As I perused my journals from the past, another theme emerged. It was obvious that I was going through an intense emotional struggle in my first couple years adjusting to my new environment. Sometimes when the times seem difficult, people seem cruel, and the environment seems unbearable, you must remind yourself a few thoughts:

These times do not last forever.
They are not as bad as it may seem.
Many people around you care about you and are ready to help.
Someone next to you has it harder.
You can handle far more difficult challenges.
You …

“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 …