Musings

By Victoria Ostrosky Our father Adam was placed in the Garden of Eden way back in the beginning to be its keeper.  His job was to tend and protect the Garden, to ensure that everything was as it should be.  He was the caretaker and guardian. Things have certainly changed...

By Kirk McCarley My coaching colleague was bemoaning his meeting “no shows.”  I don’t know the proportion of his scheduled appointments that were failing to materialize either in person, virtually, or over the phone, but I sensed his irritation.  Not only is there the time that was spent in preparation...

By Pete Hyde “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit was hovering over the waters.” (Genesis 1:2) The tired traveler rolled his suitcase to the car in the pre-dawn darkness. ...

By Sean Dietrich A small town. The kind of American hamlet that causes you to start looking around for the Norman Rockwell signature. Hanging begonias. Storefronts with colorful awnings. A cute downtown. There was a loud party happening on Main Street. I followed the sound of distant music and many voices. I...

By Kirk McCarley I called my daughter-in-law a couple of days ago to wish her a happy birthday.  She shared that the weather where they live had been wildly variable as winter transitioned to spring.  In fact, her daughter and my granddaughter had been pelted with what she described as...

By Pete Hyde A cool north breeze took the edge off the warm sunshine of a winter day in Alabama.  We stood in large cemetery near the University of Alabama at Birmingham looking for grave markers of long-departed relatives.  Having no real idea where the markers were and with the...

By Victoria Ostrosky She wasn’t surprised when it happened.  Ripping her out by the roots was agonizing, but at her age, she had experienced many disappointments and much mistreatment.  No longer beautiful or symmetrical, shivering through the previous winter’s sub-freezing temperatures for days on end, was the final straw.  Already...

By Sean Dietrich “Dear Sean, how can we save this country?” the email began. The writer lives in Hartford, Connecticut. His name is Michael. I have no idea why Michael thinks a hayseed like me is qualified to answer this loaded question. I’m not a smart guy. Blondes tell jokes about me. Still,...

By Pete Hyde The sun peaked above the horizon on Sunday morning and cast its brilliant yellow rays through a crease in the clouds offering a grand statement of “This is the day the Lord has made.  Rejoice and be glad in it.”  It was not a question or a...

By Kirk McCarley There are two movie assignments I’ve often given some of my coaching clients, especially if they are preparing for job interviews. One is “The King’s Speech.”.  Featuring Colin Firth in the role of the future king of Britain, George VI, the plot deals with the to-be king’s predisposition...