I want to start writing some general thoughts about people, an incredibly difficult task given that everyone is different yet we are all basically the same. Let me start by saying that we need many good relationships with others for healthy living; and at the very basic core of every healthy relationship is trust between two people. Without trust, relationships cannot be more than transactional (and even then at least some trust must exist to be willing to transact). If you think this is very basic information, then perhaps you …

“There is no friendship, no love, like that of the parent for the child.” ~ Henry Ward Beecher
Most of us do not have the luxury and the privilege of having our parents with us throughout our entire lives. Nevertheless, many of us place lower value on this precious time with our parents than we should. Their sacred presence is not forever! As children we need to do everything possible to spend the time we have with them wisely.
I certainly understand that this may not be so simple. Our parents are often …

“A man cannot leave a better legacy to the world than a well-educated family.” ~ Thomas Scott
Though we often feel that we define our families, the opposite is true as well. Our families define us. I frequently come across people who struggle making the transition from a family member (child) to an individual (young adult) and then back to a family member (spouse, parent) and then back to an individual (elderly, widow). These transitions are very critical inflection points in our lives.
In the first case, the family to which we …