Despite romanticized myths about the gloriously carefree teenage years, adolescence has always been an emotional battlefield where young people must fight their way through insecurity, depression and anger. For many teens, classrooms, playgrounds and hallways are hostile environments where name-calling, malicious gossip, taunting, and physical bullying regularly threaten their emotional and physical well-being Technology has not made kids meaner but …
The Pursuit of Human Perfection 742.5
Jews all over the world are in the midst of a ten-day period called the High Holy Days. It starts with Rosh Hashanah, the celebration of the New Year, and ends with Yom Kippur, a solemn day of atonement. The overriding theme is the pursuit of human perfection and the obligation of each person continually assess and improve his character, …
How Good Do I Have to Be? 742.4
Years ago, Rabbi Steven Carr Reuben told the story of a little girl who learned to tie her shoes for the first time. After a moment of triumphant celebration, she got sad, almost despondent. Her mystified parents asked why she wasn’t happier. The little girl acknowledged that she was proud of her achievement, but she sobbed, “Now I’ll have to …
Your Opinion, Please…
…and you could win a personally inscribed copy of Michael Josephson’s poem “What Will Matter.” Please click here to take a quick survey and help us decide on our next steps after the October 17 termination of Michael Josephson’s KNX-1070 AM radio commentaries in Los Angeles. (For more information, see our blog and the LA Times “Big Picture” blog.) In …
Establishing a Culture of Kindness 742.2
Though intensive media attention on bullying has died down, the problem persists in many forms, and it continues to diminish the lives of tens of thousands of young people every day. According to a recent survey, roughly half of all high school students said that in the past year they were bullied in a manner that seriously upset them. A …
Things Work Out 742.1
Despite a continuous parade of stories revealing the shortcomings of people and the moral deterioration of society, I am an incorrigible optimist. There are two aspects of life-improving optimism: 1) an optimist has a positive outlook about the future, believing sincerely that things will get better; and 2) the optimist sees and is grateful for the silver lining to every …
Making the Best of Family Relationships 741.5
For most of us, there’s something both wonderful and worrisome about large family gatherings. On the good side, we often can experience real pleasure in
You’re Only Cheating Yourself 741.4
It’s in the news all the time – kids are cheating in school in new ways and at unprecedented rates. One of the reasons is the way schools and parents deal with or ignore the underlying issues of integrity and character. For instance, a popular thing adults say to discourage kids from cheating is, “You’re only cheating yourself.” Of course …
The Power of One 741.3
Reading about the 31-year-old “rogue trader” arrested in London for unauthorized transactions that cost the Swiss Bank UBS $2 billion caused me to think about the power of one person. I’m not talking about great heroes and villains who changed the course of history, but smaller acts by ordinary people. There are lots of angles to thinking about the power …
God Will Provide
Bart’s home was in a flood area. The water was a foot high when a rescue truck offered to help him evacuate. Bart refused saying, “God will provide.” When the levee broke he had to climb onto the roof. A man in a row boat came by and urged him to get aboard but again Bart refused, “God will provide.” …
Kids Like To Win; Adults Need To Win 741.1
Whether you’re a sports fan or not, you have to acknowledge the powerful cultural influence that sports have on our culture. The values of millions of participants and spectators are shaped by the values conveyed in sports, including our views of what is permissible and proper in the competitive pursuit of personal goals. Professional sports and even highly competitive intercollegiate …
Worth More Than a Million Dollars 740.5
If you had the choice of winning $1 million in the lottery or saving a stranger’s life, which would you choose? I suspect many of you think you should say, “saving a life,” but what you are really thinking is how much better your life would be if you were rich. If the test was which act improves the world …
Blessing or Curse? 740.4
A man and his companion lost their way in a forest. The companion despaired, but the man said maybe some good would come of it. They came upon a stranger who needed the man’s help. The stranger turned out to be a prince who gave the man a beautiful horse. His neighbors praised his good luck and said, “How blessed …
Are You the Father Your Child Deserves? 740.3
Listening to 9/11 survivors re-live the horrendous event that shattered their lives should remind us all to treat every day as a gift, and to treasure every opportunity to give or receive love. This is especially true for parents. A favorite story is about a 10-year-old boy who was told by his father not to expect him to go to …
Hakuna Matata 740.2
Even as we enter a second decade after the 9/11 attacks, fear remains one of the most destructive legacies of terrorism. The further we get from the fire and dust of the decimated twin towers and the damaged Pentagon, the more evident it is how many ways fear amplifies the impact of the attacks. In moderation, fear can be a …
Moving Beyond 9/11 740.1
