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Reading to My Grandsons

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I have as the wallpaper on my phone a picture that Kim took last week. It’s a picture of me sitting on a bed and reading to Jesse and Jack, two of my grandsons. They are each holding a stuffed animal that we keep for them at our house. And they are looking intently at the pictures in the book. Most of all, they are listening intently to the words I am reading them and to the progression of the story.   As you probably know, there is nothing more beneficial to a child than being read to. Reading to children expands their vocabulary, helps them associate spoken words with written words, which in turn prepares them to learn how to read.  Reading to children brings with it all kinds of cognitive benefits that helps them succeed in their latter academic endeavors, as well as stimulates their creative juices. Best of all, reading to a child creates a bond between the child and their parent—or in this case, their grandparent. That’s why I love reading to my grandsons.  One thing that always a
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Are You ALL IN?

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As some of you may know, last year I participated in my first (and thus far, only) sprint triathlon. It was a super-charged event, leaving me with a feeling of incredible accomplishment. I will admit, the training was hard and time-consuming. Just about every day I was running or cycling or swimming or doing a combination of any one of them. There were times when I wanted to give up. But I knew the only way I would ever be able to complete the race was to be consistent, to train hard, to give it my all, to be all in.  Such is the way it is in life. No one ever accomplishes anything of significance being half-hearted. Whether in athletics or academics, relationships or business, success comes to those who wholeheartedly invest their time and energy and effort—to those who give it their all; to those who are all in.  Deuteronomy 6:5 says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” (NIV – emphasis mine) The word “all” speaks of everything
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Persistence and Determination

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While our son Nathaniel and his wife Sarah are away on a trip, Kim and I are watching their 10 month old Lab mix, Pepper. Well, like any good dog-sitter, I went and bought Pepper a couple of new chew toys to help occupy her time. What I didn’t know was that Pepper doesn’t just chew her toys, she rips them apart!  Whether it is a rubber bone or heavy woven rope, Pepper just gnaws at them, ripping them apart, piece by piece by piece. (And, we need to make sure she’s not swallowing any of the rubber or string.)   I’m amazed at how persistent and how focused Pepper can be when chewing on something. For a few minutes at least, it’s as if nothing else in the world exists. She will pull at a string until she gets it out and then go onto the next—and the next. All of her energy is focused on tearing apart whatever it is she has in her mouth. She is, what I would call,  quite “persistent” and “determined.”  It’s actually amazing to watch her at her task.  It makes me ask myself, am I that persi
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The End of Summer!

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It’s Labor Day weekend, the unofficial end to summer. I’m not all that thrilled about that. After all, in spite of the sometimes grueling heat and humidity, I love the summer months. I love running the boardwalk and then being able to jump into the ocean for a swim. I look forward to our family’s annual time up in the Adirondack Mountains, swimming, hiking, boating, etc. And, I simply love being able to get up in the morning and throw on some shorts and a t-shirt to walk the dog—no need for the big coats and sweaters. There’s so many things I like about summer. But, as they say, “all good things must come to an end,” and such is the case with summer.  Of course, the end of summer is not the “end” period. Rather, the end of the summer season marks the start of a new season. The end of summer, leads us into the season we call “autumn” or “fall.” And, it as well is a beautiful time of year.  With cooler temperatures making their way in, the leaves changing color, and so many different thi
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A Gift and a Privilege!

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The other day I heard someone say, “Aging is a gift and a privilege.” The words struck me hard since this weekend I’m turning 65. In my mind, turning 65 is kind of a strange milestone. It was one thing to enter into my 60’s; it’s another to now be halfway through. I don’t feel like I should be on Medicare or be considered to be a full-fledged “senior citizen.” Yet, that is where I’m at. I haven’t been sure whether I should be celebrating this birthday or merely accepting it.  When I heard those words, however, “aging is a gift and a privilege,” something clicked in my brain. I began to ask myself, if that is true, what will I do with this gift? How will I make best use of this season of my life? After all, if aging is a gift and a privilege, I then have a great responsibility to both enjoy this season and use it to its fullest.  For me that means, finding meaningful ways to invest into the lives of others, including my family (and especially my grandchildren). It means keeping myself h
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How to Become an Olympic Athlete

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This past week I’ve been able to catch a bit of the Olympics. As I watch, I am constantly amazed by the athletes. It’s incredible to see the way they run, swim, throw, jump, shoot, etc. Even the losers are spectacular to watch, no less the winners. And then there are those who are breaking world records! It’s an incredible show of power, speed, balance, and focus. How many times I’ve thought to myself, I wish I could run like that or swim like that…or do something like that!  A lot of people dream of becoming an Olympic athlete, but few actually make it. For one, for most of sports, there’s a genetic component. For example, world class pole vaulters are all very, very tall whereas gymnasts are usually quite small. And there is the natural talent component—i.e., something innate that creates a great potential for a particular set of athletic endeavors. Most of all, however—and this is what amazes me the most—is the hours and weeks and years of discipline and training. After all, one mig
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He Knows Your Name!

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Not too long ago, someone in the gym I go to said to me, “Thanks for remembering my name.” Then they said to me, as so many people do, “I’m good with faces but bad with names” as their excuse for forgetting my name. I wanted to respond, “Of course. That’s true for everyone!” After all a face is visual, and what’s visual sticks in our brains much more easily than that which is only heard.  Someone recently posted, “Not to brag, but I can shake your hand and forget your name simultaneously!” And we all know that can be true. As quickly as someone gives you their name, it flies out of your brain and you’re left wondering what just happened. But without putting forth effort and concentration, it’s easy to quickly forget a person’s name, especially when you’ve not had much interaction with them. That’s why in some settings people are asked to wear name tags. Not only is the person’s name right in front of you, but you will be much more likely to remember their name once you see it.  As a pa
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