A Thought…

Walk a mile in someone’s shoes instead of criticizing the way they limp.

Think about it…

Summer Vacation

As you are reading this, I am on one!  Vacations don’t have to be in the summer, but many are, and summer is here!  What a great idea, vacations, time to get away, relax, visit family, friends and new places.  Given the pandemic and shutdowns of the last 15 months, we all need a vacation. They provide us an opportunity to see and do things we don’t get to do every day.  We feel revitalized and rested after some time off.  Vacations do not have to be far away, exotic or elaborate, however, they should include family time, a good book, unplugged time, a great meal, time outdoors, relaxation and maybe an unplanned adventure.  We live in a big, beautiful state in a large and diverse country on an incredible planet.  There is a lot to see both near and far.  Make it point to take a break from your daily grind and take in some of this great world with your loved ones.

Happy 4th of July (yesterday)

We are truly blessed in this country with incredible freedoms.  Unfortunately, we often take those freedoms or granted. We should not.  These freedoms are not found in many countries.  What we do with these freedoms make us who we are… 

·         The freedom to live, love and laugh.

·         The freedom to work hard and succeed.

·         The freedom to challenge ourselves mentally and physically.

·         The freedom to fail, and to recover.

·         The freedom to approach each day with a smile.

·         The freedom to make choices, some wise, some not.

·         The freedom to educate ourselves.

·         The freedom to make mistakes and learn from them.

·         The freedom to honor and support those who protect these freedoms

…and those who lost their lives doing so.

·         The freedom to positively impact the lives of others.

·         The freedom to tell those that we love that we do!

 

What are you doing with your freedoms?

Fear vs. Concern

An athletic department staff member at The University of Texas tells a story about his son sharing his fears with Darrell Royal some years ago.  Apparently, the young man told Royal he was afraid of graduating and finding a job in the “real” world.  Royal apparently replied, “Never be afraid.  Be concerned.  There is a difference.”  He went on to explain, “The difference is that fear is paralyzing.  Concern brings awareness.” 

I have always thought that fear was a normal and even important part of life and in fact I still believe that.   However, Royal’s perspective is good one.  When facing challenges, we do not want to be paralyzed but concerned.  We want to be cautious and aware and responsive but not frozen in fear.  There is a place for fear.  Certainly, we should fear consequences of our actions and ramifications of our decisions.  Our laws and authorities relay to some degree on fear and that is appropriate, but when facing change or obstacles in life fear should not dictate our lives.  Caution yes, fear no.