“I am a strong person, but every now and then I also need someone to take my hand and tell me that everything will be alright.” —Anonymous There is a misconception in our world that strength means never crying, never asking for help, and never allowing others to see our vulnerable moments. We are encouraged to "keep it together," to push through pain, and to wear a brave face even when our hearts are quietly breaking. But true strength has never been about pretending we hav

"The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths." — Elisabeth Kübler-Ross Sometimes a soul comes into the world to make a big difference. Sometimes, one comes here to make a huge difference. We are saying goodbye to one such being who has blessed our planet in such a way that many across America and other countries are filled with sadness. I met George Franklin

"If my mind can conceive it, if my heart can believe it, then I can achieve it." - Muhammad Ali There is something unmistakable about people who accomplish great things. It isn't simply talent, intelligence, or even opportunity. More often than not, it is the confidence with which they approach life. They carry an inner knowing that whispers, "I've got this." Even when circumstances suggest otherwise, they keep putting one foot in front of the other. Compare that mindset

"The soul attracts that which it secretly harbors; that which it loves, and also that which it fears." ~ James Allen One of the greatest gifts we can receive on our spiritual journey is the realization that truth is timeless. It doesn't belong to one teacher, one religion, one philosophy, or one generation. Truth simply is. Throughout history it has been discovered, expressed, expanded upon, and shared by those willing to listen deeply to the whisperings of the Divine. Th

"Not until we are lost do we begin to understand ourselves." — Henry David Thoreau We can get “lost” in many different ways. Personally, I can get lost so fast directionally that it would make your head spin. I get frustrated when my GPS tells me to turn east or west instead of left or right because I have no clue which way is which. I can also get lost in thought which takes away my focus on my priorities. But what I love to do is to get lost on purpose. As I travel throug

“We accept the love we think we deserve.” – Stephen Chbosky There is something profoundly revealing in those simple words. They invite us to pause and ask ourselves a question that many of us would rather avoid, “What kind of love do I believe I deserve?” It is not always easy to believe we are worthy of unconditional love when we live in a world that often teaches the opposite. From childhood, many of us receive spoken and unspoken messages that love must be earned. We are

“There are always flowers for those who want to see them.” Henri Matisse An honor walk (or hero walk) is a ceremonial event to commemorate a patient whose organs are to be harvested for donation. The event normally takes place as the patient is transported to an operating room or waiting ambulance prior to organ procurement. It is typically held for patients on life support with no chance of survival, but can also be held for living donors. I have only observed this ceremo

“Age is merely the number of years the world has been enjoying you.” Unknown We often think of age as a number that measures how long we have been alive. We celebrate birthdays by adding another candle to the cake and another year to the calendar. Yet perhaps age is something far more beautiful than counting the years. Perhaps each birthday is simply another reminder of how long the world has been blessed by our presence. Every moment we are given on this Earth is a sacred

“Whatever we plant in our subconscious mind and nourish with repetition and emotion will one day become a reality.” Earl Nightingale Every garden begins with a single seed. The same is true of our lives. Whether we realize it or not, we are constantly planting seeds into the fertile soil of our subconscious mind. Every thought we think, every word we speak, every emotion we repeatedly feel becomes a seed. With enough repetition and enough emotional energy, those seeds beg

“I never lose. Either I win or learn.” Nelson Mandela For many years, one of my favorite sayings has been, "There is no failure, only lessons learned." That simple statement has carried me through some of the most difficult seasons of my life. Every challenge, every disappointment, every unexpected detour has eventually revealed itself to be a teacher. As long as we are willing to keep trying, we are not failing. Our society often measures success by outward accomplishme