The first rule is strengthening social infrastructure in communities

The second rule calls for more “pro-connection public policies.”.

The third rule relies on the crucial role of public health and health care delivery systems to address social connection.  

The fourth rule is reforming digital environments. There is a “tangible impact” of technology on Americans’ daily lives and connections. “Technology can distract us and occupy our mental bandwidth,”

The fifth rule, deepening knowledge, urges stakeholders such as officials, policymakers, health care providers and researchers to collaborate on a research agenda to address gaps in the data.

The final rule urges a culture of connection in which Americans “cultivate values of kindness, respect, service, and commitment to one another.”  (CNN)

You don’t have yesterday.

And tomorrow is always a day away.

So, all you have is today.

You’ve got to make today count.

The best way to make it count is by prioritizing what you want to accomplish.

What is most IMPORTANT?

Make a list for each day. Put your “most important” on top. If you don’t

accomplish it today, put it on the top the next day or until it is accomplished.

Don’t allow distractions to prevent you from doing what’s most important today.

When you succeed, it becomes a great boost to your sense of self esteem.

Daily boosts to your self esteem creates a stronger “CAN DO” attitude.

The more you believe you can do, the more you WILL DO!

He had the most dangerous position on our racing yacht.

Yes, he was the bowman.

It was his job to constantly get up to the “pointy end” of the boat and bring down one sail and raise another.

This had to be accomplished in all kinds of weather and waves.

And he always got the job done.

Dennis died of prostate cancer recently.

Upon graduating from college, he became a math teacher in the city of Detroit.

His school was in a tough neighborhood.

Therefore, his students were tough kids.

He learned how to take a punch and give one in return.

The irony is that he loved those kids and remained as their teacher for many years.

I met him as I came aboard the racing yacht for the first time.

In addition to his courage as bowman, he was also the jokester and entertainer aboard.

His favorite joke: “Why don’t cannibals eat clowns? Because they taste funny!”

Dennis will be missed.

There are no guarantees. Period!

One of our grandsons is graduating from college.

Like most college graduates, he’s seeking immediate employment.

He has been very aggressive in that pursuit.

He has attended career days sponsored by his university.

He has sent out many resumes’ to potential employers in his chosen career.

He has had in-person interviews.

He has had ZOOM interviews.

After all this effort, he has received a good offer of employment from an excellent firm.

It was not easy and he became discouraged from time to time.

But, like Winston Churchill said: “When you’re going through hell, keep on going!”

So, he kept on going!

Remember, a college degree from a fine university brings no guarantees of employment.

You’ve got to get out there and fight for it!

If not today, when?

Throughout an acclaimed career spanning more than six decades, entertainer Harry Belafonte leveraged his passion and talents to champion the arts.

He also spotlighted humanitarian issues and advanced justice.

Born in 1927 in Harlem, he moved to his mother’s native island, Jamaica.

There, he embraced Caribbean culture and witnessed the impact of British colonization on the island.

In his late teens, Belafonte served in the US Navy and later fell in love with performing.

Among Belafonte’s signature musical contributions was his 1956 version of “Day-O.”

In 1960 Belafonte became the first African American to win an Emmy.

In 1985 he helped orchestrate the “We Are the World” supergroup single, raising awareness –and more than $50 million—for emergency famine relief in Africa. (CNN)

He will be missed!

This might be the most important decision of your lifetime. Make it very carefully and thoughtfully.

Considerations:

Prior Relationships-How many serious relationships did your intended spouse have and how did they end? Ask yourselves,

Money – How do the two of you spend or save money? What is the first thing, when married, on which we will spend $500 or more?

Children – Do you agree on the all important topic of having children? This must be discussed because once you are a parent, you are always a parent. What values will you instill in your children?

Sex – There must be more than just a physical attraction. Do you agree on premarital sex or not?

Compatibility of personalities – Quite often, opposites are attracted to each other. You can still have a happy marriage provided that you both are committed to making it work.

Potential in-laws – Do the parents of your intended spouse approve of the match? If they disapprove, they may become a constant source of irritation in your marriage.

Religion – Do you share the same religion or are you with OK with the religious beliefs of your spouse?

Disagreements – How do you amicably resolve differences? It cannot be 50/50 because that will be a dead end. In marriage the recommendation is 80/20

Social life – Do you have friends in common? If not, will each of you continue to be supportive of existing friendships?

Addictions and life style – If one or both of you regularly use outside stimuli such as cigarettes or cannabis, it must be discussed. Obviously, that behavior can only be resolved by the person addicted.

These are only meant to be guidelines and are not necessarily in a particular order. They are just thoughts for discussion before marriage.

Do you want to become a great leader? Learn from the best!

Courage

During WWII, he stood alone against Nazism.

Loyalty & Love

He loved the British Empire, his sovereign and his wife.

Perseverence

“When you’re going through hell, keep on going.”

“Never, never, never give up.”

Adventurous

He took great risks throughout his life.

Supreme Confidence

Churchill thought very highly of himself and felt he was destined for greatness.

Belief in the common good

He always made decisions based upon what he thought was best for Britain.

Belief in the written word

His passion for and use of the written word was obvious.

Orator

His speeches were well written and delivered with great passion.

Sunshine On My Shoulders

Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy

Sunshine in my eyes can make me cry

Sunshine on the water looks so lovely

Sunshine almost always makes me high

If I had a day I could give you

I’d give you a day just like today

If I had a song I could sing for you

I’d sing a song to make you feel this way

If I had a tale that I could tell you

I’d tell a tale sure to make you smile

If I had a wish that I could wish for you

I’d make a wish for sunshine all the while”

For more than 700 years, the people of Geel, in northern Belgium, have opened their homes to people with psychiatric illness.

The Geel program is considered the gold standard of psychiatric care, the ultimate community-based model.

Visitors come from around the world come to study Geel’s system.

In Japan, officials created a system based on Geel’s model of placing patients in private homes.

In New York, Geel House provides housing, counseling and support.

In Milwaukee, the local chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness calls its annual late summer gathering the Festival of Geel. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

This 700 year tradition is a lesson in true love for all of us!

It’s one of the hardest things to do.

Many people carry personal guilt for some past mistake throughout their lives.

Don’t cloud your future by dwelling on the clouds in your past.

Awake each day with the new possibilities each day brings.

If you are unwilling to forgive yourself, you will never reach your true potential.

It’s OK to learn from past mistakes.

But, it’s not OK to carry the burden of regret around with you.

Erase yesterday and focus on a great tomorrow.

If not today, when?