Every person you know knows something that you don’t. So you have something to learn from everyone. And everyone has something to learn from you. That’s because we all have strengths and we all have weaknesses. Albert Einstein said, “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by his ability to climb a…
In 1966, the new Metropolitan Opera House opened in New York. It was one of the social events of the 20th century. But imagine if the Board of the Metropolitan Opera had said, “For our opening night, with the greatest orchestra ever assembled, we’re going to invite homeless people, and as many down and out…
Here are some things you need to know. You yawn the most after breakfast. You lose weight if you sleep in a cold room. You are the tallest thing in the morning. Sharp knives are safer than dull knives. People with friends live longer. Wait. Let’s go back to that last one. People with friends…
In my world, people fall into one of two groups. They are either walking in purity and freedom or they want to be. Those who want to be may be holding onto old habits or embedded in unhealthy relationships. They want out, but they just aren’t ready yet. St. Augustine once quipped, “Lord, help me…
I recently read an article titled, 40 Tips for Staying Sober Under Pressure. I’m sure you can google it. It’s right there, with other articles on the 11 Tips, 7 Tips, and 21 Tips articles. But let’s cut to the chase. I will give you the #1 way to stay sober. It works every time. …
“Ring around the rosie A pocket full of posies Ashes! Ashes! We all fall down!” – Kate Greenaway, 1881 Peter and Iona Opie, the leading authorities on nursery rhymes, suggest that the meaning of this timeless rhyme is tied to the Great Plague of 1665, in which millions “fell down.” “We all fall down” is…
The next time you attend a recovery meeting, I can tell you how to tell who in that group has the most sobriety. It will be the person who got up earliest that morning. Sobriety is truly a one-day-at-a-time proposition. Charles Schulz said it like this: “Life is like an ice cream cone. You have…
Rodney Alcala committed his first crime on September 25, 1968. He made the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted List in 1971. He was in and out of prison through most of the 1970s. In 1980, Alcala was found guilty of killing a 12-year-old girl. He would later be found guilty of other murders, landing him a…
In 1931, Knute Rockne died in a plane crash at the age of 43. Having led Notre Dame’s football program for the last ten years, Rockne was recognized as America’s first great college coach. His lessons are still taught in locker rooms and on football fields today. Here’s just one gem from the legendary coach:…
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) identifies four pillars of recovery: Let’s talk about the first one, which we probably focus on the least as addicts. John wrote, “Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health” (3 John 1:2). Self-care is absolutely…