One of the speaking programs I used to do was titled, “Where Do Diamonds Come From? A Lump of Coal and a Lot of Pressure.” The inspiration for the title of the program came from an old television series, The Adventures of Superman, that ran in the 1950s. People of a certain age – meaning my age or older – will remember the many episodes in which Superman took a piece of coal, squeezed it, and opened his hand to reveal a sparkly diamond. The [...]
A comic strip on the bulletin board of a health club I used to belong to featured an overweight man in his underwear sitting on the examining table in a doctor’s office. The doctor, standing next to him and staring at the clipboard he was holding, said, “Which works better for your schedule – exercising for one hour a day or being dead for twenty-four?” I was reminded of that the other day while watching a television interview with a man who was recovering from [...]
I took part in an Open Mic Poetry Reading last night that was co-sponsored by the Georgia Writers Museum and our local library. The event was to include a tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. and others who have been influences in our lives. I took the occasion as a challenge to write a poem inspired by Martin Luther King, and by the time I was done I realized that his message – and especially his “I have a dream” speech – may be even [...]
I had two holiday-related dreams this week. One of them was uplifting and inspiring. The other one – not so much. In the first dream, I was watching an awards show on TV, and a big song-and-dance number was going on. The performers were all dressed in robes of either gold or white, creating a festive and majestic look. At one point they started marching across the stage in a routine that reminded me of the precision drills bands often perform on the football field [...]
My three all-time favorite Christmas specials were on this week, although I was only able to watch two of them: “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” For the record, my other favorite is “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” but I was busy the night that one was on. These Christmas classics always take me back to my childhood, which is one of the reasons I like them so much. But they also have timeless and important messages, which is another reason I [...]
I’ve never been one to go out on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving that’s the unofficial start to the Christmas shopping season. Besides, Black Friday has gotten kind of gray and fuzzy over the years, with “Early Bird Black Friday Sales” starting sooner and sooner. It wouldn’t surprise me if, before too long, we’ll be seeing Black Friday sales advertised during the Labor Day weekend. Still, Black Friday remains enormously popular, and I know a number of people who make shopping on this day [...]
Yesterday was my dad’s birthday. He would have been 92 years old. Today is my grandfather’s birthday. I remember him well, but not the day he died or how old he would have been today. And next Thursday, of course, is Thanksgiving, the day we dedicate to giving thanks for our blessings. The day that reminds us to make a conscious effort to be grateful for everything we have in our lives. I’d like to suggest that we also take time to appreciate everything we [...]