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 …

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

Memo From Michael: Thoughts on School Graduations

This is a week dominated by thoughts and preparations for my daughter Abrielle’s graduation from high school and a post-ceremony party I’m hosting at our home. As has been the case with the brother and sister that preceded her, and as it will be with the two sisters who will follow her, this occasion – the graduation from high school, …

QUOTE & POSTER: Thank you for your dedication, your duty, your unwavering loyalty and most importantly your unbelievable sacrifice. Americans have the freedom to be Americans because of you. There are many ways to serve. None is more significant or worthy of appreciation than sacrificing personal comforts and gain to serve in the military. Remember, we have this long weekend not simply to vacation and picnic but to say thank you to those who have served and sacrificed in the past as well as those who do so at this very moment. Please be sure to experience and express your gratitude.

WORTH READING: Beautiful in Broken Places

Nietzsche told us “what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger” and Hemingway wrote about becoming stronger in broken places. A different way of thinking is found in the Japanese concept of kintsukuroi the art of repairing broken pottery with gold or silver lacquer in a way that makes the object more beautiful than it was before. I think this is so …

Memo From Michael: Teachers and Tornadoes

Once I got past the awe of witnessing Mother Nature’s astonishing power to wreak devastation in Oklahoma, I was awed by something more positive and uplifting: the instinctive capacity of our species to care about, come to the aid of, and — for those caught in the middle of the calamity — to even sacrifice their own lives for others.

WORTH SEEING: My Daughter Abrielle

Okay, on Mothers Day I give all the credit to her mom, Anne, for her intelligence, talent and beauty, but I still think of this as a nice Dad’s moment: Daughter Abrielle was selected as the class speaker at her high school graduation. Look out world, another Josephson talker; and, last night, along with her writing partner Catherine, she won …

WORTH READING: Observation of a young mom about her mom

This is a post from my articulate and sensitive niece, Edana Yick,  to her Facebook. Well said, I think.  Have any of you had similar transformations of thought? “Weird that everything that bugged and embarrassed me most about my mom when I was a teenager are the very things I most love, admire and appreciate her for now that I’m …

A Letter from Bogota: What Do You Think About CHARACTER COUNTS! in Colombia?

I am writing this post from Bogota, Colombia. I am halfway through a full week of high-level meetings and various presentations to educators, parents and government officials. What am I talking about? Ethics and character, of course. More specifically, I am sharing my thoughts and the Institute’s strategies and programs dealing with character development, parenting, education reform and the corruption …