Lead the pack
Lone wolves get a bad rap. Often we think of the one who goes alone in a negative light, as the “lone-wolf terrorist.” Others, who follow the stoic way of life, get credit for the strength of surviving without being dependent on others.
“First say to yourself what you would be, and then do what you have to do.” ― Epictetus, Greek Stoic Philosopher
Recognize When to Listen to Your Inner Thoughts
Most turmoil can be manifested or mitigated with the power of the mind. You can ignore the crowd and its opinions of you, or you can succumb to them and let them change your path. …
Living final moments through text messages
I wanted to pull my hair out. Saying goodbye is never easy, but no one should have to say goodbye like this, ever. When your last name is my mom’s maiden name and you live in a small town where politics are alive and well, the mention of a certain name can get people to look the other way. When you have an Irish-Polish last name like ours, certain events just happen. Such is the case of the last thirteen hours of my mom’s life.
My Uncle managed to become mom’s power of attorney. How someone who had been diagnosed…
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Take Care of Yourself to Keep Your…
Good relationships are difficult to keep and they easily slip away.
I called my high school English teacher the other day. In case you think I’m joking, I’m not. Who would pick up the phone and dial up an old teacher? A student who is profoundly touched by the teacher who connects with students in extraordinary ways.
Mr. Herber touched my heart and my mind, as well as those of countless students he’s taught before and since I was in his class. I had the unique pleasure of being his student more than once: Senior Composition and British Literature.
I didn’t think he would actually answer the phone. Before calling, I…
It’s about battling the giants in your life
David and Goliath is a story you may have heard. If you are unfamiliar with it, perhaps you’ll relate better to the story of an underdog who comes out of a situation triumphantly. That’s the abridged version of a cautionary tale of danger and triumph. If that’s your takeaway from the battle of David and Goliath, I’d like to propose that you’ve missed the point of the story.
The story is really about expecting the unexpected and using your strengths to mitigate the other person’s perceived strengths, which are actually weaknesses.
We’re all familiar with giants. Often they are big…
Might is often the wrong answer
Strength is often found in unexpected places. I dare say the biggest displays of brute strength exhibit the weakest character. Power plays are often filled with ego and manipulation. When you choose to respond in unexpected ways that don’t lash out and retaliate, you can present soundness of character that’s hard to find.
We want to hear your stories about:
- Staying quiet instead of responding
- Lessons learned when you ignored a social media attack
- How you or someone else dealt with unimaginable pain of otherwise loving relationships
- Why you walked away from toxic people and what you learned
- An underdog…
Make a positive impact
Do you feel that if you could tap into the motivation of “the greats” you might just be great yourself? Perhaps you’re thinking about the musical genius of Mozart. Or the writing of William Shakespeare, William Faulkner, Henry James, Jane Austen, Charles Dickens. A couple of my personal favorites are Emily Dickinson and Edgar Allan Poe.
The work of each set of hands pursued and mastered greatness. The trouble with greatness, though, is that it is often realized after death.
Add Order in Small Ways to Make a Big Difference
George Flaubert, the prime mover of French literature and best known for his masterpiece, Madame Bovary (1857), said,
“Be regular…
Toxic people do exist
“The idea of ‘toxic people’ has become quite widespread. In fact, people apply the adjective ‘toxic’ to anyone who has problems relating to other people. However, this only serves to exacerbate intolerance.”
Is the term misused? Certainly. Is it too commonplace? Sure. The word is as common as a narcissist, used in a haphazard fashion that negates the validity of toxicity.
But, toxic people do exist, and they are dangerous to others and to themselves. My mother was one, and her toxicity was in more than her behavior. It was in her core. It oozed out slowly from her lower…
I continue to write the farewell conversation
Mom died early this year, and I didn’t get to say goodbye. Even though I made every effort to talk with her before she passed, I could not do so through no fault of my own. My Uncle, who I once loved and respected, used stature and position to stop me from having a conversation with her in her last moments.
It would be one thing if he didn’t know she was dying because that would only infinitesimally lessen his actions, but the nurse told me he knew. The same nurse who he initially wouldn’t let talk to me or…
And you are free to choose otherwise
Those who follow the crowd tend to look like the crowd. Often you’ll end up sounding like the crowd too. Odds are good that you want to look different than the group. You don’t want to be a carbon copy of anyone, otherwise, why would people care what you have to say? Your story can help you look different.
As a writer, you want to be an individual. Perhaps you want to stay ahead of the crowd. Or maybe you want to look nothing like the crowd. Sometimes there’s crowd mentality, and you get to decide if you want to…
