Character

December is a red-letter month for reflection, celebration, family .. and human rights.

Whether you’re scrolling through your favorite social feed, flipping on a sports talk show, or dipping into the world of podcasts, it’s hard to ignore: brashness and audacity have become the currency of attention.

The back of a player’s baseball card should be the sole admission ticket to stand with the game’s greatest players, all of whom were flawed in one manner or another.

As I reflect on my 70th birthday, my heart is overflowing with gratitude for all the experiences, joys, blessings, and challenges that have shaped me.

It’s okay to shed a tear. Crying doesn’t mean you’re weak. It’s often a sign of strength. Sometimes, a good sob must be released to get strong again. Tears mean you have a heart.

I believe most of us are good people. Knuckleheads? For sure, in abundance. However, most of us — “the better angels of our nature,” in Abraham Lincoln’s words — incline society toward cooperation, peace and kindness.

You know the news. Charging wind, water and mud from Tropical Storm Helene devastated western North Carolina and left communities in ruins. Help arrived. Big time. But help is still needed.

There is no wisdom save in truth. Truth is everlasting, but our ideas about truth are changeable. The greatest homage we can pay to truth is to use it, but that is often not the path followed.

Doing your best, despite roadblocks, is not just about personal achievement; it’s a transformative act that can ripple outwards, inspiring change and engendering progress. Your actions, no matter how small, have the power to shape the world around you.

A teacher affects eternity. Only The Man Upstairs can tell where their influence stops.

National Proofreading Day highlights the importance of proofreading. Theoretically, the day also allows those who enjoy proofreading to gently correct others! Bonus: Church Oops!