Monday, March 7, 2016

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When it comes to the Olympics, it seems as if there are always certain athletes that give the Games this personal touch for us. Let's go back to the 1994 Winter Olympics. I remember we all wanted to see the women's skating showdown between Nancy Kerrigan and Tanya Harding. In 1998, it was two teenagers named Michelle and Tara. Michelle Kwan was heavily favored to leave Japan and the Olympics with that gold medal; 15-year old Tara Lipinski was expected to bring home the silver maybe.

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

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I'll sure never forget my Grandmother Irene. She was one funny lady. She laughed a lot, she gave me money a lot, and she was the life of the party. Some people in our family think she was a big influence on my personality. That's not a very nice thing to say about a woman who is no longer here to defend herself, right? But there's no doubt my grandmother did have a great impact on my life. I almost never got to meet her though, because she had a serious bout with cancer before I was even born. But she made it and I got an awesome grandma out of the deal. It took some radical action on the part of the doctor to save her though. He went in and totally removed the cancer and the areas around it. It was painful, it left some scars, but I'm sure thankful that he did what he had to do to keep her alive.

Thursday, February 25, 2016

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When I was growing up and when our children were growing up, basically when generations of children were growing up, mommys and daddys read stories to their children. And most of them had a predictable ending..."and they lived happily ever after." Except for this one nursery rhyme – the one about the uncoordinated egg. You know?

Monday, February 22, 2016

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I can't let my grandchildren watch the news. It's too gruesome: another brutal execution, the slaughter of captured soldiers, an act of terrorism, more bloody battles in more places than the news can possibly cover. It used to be that there were intelligence reports of an increased terror chatter, for example, when any major holiday or when the September 11th anniversary approaches. Now we get those reports it seems like every day. Some months ago, the Secretary of Defense said, "The world is exploding all over."

Thursday, February 18, 2016

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It was another one of our marathon drives. It was a 20-hour trip and my wife and I were alternating at the wheel, and I was doing the night shift. And since it was an early winter trip, the night was a long night. I did my behind-the-wheel calisthenics, I sampled different radio stations, I played stimulating music, kept the temperature at a refreshing level – all those fun things you do when it's you against the night.

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

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The day is about to end. I invite my wife to go for a romantic walk with me as we look toward the west at the beautiful colors of the sunset. Well, that's what you'd call it, right? And so would I. But we would be scientifically incorrect. Since when does the sun set? The sun doesn't go anywhere; it's the earth that's moving! Right? So, "Honey, let's go for a romantic walk and watch the beautiful earth set?" I don't think so!

Friday, February 12, 2016

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When my friends tell me they have a headache, they don't always get a lot of sympathy. I usually just say, "You know, pain always attacks at the weakest point." They really appreciate that! That helps. Well, actually, we all have our favorite headache remedy – one or two of this pill or that and we wait for the relief as those pills race through our system. I know they do. I saw it on a commercial once.

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

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"Active shooter in Colorado Springs." When I got that news alert, I turned to a news channel right away. I've got friends in that city.

After a violent five-hour siege, the gunman surrendered. And the tragic count of dead and wounded began to become clear, but so did the heroism in the middle of that fear and violence. Like Garrett Swasey, one of the first officers on the scene rushing to save lives. He lost his. His courage and sacrifice are a bright light in the dark sky of that tragic afternoon. Selfless love when evil seemed so strong.

Friday, February 5, 2016

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It was an awful night in Paris. Many of us watched the heartbreaking scenes from those awful terror attacks in Paris, and as I watched it, my mind flashed back some 22 years. The morning after the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center, I was flying from New York to speak in another city. To my surprise, we were greeted by a TV crew, asking, "How are New Yorkers feeling after this attack?" Then they came to me. Let's see, first word that came to my mind, "Vulnerable." That was it. We all suddenly felt very vulnerable.

Monday, February 1, 2016

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I've been in three hurricanes, but always on land. I can't imagine what it would be like to face it out on the water.

The crew of the container ship El Faro were on pace to be well ahead of Hurricane Joaquin, until they suddenly found themselves with no propulsion system directly in the path of a Category 4 Hurricane: fifty-foot waves, 140-mile-an-hour winds, zero visibility. The crew's families asked for people to pray for them and for their missing loved ones.