Browsing Tag

Gratitude

Travel and Adventure

The UK & David Gray, pt. 1

December 7, 2014

I’m sitting on a train en route to Liverpool from London with David Gray’s Mutineers playing in the headphones. As the English countryside whizzes by, I can’t help but think about what an incredible experience this has been for me.

A few months ago in Atlanta, I was sitting in Chastain Park Amphitheater watching David Gray perform in complete awe. I’ve seen him play several times before, but this show was particularly noteworthy. He had an energy about him that was significantly elevated from previous shows. Any list that I might have of my favorite artists living or dead would certainly have him toward the top.

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Gratitude

Giving

July 27, 2014

I’m writing this on the eve of my 40th birthday, which I suppose is a bit of a milestone. For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been distracted and didn’t really plan to do much for my birthday, but I was reminded that in previous years I was able to raise awareness of concerns and even money for key issues that I care about.

It occurred to me that I could use this opportunity to highlight the importance of giving. I believe that by giving, we receive much more in return. When we give, the recipient of our gesture obviously gets something tangible, but what about the giver? I believe that the giver also receives. Continue Reading…

Inspiration

Spreading Joy

March 23, 2012
Brandon & Jeremy - Hunger Walk/Run 2011

Joy. It’s one of those words that gets used far too infrequently in my opinion. I believe that we are at our best when we are living in joy.

Some people exude joy everywhere they go, even in the most mundane activities. I’ve been fortunate to know several people like that over the years. 3 days ago, I lost one of them in a tragic accident and my heart feels very heavy today as I think about it.

My friend and neighbor, Jeremy Smith, was one of the most positive, upbeat, enthusiastic people I have ever met in my life.

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Gratitude

Thanksgiving and Black Friday

November 28, 2011
Black Friday Madness

Thanksgiving.

“A national holiday celebrated as a day of feasting and giving thanks for divine favors or goodness, observed on the fourth Thursday of November in the U.S. and in Canada on the second Monday of October.”

That’s the definition according to Dictionary.com.

Nowhere in there does it mention rushing out of the family dinner to stand with a mob of people who are waiting to stampede into Walmart and other retailers for ‘deals’ that are just too good to pass up. Continue Reading…

Serving and Civic Duty

October 28, 2011
Flags

‘Juror number 20.’

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.  Did the judge seriously call juror number 20?

Yes, he did.

Tuesday morning, I reported for jury duty, prepared to plead a hardship case on why I could not serve on a jury this week. Believe me, I had several really good reasons. In fact, you might even say that this week was the perfect storm of conditions that made one more commitment (much less one of this size) totally inconceivable.

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