OBSERVATION: If Your Dad is Gone.

If your dad is gone, what do you wish you could say to him that you didn’t? I hope you have warm sentiments to share and the thought of your father evokes genuine gratitude and sadness that he’s gone, but be honest. Not all dads were great. Even through

OBSERVATION: What if You Had a Bad Dad?

Some dad’s are/were genuinely great – worthy of praise and gratitude. Others were or are outright jerks or villains. Most fall somewhere between these extremes. How well you did in the dad lottery is something you had no influence on. If you got a good one, enjoy your good fortune and be grateful. If your father falls short

QUOTE & POSTER: Happy Father’s Day

One of the greatest things about daughters is how they adored you when they were little; how they rushed into your arms with electric delight and demanded that you watch everything they do and listen to everything they say. Those memories will help you through less joyous times when their adoration is replaced by embarrassment or annoyance and they don’t …

OBSERVATION: A Note from Michael Josephson. It’s flag day!

A great time to think of the symbolism of the American flag and the rules and ritiuals (http://amhistory.si.edu/starspangledbanner/flag-rules-and-rituals.aspx) that have developed around it. I wonder whether the new generation gets the same inner sense of awe and pride I still get when at the playing of the Star Spangled banner or the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance. I didn’t …

WHAT DOES THE FLAG MEAN TO YOU? Are noble democratic ideals and aspirations embodied in our founding documents infused into the DNA of the American flag? They are for me.

June 14 – official Flag Day in the U.S. ! Do you care? What does the American flag mean to you? And, if you are not American, what does your flag stand for in your heart?I doubt that many young people have any special feelings when they stand for the National Anthem or utter the memorized but undigested words of the …

COMMENTARY 832.1: Perfect Father’s Day Gift

When I was young, I idolized my father, judging him for his virtues. For most of the rest of my life, I criticized him, judging him for his faults. I always loved him, but I didn’t always appreciate him. I was so aware of his imperfections (surely, no worse than my own) that I greatly undervalued his good qualities and …

QUOTE & POSTER: What I’ve Learned From a 13 Year Old.

*I’ve learned that work comes first; fool around later. * I’ve learned that being popular isn’t everything. * I’ve learned that being pretty on the inside is better than being pretty on the outside. * I’ve learned that not everything in life is fair. * I’ve learned that all people want is someone to listen to them. * I’ve learned …

Guard Your Integrity

Guard your integrity. It is the foundation of your character and reputation. The temptations to smooth out your life by looking the other way, lying just a little and making false excuses, are plentiful and powerful but the damage they do to your integrity may be permanent. Just as teenagers sometimes jeopardize their opportunity for a good life by a

Five Things to Teach your Children

Five things to teach your children 1. Be a good friend. 2. Be kind even to those who don’t deserve it. 3. Learn from every experience. 4. Do your share even when others aren’t doing theirs. 5. Start and finish a job even when you don’t feel like it.