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Christmas, and The Holidays in general gives us all an opportunity each year to reflect on the people, circumstances, and things we have to be thankful for. The energy in the air during December always seems to be (at least for me) very positive and uplifting; a little cleaner and crisp, and filled with that certain charisma and charm making us more lighthearted and hopeful. Perhaps, it's because I'm a believer, and feel that the days leading to the celebration of Christ's birth gives me renewed hope that I'll live again after my moments on earth are finally over. But more…  ( Click for more )

Ever had a big dream, huge aspirations to do something truly great, wanted to be “somebody” who is far out of the realm of your personal comfort zone, desired to leave your mark on the world for history to exhibit your legacy?

We all have them, deep inside, those hopes and dreams churning within. It’s great when we begin taking action: writing your first novel, blindly flying off to Hollywood to pursue an acting career, working hard for that next promotion, even going after the relationship you’ve always craved. We have but one life to live and should…  ( Click for more )

Helping others is one of our basic roles as human beings.

I recently read a news article about a young man working at a Seattle Walmart, an immigrant from Ghana, who voluntarily returned an envelope containing $20,000 in cash to an elderly couple while helping to carry shopping bags to their car. Apparently, the envelope with the money fell out of a purse. He noticed it, quickly ran after the owners, and returned the funds while refusing to take a finders fee. And as it turned out, the money was to be used for purchasing a home the couple had been saving for. He later received…  ( Click for more )

There’s a wonderful saying, “Go where you’re celebrated, not where you’re tolerated.”

When I think about these words, so many meanings come to mind: the people in your life and their attitudes towards you, the places you frequent socially, your workplace environment and those you meet for the very first time. They also raise the questions: are the people and surroundings you deal with supporting, loving, befriending, even helping you when you need them the most? Or do they pull you down, surround you with negative energy, refuse to acknowledge…  ( Click for more )

Seeing the positive in people is far easier than only seeing the negative.

No matter who you work with, marry, be-friend, date, parent, or live beside, sooner or later there’ll be personality traits which you don’t agree with, or find uncomfortable to be around. We’re all created differently, are an original masterpiece created by God, and like any living thing, there are no two of us exactly alike. It’s what makes the human race such an incredibly diverse body of souls. But, how we interact, and appreciate each others positive and negative qualities…  ( Click for more )

I was sitting in a church auditorium recently, listening to a preacher talk about the power words have on us all, both written and spoken, and the great impact they convey to those around us. It was a well articulated speech, causing me to think about how large a role words play in our lives.

Words are extremely powerful— carrying the strength to heal or wound, encourage or discourage, speak truth or deceive, praise or criticize. In fact, the Bible says that death and life are in the power of the tongue. Since that’s true, controlling what we say and how we…  ( Click for more )

What produces physical chemistry with someone from the very beginning?

Everyone from psychologists to astrologers have tried figuring out what provides that all-wonderful, physiological reaction that takes place when man and woman meet for the very first time. What turns your skin moist and warm, your eyes dilated and sleepy eyed, and your blood pressure spiking to astronomical levels, surging with lust upon first glance. Many have crashed a car while staring out the window, or even fainted at first sight at their one-in-a-million guy or girl. But, no matter why or when…  ( Click for more )

The Economy. Money. Jobs. Your Future, and the future of our youth. It’s filling the minds of everyone these days especially during this super-heated political election. People are more concerned than ever about what their future holds, and rightly so. Millions are looking for work, or have stopped searching at all with little hope. It isn’t the America I grew up in, and one in desperate need of a new direction.

America was founded on self-reliant, entrepreneurial principles. A nation where people are free to dictate their own future, create their own jobs,…  ( Click for more )

Do you show respect to others in your life? Do they show the same to you? What do you regard as respectful behavior? Is it merely doing as one says when they say they'll do it, or does it dive much deeper than that, demonstrating by not only backing up what one says, as much as one does? According to Wikipedia, the definition of respect is: "Respect gives a positive feeling of esteem or deference for a person or other entity (such as a nation or a religion), and also specific actions and conduct representative of that esteem. Respect can be a specific feeling…  ( Click for more )

All of us experience challenges, along with moments of pain, stress, and tension. It's just part of what makes us human as we travel through our individual journeys. However, one thing I've noticed is that those who carry the ability to laugh and allow humor to always be at the forefront of their demeanor are some of the happiest people I know. When life gives them lemons they make lemonade, when problems or struggles try and come up against them, they shrug them off and quickly pull a joke from their basket of endless humor. As they face obstacles which would cause…  ( Click for more )

I was sitting at home this past Saturday morning, thinking of several ways to spend the day. I needed to do some things: a grocery run, dry cleaners, write, lay by the pool and soak up some rays, catch up on correspondence. But, rather than making the day about me, I decided instead to drive across town and visit someone who I’ve known my entire life. A man whose approaching ninety five years old, one of my dad’s best friends, a gentleman who showed interest in me ever since I was able to walk, a guy whose given far more to the world than it’s given him,…  ( Click for more )

There’s a wonderful saying, “Go where you’re celebrated, not where you’re tolerated.”

