thomas craig blog: Breaking Down the Barriers That Divide Us.
- 06/28/13 05:06 AM
Breaking Down the Barriers That Divide Us Have you ever watched the ABC reality show entitled, Wife Swap? Sad to say, my wife and I are reality TV junkies. We watch way too much television to begin with; but then we lower our standards even further by watching the worst of the worst…reality TV. I digress…this Wife Swap is interesting to watch from a psychological standpoint, so I am going to tell you that I am doing “research” when I am watching it…but we both know that I am killing time, and most likely, brain cells. Anyway, the premise of the … (2 comments)
thomas craig blog: You Are a Powerful Force in the World!
- 06/25/13 07:06 AM
You Are a Powerful Force in the World! We go throughout our lives comparing ourselves to the doers, and the shakers of the world…and most of the time we think we fail to measure up. For most of us, we don’t have our last name on the sides of planes, or helicopters, or buildings. We don’t have anyone quaking in their boots over the opportunity to meet us. No one asks for our autograph, or stops to get a picture taken with us. We don’t have a staff of people catering to our every whim. We are not millionaires, or billionaires. … (8 comments)
thomas craig blog: The Art of Living in Peace
- 06/21/13 12:39 AM
The Art of Living in Peace Paix, שלום, Мир,Pace, Frieden,平和, Amani, 和平, Peace Peace…the word “Peace” is so prevalent throughout the cultures of the world that there is even an app for you to convert the word “peace” to just about any language you wish. What is most interesting is that, despite the world’s preoccupation with peace…sadly, peace is seldom ever achieved. I was born in 1949, and our country was just recovering from WWII when we sent troops to Korea, then Vietnam, Bosnia, Kuwait, Afghanistan, and Iraq. In between those wars we sent soldiers off to far-away places on “peace … (8 comments)
I was watching a CBS interview with the great actor Sidney Poitier the other day, and something just jumped out at me. The interviewer was chronicling all the wonderful things Mr. Poitier had accomplished as an actor…but there was one thing Poitier spoke of; which left a huge impression. Perhaps, it will resonate with you as well.
Poitier explained that he lived in the Bahamas until he was 15-years old, when his parents…afraid that he was hanging around with a bad crowd, sent him to live in Miami with an older brother. … (2 comments)
thomas craig blog: Allowing God to Direct Your Life
- 05/23/13 02:31 AM
Allowing God to Direct Your Life I don’t know…I have spent the better part of my life trying to figure out what Allowing God to Direct Your Life really means. The older I get the less that I think “random” really exists…but then again, could it be just a matter of me over-analyzing everything until my mind finds a purpose? Is that God really speaking to me? After all, people who do crazy things often say that God told them to shoot someone, or blow something up. And so it goes…that inner debate within. I have spent my entire life trying … (8 comments)
thomas craig blog: Yes….I have that on my list of things to do.
- 05/08/13 12:32 AM
Yes….I have that on my list of things to do. I was watching the opening ceremonies of the NASCAR race at Talladega Speedway this past weekend, and what caught my attention were the drivers standing next to their cars prior to the race. Some of them were cradling small children in their arms…their wives looking on. Some of them were laughing and joking with their pit crew members, or television announcers. While there was certainly tension in the air…there was also an expectation that, at the end of the race, everyone was going to still be alive. We humans tend to … (2 comments)
thomas craig blog: Boston's Pain is felt by All of Us
- 04/23/13 11:43 PM
Boston’s Pain is Felt by All of Us. As I suppose most of you have done as well, I have been closely following the events in Boston over the past week. We were violently shaken awake from our complacent slumber and awoke to horrific carnage in our streets. We awoke to the harsh reality that our lives can be changed forever…not by just a well coordinated terrorist attack on a grand scale…but by a couple of seemingly innocent youths who decided to shed their cocoons one day, and instead of transforming into butterflies, transformed into monsters. Just as on 9/11, … (8 comments)
thomas craig blog: Leaving a Legacy
- 04/08/13 11:08 PM
Leaving a Legacy My real estate partner, Cyndi, and I were out on a call last Friday checking in with one of our clients. We have her home listed, and we stopped by to give her a market update, and to see how she felt about the process so far. Our client is a very distinguished, African American lady who is now retired. Our client has her doctorate in education, and over her career has taught all levels of public education. She retired as a professor of education from a local university. It is always a joy to visit … (6 comments)
I have been closely following the US Supreme Court’s review of the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act; as to whether gays and lesbians should be allowed to marry…perhaps you have been doing so as well. To be completely forthright with you, I must state that I have a gay son who has a partner of 9 years; and together they have adopted a little boy, who is now 15 months old.
