND CHANCE AT LIFE!

How about you?

When you awoke this morning, GOD GAVE YOU A SECOND CHANCE AT LIFE!

How are you going to use it?

GOD has given you many wonderful attributes.

ARE YOU LIVING UP TO YOUR POTENTIAL?

If not today, when?

Everywhere you look, Spring is bursting forth!

Trees that were dormant all through the cold winter are alive again.

Flowers of all shapes and colors emerge from the ground right on schedule.

Mother nature provides us with a glorious NEW BEGINNING!

Why don’t we join her with our own NEW BEGINNING?

Shake off the past with its ups and downs.

This is a new day for you to re-create your life anew!

Remember, where there is life, there is HOPE!

Believe in yourself and your possibilities!

Look at those breathtaking trees and flowers after the cold, harsh winter they just endured.

Let’s follow their colorful triumph and burst forth with a new belief in ourselves and our possibilities.

And let’s be grateful that GOD has given us another day TO GET IT RIGHT!

If not today, when?

“… Go together like a horse and carriage.”

“You can’t have one without the other.” (Frank Sinatra song)

Falling in love is a most interesting phenomenon!

The physical attraction propels the relationship forward at the outset.

The decision to marry includes a SELFISH desire to enjoy the physical attraction.

After the wedding, the physical attraction, in many cases, produces offspring.

The affection between both spouses must now include caring for the needs of the children.

This marks the beginning of the UNSELFISH chapter in the spousal relationship.

As love matures, it evolves into a process of making the wellbeing of spouse and children the priority.

And all through the trauma of the child rearing years, the spouses must be there for each other.

As the children leave and pursue their future, the nurturing of in-laws and grandchildren expands the UNSELFISH love of others.

That’s my view of LOVE AND MARRIAGE!

It’s a different ballgame when they emerge into adulthood.

Different for them and different for us, their parents.

Of course each son or daughter takes on the mantle of adulthood in their own time.

Adult kids want to make their own decisions like we did.

They sometimes seek our advice and other times not so much.

Regardless, it is our job to be supportive and not to cast rain water on their sunny day!

If it ends up that their decision doesn’t work out, we are there to help pick up the pieces.

We must remember that parenthood is a lifelong endeavor.

When we (and GOD) bring a child into this world, we owe that child unconditional love.

As our adult children raise their own children, they experience many uncertainties.

The one certainty they have every right to expect is OUR LOVE!

If not today, when?

Ten people die in India each day from hitting potholes.

A vegetable vendor In Mumbai has filled 585 potholes since his 16 year old son was killed on a motorbike in a pothole accident.

He has said that he will continue on his mission so that other lives can be saved.

He goes to construction sites and picks up discarded materials he uses to fill the holes.

“It turned our world upside down when we lost our only son,” he said.

He has taken his sorrow and used it as motivation to help other families he’ll never know!

This father in Mumbai has been filling potholes for six years. (Tribune India)

If you have lost a loved one, perhaps reaching out to someone in need could serve as a tribute to the departed.

It’s not enough that loved ones know intellectually you love them. They must FEEL IT!

There are many ways to express your love!

Let me name a few.

HUGS STILL COUNT! Do you hug loved ones often? There is nothing that can beat the power of TOUCH.

TELL THEM YOU LOVE THEM! It is so good to hear it every time.

LOVE UNCONDITIONALLY! It’s not really love if it is dependent upon certain conditions. Love is either ALL IN or not at all.

MAKE HIS/HER LIFE EASIER! Volunteer to pitch in. Offer your assistance with chores or errands that can lift the load that your loved ones carry.

KEEP SECRETS A SECRET! There are certain confidentialities between loved ones that must remain so.

EARN THE TRUST! Are you a source of anxiety or is your relationship so secure that is a source of joy? Must not break the trust ever!

Love is a decision! Decide to love!

If not today, when?

I have been an entrepreneur for most of my life, having started eight businesses along the way.

As a result I have developed some firm thoughts on how to run a business.

USE “THE TEAM APPROACH”– The team approach is better than a dictatorship. It allows the employees to get involved and feel they are a part of something.

RESPECT YOUR EMPLOYEES- If the boss wants respect from the employees, respect must be given to them.

PRAISE IN PUBLIC- Praising an employee in front of other employees can be a teaching opportunity.

CRITICIZE IN PRIVATE- Don’t embarrass or humiliate someone with a reprimand in front of others.

DON’T PLAY FAVORITES-The fastest way to crush morale is to favor one employee over others.

FAIR PAY FOR A DAY’S WORK- Fairness begins with how employees are compensated for their efforts.

These 6 simple rules will be a win-win for everyone!

If not today, when?