Monthly Archives: December 2012

REVEAL Your Truth to the World

As the end of another year comes to a close, I have been spending a lot of my time lately in deep reflection. I find this time of year tends to bring forth a more reflective and contemplative mindset for many others as well. It is a time to look back on the year, recount all that we have experienced, and set goals and intentions for the year ahead. However, the end of this year in particular, 2012, doesn’t just mark the end of another year but quite possibly the end of life as we currently know it to be.…

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Today’s Brilliance from Tommy Lichty

What I have learned about life is to never take anything for granted. Always live each day to the fullest and give 110%. Don't let anything or anyone tell you that you can't live out your dreams. Always believe in yourself and know that anything is possible with hard work, determination, and passion. When life hands you a challenge, face it head on with the attitude of coming out on the winning end of that challenge. Just because you have some type of disability, it doesn't mean that you have to "sit on the bench" - get into the game…

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Harvesting Happiness: Own Your Own Happiness

By Lisa Cypers Kamen. If you had to publicly share every decision you make with the world, which would you bear more often: a scarlet letter or a badge of honor? In our exceedingly fast-paced world, we are bombarded with situations that demand immediate decisions and judgment calls. Unspoken email etiquette requires a same-day response to each message that lands in our inboxes. And the assumed rapid response to text messages is even more demanding: Societal conventions say that if a few hours pass before you respond, you’ve dropped the ball. Gone, it seems, are the days of decisions made…

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Today’s Brilliance from Dane Pavlik

I became a church Altar Server at age nine and was occasionally paired to serve with a young man with Down's Syndrome. I was nervous at first because he was "different". I learned at that young age that what made him different was his honesty, sincerity, lack of hypocrisy and his smile came from the heart. I no longer feared altar serving with him but looked forward to it. I've been privileged to be counselor at a camp where children and adults with mental and physical disabilities have a summer they will never forget, and I won't either. Each counselor…

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Look at the Helpers

Years ago I decided that no two brains are wired the same way. I know DNA influences and that nurture is often more powerful than nature. I also know that we’re each responsible for our own choices. I’m not sure where mental illness leaves off and evil takes over, but I got new clues last Friday as I watched the coverage of the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT. Like everyone, I’m deeply saddened. The inspiration I found in this horribly grim tragedy came from a line spoken by the late Mr. Rogers, who told children, “When…

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Ever Wonder Where Your Favorite Artist Got His or Her Inspiration?

By Cara Aley. When you make a living as an artist, there are inevitably people, places, and things that inspire you to create your works of art. It’s always so interesting to learn where our favorite artists draw their inspiration from, so we’re profiling several. James Taylor. Long-time singer/songwriter James Taylor cites some interesting early guitar and vocal style influences - he went to a boarding school where he was exposed to the Church of England hymnal music night and day. He also cites folk and Celtic music as influences, in addition to Brazilian and Afro-Cuban music. Taylor also draws…

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Home Alone For The Holidays – Finding Joy

This time of year so often seems to fly by for most of us, but perhaps not so fast for Baby Boomers who are alone. The many office and neighborhood parties, family visits, shopping, and tree lighting ceremonies can be difficult for someone who is alone for the first time in years. Many of our Baby Boomer friends and family members are struggling to keep the joy of the holiday season while their minds are full of thoughts and memories of a loved one who has recently passed on. It’s very difficult to keep a smile on your face when…

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Today’s Brilliance from Caleb

I've heard it said that some people are just dreamers, as if to dream is less than to do. That's not how I see it. From where I stand as a 14 year old, dreams are what give life a purpose, what brings us to another place, a greater place. When a person has a dream of something better for him or herself or for human kind, they should be encouraged to follow their dream and be supported in their quest. The dream has to come first and is most important. The dream is what inspires us to act. I've…

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Harvesting Happiness: 24 Virtues

By Lisa Cypers Kamen. When the going gets tough, everyone reverts to a different weapon of choice. And our arsenals are jam-packed with weapons that injure our foes: Sarcasm, pouting, snippy responses, the cold shoulder, anger, and denial, just to name a few. But when was the last time you thought about how you actually feel when you activate your defense mechanism of choice? Life can be constant warfare. Prickly personalities rub us the wrong way in checkout lines, and drivers who cut us off or forget their turn signal irk us on the roads. At the office, coworkers with…

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Finding Inspiration in the Everyday

One of the ways to lead a joyous, fulfilling life is by learning to appreciate the small things in life we come across daily. We are surrounded by beauty and inspiration all the time – we just need to learn how to see it. Whether you’re an artist looking for ideas and inspiration or simply trying to enjoy life a little more, start finding inspiration in the everyday to recognize the beauty and wonder of the world. Continue learning. Learning should not stop once you graduate from school; in fact, you should challenge yourself to learn something new every day.…

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Today’s Brilliance from Stefan Lyon

I started raising money to help those in great need after September 11. I sold cookies, but realized that I wasn't making as big a difference as I wanted to, so I decided to start a project to help orphans in Africa. I wrote a book about my pet rats to raise money for a school for kids in Kenya, but the donations from one book weren't enough, so over the past two years I've written two more books. Starting this foundation has taught me many lessons. I've learned how to spend my time helping other people. I have learned…

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Today’s Brilliance from Ally Mollo

There are really no limits to what you can do in life, and when someone tells you that you can't do something, stay strong and know in your heart that you can accomplish anything that you put your mind to. Because I am just a kid, some people tried to tell me I couldn't do certain things. Don't let these type of people get to you. Be true to yourself, know who you are, and embrace that. Sometimes we are our own worst enemy. We underestimate ourselves and can psych ourselves out of success, by being afraid. It is easy…

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