When I think about these words, so many meanings come to mind: the people in your life and their attitudes towards you, the places you frequent socially, your workplace environment and those you meet for the very first time. They also raise the questions: are the people and surroundings you deal with supporting, loving, befriending, even helping you when you need them the most? Or do they pull you down, surround you with negative energy, refuse to acknowledge…  ( Click for more )

We all have certain things which make us feel happier, content, less stressed, and wanting to claim more from life. For some, it’s the smoothness of silk against their skin, the adoring face of a puppy, a friendly encounter, a child’s laughter, or the sensuality of a lovers kiss. True, all these things can bring a huge smile to ones face and they definitely do mine, but I’ve also learned that weather can have a humongous impact on an individual’s emotional outlook, giving many a needed boost after the depressing effects of grey skies among bone-chilled…  ( Click for more )

I had the pleasure of seeing the famous blues guitarist, B.B. King perform during the 90’s in Washington D.C., and most recently here in Dallas a while back. He’s definitely slowed down some, lagging the aggressive and mesmerizing zip he once had (taking about 30 minutes to introduce his band). But, despite the fact that Mr. King is now well into his 80’s, thousands still flock to see him play every year looking to catch the wave of a living legend, still doing what he can to make us smile through his supreme gift of music. And after recently reading his…  ( Click for more )

Learning to write, speak, express, and socialize well are some of the most valuable items a person can conquer. They aren’t easily learned, oftentimes taking lots of time and pain to master, but once properly accomplished, they can benefit both your personal and professional life in so many ways.

Let’s start with writing. Since I began learning the art of creating stories, I’ve been enduring a crash course in grammar, language, punctuation, and dialogue. Anytime I sit down to place together a series of words, I make a repetitive, conscious effort to spell check,…  ( Click for more )

No matter how much money, education, or influence we have the one thing none of us can ever produce more of is, time. How we make use of this invisible asset determines how successful we are both, professionally and personally.

God gave us all a pre-determined life clock that constantly ticks 24 hours a day. They’re moments that cannot be duplicated, manipulated, controlled or bought. And once they pass, they pass, with no recourse at all. Time can be selfish, move to slow or fast, can eat up our youth within a blink of an eye, or linger while refusing to budge. In reality,…  ( Click for more )

Who comes to mind when you think about your personal heroes: a parent, sibling, action figure, military veteran, or stranger you witness saving a life? Maybe it's the elderly lady selflessly serving free Thanksgiving meals inside the homeless shelter, an ER Doctor working exhaustively for three days straight, or just someone that reaches out their car window at an intersection handing over a dollar bill to a stranger in need. No matter who they are, we all want, and wish for someone who's larger than life. Heroes come in many shapes, forms and patterns, and they don't…  ( Click for more )

Our Freedom of speech is one of the biggest rights we enjoy as American citizens. However, it pains me to see how mere accusations can ruin another persons reputation, either professionally or personally, destroying a lifetime of work and effort in the blink of an eye. If the recent charges against Herman Cain are proven true, then he should suffer the consequences. If not, it will go down as one of the worst character assassinations in recent memory. Unfortunately, much damage has already been done regardless of the outcome, and many good people will be paying the price.

In…  ( Click for more )

Our economy is still struggling. We see it everyday with continued layoffs, further drops in the housing arena, jittery stock markets, and a stubborn unemployment rate that doesn't want to budge. All of these are coupled with the most negative political atmosphere since the gloomy days of the Great Depression. Money affects everything we do. Like bright sunshine or a dark, ominous cloud constantly floating overhead, money represents a huge part of what drives us from birth until death. It's the reason why most roll awake in the morning, draining 95% of the population's minds…  ( Click for more )

The word "inheritance" can mean so many different things. Most initially think about money, or material possessions after their parent(s) or close relatives die and pass their belongings along. However, it can also mean what religious, political, and socioeconomic status you belong to and believe in throughout your entire life. And as the ol' saying goes, "We are what we are born into." But what about individualism? When you think about where you were born and the beliefs your parents or guardians raised you with, more than likely, you grew up living…  ( Click for more )

Not many people knew, besides his inner circle, that Steve Jobs could've possibly beaten his fatal cancer if he had only taken his doctors advice and succumbed to traditional medical procedures, particularly, an operation which could've removed his tumors much sooner than he decided. This information has been coming out as the release of his authorized autobiography will soon arrive on everyone's Kindle, I-Pad, and Bookshelf. Now, this wasn't all that surprising to me. After all, he'd turned to Buddhism as his religious affiliation, alternative medicine for pain and healing,…  ( Click for more )

All of us are born with hopes, dreams, and desires running through our veins, often wishing upon the stars that certain things and people would emerge, taking us to where we long to be. We pray on our knees, seek out advice, look for certain signs, and make our case to whomever and whatever will listen that what we have in our hearts is what's best for us, and destined to happen. Sometimes good things do come true, often they don't. After all, we're only human, and have a right to go for what we want. But differentiating between reality and hope-filled dreams is often a brutal…  ( Click for more )

Eyes meet; two bodies and their souls come together. The sparks fly, the clouds part, food tastes better, the fragrance of flowers sweeter, you start walking around in a daze 24/7, everything’s finally making sense and your life has new meaning like never before until…

When things go wrong, or even well, in the arena of love lots of people go looking for advice. They seek out friends, family, psychiatrist’s, astrologers, those grey-haired couples who’ve been married for most of their lives, even their local bartender or barber gets an unwilling ear…  ( Click for more )