I viewed an interesting show on television a while ago that involved individuals buying old, rundown homes, tearing them down almost completely to the studs, and then rebuilding them. While the process of tearing down and rebuilding is certainly an interesting one, what caught my attention was the attitude of one of the main presenters. Each episode would usually begin by showing two presenters entering a home they had purchased. The inside of the home would be shown, and the

Our mind and focus dictate a lot of what we see, feel, and experience in life. If my mind dwells on negative things, I tend to see, feel, and experience more negative things.   Working as an attorney, I get called by a fair amount of people that feel that they have been wronged or had their ‘rights’ violated. In today’s world, it is surprising to see how many people feel that a ‘right’ is violated simply when things don’t go their way. Many people that call for a consultation

A couple of weeks ago, I authored an article about not feeling ready to become a father, but my wife was due with the baby soon. I wanted to write a follow up article to talk about how the change has affected me. If you have not read the first article, it might enhance this story to read that article first. The main question that I pondered in the last article was if I was ready to be a father. Now I get to see the answer. At least, I have proven that I can be the father of a

Jenny made another mistake on the piano as I watched with a bit of confusion. Teaching her to play the piano has been a unique experience. During some piano lessons, she displays an almost prodigy-like knowledge of piano theory and ability. Other times, she just stares at the sheet music in confusion. Those who have taken piano lessons before might guess that the lessons in which she excels directly follow the weeks she practiced daily. That’s what confuses me. Why does she n

I love to play in the dirt. Pulling the weeds, planting seeds or new plants, moving rocks, transplanting trees or plants, and creating new spaces in a yard brings me so much joy. As a young child, I would go out and help weed the garden, but I secretly loved it. At times I would go out and water the plants and then “fluff the dirt”. I loved how it looked, and I equally loved how it made me feel when it was done. There was a purpose in doing it.   Several years ago, I wanted t

Potential – what does it really mean? We often talk of reaching our potential as if it is some far-off concept, something elusive that we have not found yet.   When we look at a 16-year-old child and say that “he has a lot of potential”, what are we really saying? And, more importantly, when does that 16-year-old child actually reach his potential?   Is it when he gets married, becomes CEO of a company, starts a non-profit, speaks in 47 countries, helps a friend through a har

About 16 years ago, I planted two peach trees. I grew up with my mom and grandma canning peaches and prefer those over store bought canned peaches. I also enjoy eating them fresh. I selected a variety that I liked and got them planted. It takes about 3 years before you can let them bear fruit. This helps the tree to get established and grow strong as well as be able to handle the weight of the peaches. My family and I have enjoyed many years of fresh peaches and had such an a

Do you feel loved? Or, like many in this world today, do you feel a hole in your heart? A lack of completeness? A constant tugging, tearing, subtle reminder that you still are searching for something you haven’t found yet? I remember sitting at my desk one day while I was working in my home office. It had been a rough time for a little while, and there was emotional pain in my heart from the circumstances. I remember consciously thinking that things would feel better if I cou

I recently have been reading an excellent book, Atomic Habits . It teaches powerful principles to help build good habits. It changed the way that I think about many topics. The principle that is impacting me the most right now is that preparation is not motion. The following might sound familiar to you. How many great ideas have you had in your life? An object you knew would sell and make you rich, if only you knew how to create it or had the investors to do so. Maybe it is t

“Hey, I’m leaving the company I am at, and they need someone to provide some legal services on a temporary basis. Are you interested?” The call could not have come at a better time. I had just started out on my own as an attorney and was looking for clients. I hadn’t talked to the individual who called me for quite a few years, and I wondered what had made him think of me after that amount of time.   As I thought about how I met him, I reflected back to the apartment complex

The day had finally come, Jill and Tom were moving into their first home. They had spent many years in apartments and living in many different locations, but they were finally settling into an area where they could make memories and lasting relationships. Some of the apartments they had lived in were small and less than ideal, but they were able to make it work. The excitement of all the possibilities this new spacious home offered seemed surreal.   There were many things tha