Happy Memorial Day!

The purpose for Memorial Day remains the same, don’t forget that, but this one is totally different.  It still marks the beginning of summer, but we will not be celebrating in normal fashion.  Graduations abound this time of year, but they are not being held the same way.  Vacations usually begin next week, but will they?  It is time for outdoor concerts and festivals, but not this year.  It feels different because our world is different. 

Memorial Day is the day to remember those who gave their lives for the freedoms we enjoy in this country.  Celebrate safely and remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice.  Their sacrifice puts our being stuck at home a few weeks into perspective.

Life’s normal heartaches have not stopped…

The emotional drain and weight of these times are significant.  I am not even sure we know how this pandemic is really impacting our mental state. There is uncertainty, disruption, and financial pressure. We do not have our normal social outlets available to us. This is all on top of life’s routine challenges.  People are still losing loved ones and marriages are in turmoil.  Kids are dealing with chemical dependency and new cancer diagnoses are made daily.  Mental illness, poverty and hunger continue to plague people. Our friends, families and associates all have their normal baggage.  Now they have a pandemic on top of it!  People are crumbling under the weight of it all. 

Two thoughts…

1.    Be kind to yourself.  Don’t ignore the signs of stress.  As leaders we want to be strong, but it is okay to not be okay (MMM 3.30.2020). Give yourself a break; this is uncharted territory.

2.       Be there for others.  People are hurting due to the crisis but still challenged by life’s normal heartaches.  You might not be able to hug them, but you can still be there for them. 

Mother's Day

If you did not talk to your mother on Mother’s Day, do it today.

If you have not recently told your mother that you love her, tell her.

If you have not seen your mother recently, plan a trip.

If you need to reconcile with your mother, just do it.

If your mother is not in your life or no longer alive, love someone like a mother.

If you need to forgive your mother, do it.

If you need to ask your mother for forgiveness, ask.

If you are a mother, bless you.

In loving memory of Barbara Ward Taylor (1940 -2008) - My mother-in-law lost her battle with lung cancer just one week before Mother’s Day.  She was a loving mother, wife, grandparent, friend and family member.  She had a wonderful zest for life and a love for people. 

Right Under Your Nose…

How many of you have discovered something new over the last six weeks that was right under your nose?  Maybe it was a new friend in the neighborhood or a re-kindled relationship far away?  Did you discover a new author, love for a card game or a new board game?  Have you taken up a new hobby?  Was that five-year-old puzzle finally put together?  Possibly, you have learned something totally new about a loved one under your roof.

I will share mine…  My wife and some friends in the neighborhood have turned me on to this incredible green space right down the street.  I knew it was there, but I had never been back there in 20 years!  It is not just your normal greenbelt; it is a huge, natural, open space that stretches from one end of the neighborhood all way to the other and down to a golf course.  Parts of it follow a man-made drainage way, but part follows a natural creek.  It is like a nature preserve filled with a variety of plants and wildlife.  It has a great trail that has become almost a daily walk route for me.  I also have added part of it to a run route.  It is a great way to get back to nature and experience God’s handiwork.  Often, my days begin and end with walks through my newfound nature sanctuary.  It was right there under my nose all this time…