I’ve been enlightened and uplifted by many articles and TV specials commemorating the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. It’s important and appropriate that we pause to honor with reverence and gratitude the lives lost and mangled and the noble efforts of those who struggled mightily to rescue them. We should learn the lesson that life is fragile. We’re all …
A Grateful Goodbye to KNX Radio
Dr. Seuss said, “Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.” So I’ve mustered my best smile to inform you I was recently given notice by KNX that they will discontinue running my radio commentaries as of October 17. Whatever business or programmatic reasons led to the decision, I want to express sincere and unequivocal gratitude to CBS and …
A Parable About Leadership 739.5
As the nasty rhetoric of the upcoming presidential campaign sends the message that leadership must be aggressive and confrontational, consider this parable about leadership. A student assigned to write an essay about an effective leader wrote this story: “I’ve been taking a bus to school for years. Most passengers keep to themselves and no one ever talks to anyone else. …
This Is My Dad, Sam Burke 739.4
Ann’s father, Sam Burke, was in the last stages of cancer, and his needs had gone beyond what she could provide at home. She was distraught at the thought of placing him in a convalescent home. The check-in process confirmed her worst fears. Administrators, nurses, and doctors who seemed bothered, bored, or burned out quickly transformed Sam Burke into just …
Good Quotes That Didn’t Make the Cut 739.3
In preparing my letter to my college-bound daughter Samara, I found and created lots of quotes that I liked, but that didn’t make the cut. Here are some of them. Don’t put the key to your happiness in someone else’s pocket. People don’t have to like you. You’re not a Facebook status. Cultivate the power to choose your thoughts just …
It’s Your Job to Enjoy Your Job 739.1
Labor Day is, first and foremost, a day off from work to do something you enjoy, or to catch up on domestic tasks awaiting your attention. It’s also an ideal time to think about the role that work plays in your life. For some, work is a necessary evil. It’s doing what they have to do to make a decent …
Words of Wisdom: Part Two 738.5
This is the promised Part Two of my list of words of wisdom for my daughter who just entered college. Take control of your life by taking control of your attitudes. Choose to be happy. Choose to be cheerful. Choose to be optimistic. Pursue your passions, but don’t confuse feelings with facts, fun with happiness, or pleasure with fulfillment. Listen …
It’s Not Easy 738.4
Let’s be honest. Ethics is not for wimps. It’s not easy being a good person. It’s not easy to be honest when it might be costly, to play fair when others cheat, or to keep inconvenient promises. It’s not easy to stand up for our beliefs and still respect differing viewpoints. It’s not easy to control powerful impulses, to be …
What Did You Expect Him To Do? 738.3
One of the highlights of my life as a dad – and having five kids, I’ve had quite a few – occurred on a Saturday afternoon when I was taking my then 13-year-old son Justin and his friend Aaron to a movie. As we entered the theater, I noticed the ticket seller had undercharged me, so I asked the boys …
Getting Through to Kids 738.2
A listener wrote to say she was selecting some of her favorite commentaries to put into a notebook for her 12-year-old son. She said she was going to underline portions she thought were particularly pertinent. I love it whenever someone wants to share my thoughts, especially with children, but I’ve come to realize how difficult it can be to successfully …
Our Great Adventure 738.1
This commentary was supposed to be Part Two of a list of principles I prepared for my daughter, who is going off to college. But events have made two of these principles particularly pertinent: When everything seems to be going wrong, take notes because your worst days often become your best memories. The difference between a colossal inconvenience and great …
The Power of Responsibility 737.5
It’s been said that the line between childhood and adulthood is crossed when we move from saying, “It got lost” to “I lost it.” Indeed, being accountable and understanding and accepting the role our choices play in the things that happen are crucial signs of emotional and moral maturity. That’s why responsibility is one of the main pillars of good …
Wisdom in 20 Words or Fewer: Part One 737.4
Since my children were small, I launched their day with the invocation to “be good, have fun and learn.” I hope they remember that mantra, but now that my daughter Samara is beginning her independent life as a college freshman 3,000 miles away, I think a more detailed set of maxims is needed. So, I’ve begun to assemble a collection …
Marriage Is Not a Word 737.3
Marriage is not a word; it’s a sentence. Marriage is a three ring-circus: engagement ring, wedding ring, suffering. A man is incomplete until he’s married; then he’s finished. Marriage is finding the one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life. Why are there so many mean jokes about marriage? Today, my bride and best friend …
Learning Humanity in the Context of Competition 737.2
Competition often brings out the best performance but it doesn’t always bring out the best in people. Even in the arts, actors, singers, dancers, and musicians must survive and thrive in a competitive community as rude and rough as any. Ambitious parents often introduce toxic gamesmanship and back-biting attitudes very early as their children are judged and ranked by the …