Reflections of 2011

 

Life’s Like This — With each passing year, there is an opportunity to reflect on what has passed and what the coming new year holds for us. For each of us, 2011 brought unique and personal memories. For some of us, it had more than its share of disappointments and for many there were wonderful new experiences that brought with it memories to cherish for a long time. Life is a wonderful and unpredictable thing. Each morning that we wake up, we are faced with new opportunities and challenges. We never know how the day will unfold and the best we can do is be prepared to face whatever adversity life throws at us and to embrace the joy wherever it can be found. Unfortunately, we often dwell on the negatives in life and fail to be thankful for all the blessings we receive.

Is it Really Free?

Life’s Like This — Seldom in life is anything really free. All over the media — newspapers, magazines, TV advertisements, and mall posters, to name a few — Americans are bombarded with advertisements claiming something is free. Now when I was growing up, if a merchant claimed something was free, it was indeed free. And today, there are still instances when you can get something free but they are far and few between. If you look back at the the recent Christmas shopping season, you can probably recall seeing advertisements that confirm what I am saying. For some time, I have wondered how advertisers can get away with what I perceive is false advertising.

A Time For Reflection

Life’s Like This — With the passing of time, new opportunities arise that can bring hope and fulfillment to your life. As the new year approaches, perhaps this is a good time to reflect on how well you lived your life in 2011. For many of us, life went on as it always has; we got up in the morning, attended to our personal care needs, went to our jobs, enjoyed our meals, came home, did some activity we enjoy, and went to sleep. If you ever saw the movie “Groundhog Day,” Bill Murray plays a weatherman that finds himself living the same day over and over again. In the movie, Murray finds himself at odds with himself and the mistakes he had been making in his life over the course of a single day. He then is given the opportunity to get it right by changing how he behaved toward other people. And once he got it right, his life was able to move forward. Wouldn’t it be nice if we all could do that?  
 
 
While we can’t live each day of our lives over and over again as Bill Murray did in Groundhog Day, we can make the choice to reflect on how well we have been living our lives and then make choices to try to get it right in the future. What better time to do that then as we enter the new year. I know in my life, there has been a great deal of time that I squandered during the past year. I got caught up in a daily routine that was simply routine. For whatever reason, I became use to living my life in a vacuum and found it devoid of those things that gave real meaning to life. I think we all, at least at some time in our lives, find ourselves swimming in an ocean with nothing to keep us afloat but the daily routines we have become accustomed to. When you think about it, that can easily lead to first-class boredom.

Wounds of War

Life’s Like This — There are wounds of war and life that simply cannot be forgotten. As a veteran, with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), I know this all too well. I also know how difficult it is to share my story and to relive the events that led up to my PTSD. But my story, like the story of so many others afflicted with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder needs to be understood. Because until it is understood, people will not recognize the impact PTSD can have on the lives of veterans and those in civilian life who have experienced life-altering traumatic events.    
These life-altering events can come in many different forms. In my case, it came as a result of being hit by a grenade in Korea and exposure to countless traumatic events that left an indelible imprint on my mind. While the wounds of veterans who have returned home from war may reflect different life-altering events, the effects of PTSD does not discriminate. It is like a cancer that can invade ones mind and causes physical manifestations that has not been fully understood by the Veterans Administration until recent years. In my case, it took the Veterans Administration 25 years to diagnose me with PTSD. For 25 years, I was at a loss for what was happening to me, both psychologically and physically to my body. This condition invaded nearly every aspect of my life and has taken its toll, not only on my health, but in my relationships with my family and others I have interacted with over the years.

The Art of Being Gracious

Life’s Like This — It is never too late to learn how to be gracious. While Christmas has now passed, the opportunity is before us to reflect on how well we were gracious to our family and friends. The art of being gracious should never be lost or forgotten. The dictionary defines gracious as being pleasantly kind, benevolent and courteous. Over the holidays we have numerous opportunities to practice being gracious. It may come while hosting a party for friends or while you hosted your family for Christmas festivities. It may even come as a guest at a party. So, what does it mean to be gracious? The art of being gracious is all about how you make the people around you feel. Imagine going to a party or family gathering and finding yourself ignored or made to feel un-welcomed. Whether it was intentional or not, when you find yourself in the company of people who are not gracious, it leaves a bad taste in your mouth. You may even find yourself not wanting to be in that person’s company again. That is how profound an impact an ungracious host can have on you. The flip-side is when you are ungracious toward others. They, in turn, may have second thoughts about inviting you to their party or wanting to be in your company again. So, what are the characteristics of a gracious person?