I understand this is a very difficult situation for both sides of this issue. I try my best to be objective, and I … (2 comments)
thomas craig blog: The Terrible Sin of Underestimating Someone
- 04/02/13 01:52 AM
The Terrible Sin of Underestimating Someone I saw this story a little while ago about a woman who had passed away in Italy and her good and faithful dog returned everyday to the church where the woman’s funeral was held. When the woman was alive, the dog used to attend daily Mass with the woman and sat at her feet in the pew. According to locals, the dog, “joined mourners at her service, and followed after the owner’s coffin.” The parish priest said the dog arrives every day, when the bells are rung prior to daily mass. "He's there every time … (32 comments)
thomas craig blog: Making Memories
- 03/25/13 04:11 AM
Making Memories of Us For those of you who are Keith Urban fans, you will recognize the title of this blog comes from a song written by Rodney Crowell, and preformed by Mr. Urban. I was watching the grand finale of the ABC television show The Bachelor several weeks ago when Sean Lowe proposed marriage to Catherine Guidici. I can’t believe that I just let that little factoid out…I guess when you reach my ripe old age; shame is not something you are too concerned about. Anyway, I digress…back to the show, as the two of them sat on a loveseat … (2 comments)
thomas craig blog: Paying It Forward
- 03/21/13 11:10 PM
Paying It Forward Often times we think in terms of having to do things on a grand scale to make an impact in the world…but really it is the exact opposite. Sometimes it is small, little things which can make a significant impact in another’s life. Let me tell you of one such event. Samantha Ford, a young mother of two, approached her car in a Dunkin’ Donuts parking lot to find a note and $40 under her windshield wiper. The note said, ““I noticed the sticker on the back of your car,” referring to a “Half my Heart is in … (4 comments)
thomas craig blog: Outrage in an Ohio Courtroom
- 03/20/13 02:31 AM
Outrage in an Ohio Courtroom Perhaps many of you have seen or heard the antics of a cold-blooded murderer in a Chardon courtroom yesterday. A high school student, who pled guilty to killing 3 fellow Chardon High School students and wounding 3 more students; was sentenced to 3 life terms without the possibility of parole. Against the advice of his council, this horrible young punk (I refuse to use his name) removed his shirt revealing a t-shirt he had inscribed with the work “killer” on it. He then turned to the families of his victims, and extended his middle finger… and … (7 comments)
thomas craig blog: What obligation do we have towards the poor?
- 03/19/13 04:49 AM
What obligation do we have towards the poor? The other day I wrote a blog regarding the media’s fascination with the new Pope’s acts of humility. It just seems there has been a media firestorm about all the little symbolic gestures of Pope Francis to set a new tone for the Catholic faithful, perhaps even the world. I observed in that blog that I felt people are really hungry for a new way of leading. We are so tired of our leaders leading with a tone of, “do as I say, not as I do.” The world has grown so weary … (6 comments)
thomas craig blog: Humility
- 03/15/13 12:16 AM
Humility Much has been made over the new Pope’s humility. We have been given details in the media on how the new Pope went and picked up his own bags, and paid his hotel bill after being elected Pope. We have heard how he took the bus with the Cardinals who elected him, rather than ride in a limo. We have been given details of his life in Argentina…where he rode the bus, went to soccer games, and lived in simple apartment rather than the plush accommodations he was entitled to as a Bishop. We have heard the stories of him … (8 comments)
thomas craig blog: You are Priceless!
- 02/19/13 11:49 PM
A decade ago I was at the lowest point in my life. I was in my mid-fifties, and I was just bone-tired. Life had not worked out as I had envisioned. My wife had just battled through breast cancer. Her illness taught the hard lesson that we are not guaranteed tomorrow. It’s pretty scary learning those you love; and yourself, for that matter, do not come with a safety net. I had hit a career plateau that all us fifty-something’s know all too well. I had not built up vast piles of cash in a vault somewhere, and retirement didn’t appear … (9 comments)
thomas craig blog: Graduation Day in a Very Unlikely Setting
- 02/12/13 11:12 PM
A Wonderful, Caring Story There is a tremendous amount of turmoil going on in our schools right now. These mass shootings have left everyone on edge. School administrators and teachers are in the newspaper, what seems like every day; being criticized for over-reacting to a situation…or not reacting fast enough to a situation. We see the stories of kids suspended from schools for having an aspirin on them…or a little boy being handcuffed and led out of school for bringing a toy gun to school. We shake our heads over a zero-tolerance policy; which sometimes defies logic…and yet, we wonder who … (4 comments)
thomas craig blog: The Doctor Who Helped to Mend a Broken Heart
- 02/11/13 10:32 PM
The Doctor Who Helped to Mend a Broken Heart The following story caught my attention on the Internet yesterday, and I just had to share it with you. Perhaps, you saw it too… A man, whose mother had recently passed away from breast cancer, posted on the Internet a handwritten letter from an emergency room doctor, whom had cared for his mom. The doctor wrote the letter to the man's father, after hearing of the woman’s death. Here is the letter… Dear Mr. (removed), I am the Emergency Medicine physician who treated your wife Mrs (removed) last Sunday in the Emergency … (4 comments)
thomas craig blog: Continue to Offer Love Unconditionally
- 02/05/13 01:06 AM
The Power of Unconditional Love For the past several weeks, I have been off on a tangent…writing about the power of love. I pointed out individuals, who in my opinion demonstrated to us all the power that comes by offering another love. I wrote about the courage of these individuals, and what fine examples they have set for us all. I spoke about the power each of us possesses. We like to think that we are powerless…but we are not. We may not be able to impact the world, but we certainly can impact those around us. We have the … (6 comments)
thomas craig blog: The Sanctity of Life/Continued
- 01/09/13 06:09 AM
The Sanctity of Life/Continued My dear Rabbi friend in Israel sent me this link the other day. I thought I would share it with you as well. It is a 60 Minutes segment chronicling the life of a Jewish boy during Nazi Germany. Here is the link… http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4819430n In summary; one evening, a little boy is told by his mother that the next day that he and his family would all be rounded up and killed by the Nazis. Not wanting to die, the little boy miraculously escapes the Ghetto, undetected by the Nazi guards. In the morning, from a hill … (2 comments)
Breaking Down the Barriers That Divide Us
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