Reading Time: 3 minutesLet’s Be Honest—We All Avoid Thinking About Death We all know it’s coming—our own death—but few of us ever stop to think about it. We change the subject, distract ourselves, or pretend it’s far away. Recently, my wife and I watched an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation where Commander Riker faced his own …
Reading Time: 3 minutesFocus on What You Control We spend so much energy stressing over things we can’t control—traffic jams, canceled flights, rude comments. The Stoics warned us 2,000 years ago that this is wasted effort. They taught that freedom comes from focusing only on what is within our control. They divided everything in life into two categories: …
Reading Time: 2 minutesMonday was a tough day for my wife and I. We brought our fourteen-year-old cat, Gina, to the vet’s office. They gave her a shot to relax, and then after a last few minutes for us to pet her and show our love for her, they gave her a medication that ended her life. She …
Reading Time: 3 minutesThe Everyday Trap of Taking Life for Granted We all fall into the trap of taking things or people for granted. We take spouses for granted, friends for granted, co-workers for granted, and even our possessions. We get used to the things and people we have and pretend they will be there forever. Even though …
Reading Time: 2 minutesFall’s Beauty in Rapid City: A Temporary Masterpiece Fall has come to Rapid City, South Dakota, where my wife and I live. The trees are turning bright shades of yellow and red. We’ve been amazed by the beauty of nature on our two-mile walks at Canyon Lake Park, one of Rapid City’s most beautiful parks. …