A Christmas Message

During the Christmas season, many of us get caught up with all the trappings of Christmas: shopping for that special gift for a loved one; unwrapping gifts Christmas morning; spending time with family and friends; and enjoying great food lovingly prepared. These are all wonderful traditions of Christmas that should be embraced in a spirit of love. But the true meaning of Christmas should not be forgotten amidst the excitement of Christmas day. It is my hope that the YouTube video below will serve as a reminder of what the true meaning of Christmas is about. Merry Christmas!  
 
 

Paying it Forward

Life’s Like This — When you least suspect it, a total stranger will extend an act of kindness toward you. Across the country, people are paying bills for complete strangers. Apparently it is a movement based on the movie “Pay It Forward” that was released several years ago.  
 
“The “pay it forward” good deed initiative has spread to Kmart stores throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania with “layaway angels” footing the bill for Christmas gifts that families cannot afford, especially toys and children’s clothes set aside by parents who must pace their payments” To read more of this article, please click HERE.  
   
In this current economy, with many people unemployed, this simple act of compassion can ease the financial burden of so many people. According to a news broadcast, these “layaway angels” are paying it forward anonymously. According to one donor, their reward will come from hearing of other people who embrace the Pay It Forward movement. Apparently, the layaway angels have sparked a new interest in this altruistic movement.

Expression of Gratitude

Life’s Like This — gratitude is a precious gift that, as I once read, can be “…medicine for the heart.” I am struck by that statement because I believe it rings true in so many of our interactions with people. Imagine a world where you never heard an expression of appreciation for something you have done? Imagine a Christmas morning where family members are unwrapping their gifts and not one word of thanks is expressed? Imagine working for years at a job and at your retirement, there is no recognition for your years of service? These are just a few of the countless instances that afford each of us opportunities to give the gift of gratitude.  
 
The amazing thing about giving the gift of gratitude is that it costs you absolutely nothing but a few moments of your time. So why does the expression of gratitude seem to be a fading virtue in our society today? Is it because people are too busy to say thank you? Is it because people have become so self-absorbed with their own thoughts or interests that they simply dismiss the importance of expressing gratitude. Or, is it because people have gotten in the habit of taking people forgranted and then come to expect something without giving anything in return?  
 
I should point out that the giving of a gift, be it your time, present, or act of service should not be predicated on whether or not you receive an expression of gratitude. If you have that expectation, you are sure to be disappointed. But wouldn’t be nice if you did? We all want to be recognized in our life for something we have done. I once read a book by Dr. Gary Chapman, called The Five Love Langauges. This post isn’t a review of that book, but it is a fantastic book. You can learn more about The Five Love Languages by clicking HERE. I wanted to point out to you what those five love languages are and how at least one of them relates to the expression of gratitude.

The Gift of Faith

Life’s Like This! There is probably no greater gift a parent can give their children than the gift of faith. I was blessed with a mother that lived out her faith in Jesus Christ. She was always a steadfast model of faithfulness despite so many of life’s adversities being thrown in her path. I remember seeing her kneeling on her little stool beside her bed, deep in prayer. I was struck by her devotion to God and willingness to submit herself to God’s will. With my mom’s passing last April, she left behind a gift of faith that can be lived out by her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren for generations to come. Please notice that I said the word “can” and not “will”. That is because we have a choice of whether or not we embrace the faith and legacy of our parents. I have always had a deep faith in God, but never really lived out my faith with a devotion and example set my mom. Unlike her, I have let life’s adveristies affect my relationship with God. I have not been the faithful example to my children as my mom had been to me.

A Story of Hearing Loss Restoration

This is a personal story of my hearing loss told through a presentation I made before the Baha Champion Event a few years ago in Kentucky. I share my story with the hope that those of you with hearing loss can explore alternatives to traditional hearing aids. But first, a few words about Cochlear.  
 
Cochlear Americas is part of Cochlear Limited, an industry leader and manufacturer of implantable hearing solutions with facilities in 100 countries, used by over 230,000 cochlear implant and Baha® users worldwide. Cochlear’s products – Nucleus® Cochlear Implant and Baha technologies – provide opportunities for people to improve hearing and speech. 
 
 

Few people are aware of the meaning of hearing loss, the challenges in dealing with hearing loss and the new options that are now available to improve quality of life. Cochlear strives to raise awareness with people who may be currently struggling with their hearing aids, and to show that other options do exist for those with severe to profound hearing loss.