Original artwork by Leah Palmer Preiss Odd Fellows Perhaps I was doomed to be an “Odd Fellow” from the start. My dad was a card-carrying member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. (Yes, it’s a real organization! http://www.ioof.org/) But, quite apart from this formal association, he did a lot of “odd” things informally ……
In 1996, Susan Jeffers, Ph.D., released a book entitled “End the Struggle and Dance with Life” (St. Martin’s Press) This book had some great advice for people completely overrun by life’s circumstances. Jeffers, personally, had not only driven herself to obtain a Ph.D., but distinguished herself as a prolific writer, been divorced, and was enduring…
We live every day with illusions. Some of these illusions are necessary – just to make enough sense in our own corner of the world to be able to function with minimal angst … until, at some point, the illusions no longer work. Then we either face the truth and consequences and “new realities” or…
All of us would become much more broadly, deeply and enthusiastically engaged in life if only we had more NOBLE enterprises to pursue. Mundane things like “chores” and “homework” and everyday maintenance flotsam and jetsam don’t really “light our fire” … they’re not really benchmark engagements for which we’ll get any credit or reward or…
Our “Character” is the main currency we carry for successful navigation in the universe … with underscored attributes of trustworthiness, accountability, and all the rest. Recent events lead one to wonder how much our “Character” is hard-wired and how much of it is malleable … and with how much effort? The recent flare-ups over past…