And that my Loyal Readers, is a Wrap!
This 64 week journey really started 13 years ago when I sat down to capture my thoughts about parenting and marriage on paper. I had always heard about the positive and therapeutic affects of journaling.
Practice detachment
The Problem is Not the Problem
Rummaging around online one day, I found this quote: “The problem is not the problem.”
It resonated with me. I thought it described the nature of reality in very simple terms.
So, I added it to my list of screen savers. And now, I see it on my computer screen as it rotates through a bevy of sayings about every 9 minutes. Reminding me that what we think is the problem is, more times than not, not the problem.
The Power of Detachment in the Creative Process
I was interviewed by Jon Dwoskin about the process I use for creating narratives for Life Introduced. Check out those interviews here!
Navigating the College Application Process
Our family went through the college application process in back-to-back years and the experience couldn’t have been more polar opposite. Having lived through both experiences, my wife, along the way, became a subject matter expert in the college application process. These are many of her insights gathered from books, college forums, information from the universities themselves, college counselors and friends who had gone through the process and I am here to impart the most critical of these and offer some helpful guidance.
Nature’s Language Explained
A few years ago, I had shoulder surgery and my dog slept by my bedside for the better part of my recuperation. My wife had a procedure a few weeks ago, and our dog was like Velcro to her bedside for the better part of her recuperation. When my daughter is sick, that dog does not move an inch away from her. But, why?
There is a “Force” in the Universe – and YOU can Tap into It
You develop literally hundreds of plans and make many more decisions every day. Whether it is a conversation, a personal situation, a work project or something as simple as switching the channel on our TV’s, we execute many, many plans and decisions on a daily basis to achieve expected results.
Property Doesn’t Take the Place of People
Over the last twenty-two or so years, we have moved roughly nine times. Although those moves have been within a two-mile radius, the whole process, from start to finish, is still quite a life disruption. We continued to move for a few reasons. The first was that my wife loved the whole process of finding a house, decorating it and then selling. Or, building a new house and selling it. It fed her creative spirit. The second, and maybe most important, is that however connected we were to our homes, they were just that: things.
The Power of Water
There is a reason that I have chosen to live my life in Michigan. Let me say that I am not “stuck” here, because I have had the opportunity to move elsewhere. But I have made the conscious and maybe a subconscious decision to stay here. I like Michigan. My family and friends are here, it is a great place in which to raise my children, I like the change in seasons, and the landscape. As I have sat down to write this piece about water, I am reminded that Michigan is a state that is abundant in fresh water. From lakes to streams and rivers water defines Michigan living. On a subconscious level, I believe that part of my design for staying in Michigan is because of its water.