Fall is the season of letting go. There’s a wistful resignation these days, an understanding that I can’t hold on to everything. The welcoming morning light is now reduced to a distant glow on the horizon. The long evenings with crickets chirping and the smells of the day hanging in the air are now sucked into the night. Evenings on the deck in short sleeves are giving way to sweaters and socks indoors. It’s time to let go. After a week of covering... Read more
There are plenty of people who are just floating in life, looking for a place to land. I have friends who are working in jobs that just aren’t the right fit. Either the work isn’t in their skill set, their coworkers are difficult, or the vision of the employer is contrary to their values. And there are people who feel that they aren’t doing what they are supposed to do — with hearts set on digging wells, or feeding orphans,... Read more
Thank goodness the elections are drawing down. Living in a “Swing State” has seen an amazing volume of daily mail, accented by an unprecedented blitz of phone calls, telephone calls, radio and tv ads, and billboards. There’s much passion on both sides. People of good faith and conviction stake out positions, often on opposite ends. That’s the nature of humankind. We’ll never really agree on anything. But something I remind my friends is that even if the election goes their way, all... Read more
We all have a perfect plan for our lives that we’ve developed over time. Our fantasy is an idyllic world that we have constructed in our minds. Filled with images of beautiful people in beautiful homes in beautiful locations, we have arranged just the ideal life. For me, it was to go to college, write books, have a happy family and live in a remote mountain retreat. Something went awry with that plan. I dropped out of college, wrote books nobody... Read more
I’ve tried to avoid political ads. Honest, I’ve really tried. But living in a swing state means the message are coming at my neighbors and me at an amazing pace. The mail is a jumble of colors, full of flags and staged family photos, mixed with sinister Photoshopped images of opponents. When the ads come on the radio, I turn the volume down for exactly two and 1/2 minutes.If I watch television, I use the DVR’s “skip 30 seconds” function... Read more
I read with interest the article by Christine A. Scheller over at The High Calling about micromanagement.I’ve worked with micromanagers and in full disclosure, I’ve been a micromanager.Her question is, “Is it a Leadership Style or a Pathology.” Photo by Lord Maiser In other words, is it just another way to conduct business, or is it rooted deeper in your makeup and personality. She interviews three people. L. Gregory Jones, senior strategist for leadership education and professor of theology at Duke Divinity School, says that... Read more
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I looked longingly past the island, the exile, and I wondered. I thought the moat that surrounded me was there for my own good, to keep the world at bay. But then I realized it was there only to keep me imprisoned to what I done. For years, I dreamed of freedom, counting the days. I don’t remember when, but at some point I gave up. It could have been after I was told for the thousandth time that it couldn’t... Read more
I have a tendency to complicate … everything. If the car manufacturer says 3,000 miles for oil changes, I’m calculating the affect of extending the recommendation. If someone comes to me with a problem, I’m probing the past and the future, looking for answers. If the recipe calls for certain ingredients, I’m second guessing and pondering substitutions. “Can molasses be replaced with corn syrup?” I do that with my interactions with people. I over explain, bringing up depths and angles of issues to... Read more
There is a festering anger across the world. The images of embassies burning, signs in the streets and shouting masses make us shudder. Here in America, we are more civilized, but no less angry. We take to the airwaves and gather around water coolers and get behind the wheels of our cars to express our our frustrations.We are angry at government, angry at employers and angry at the economy.At personal levels, we express similar dissatisfaction with coworkers, neighbors and family members.There is... Read more
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