Category: Life Lessons

We visited Normandy through the port of Lavre, France last Monday.  We stopped at the German burial field first where 21,200 German soldiers are buried in graves of two.  The American cemetery just down the road holds 9,387.  I’m told there are a total of twenty-one military cemeteries in the region where 130,000 died. When …

If you’re reading this on the day that it’s posted, I’m in London. I’m five hours ahead of my Michigan family and eight in front of my California kids. I assume my phone knows where I am as I’m using it to post the next several blogs. I’ve recorded previously written stories to share while …

My Florida barber always says, “Good to see ya!” each time I get my hair cut. My reply is always the same, “It’s good to be seen.” I played in a golf tournament last weekend and rekindled friendships with a couple dozen men and women. One man, Dan, said, “It’s good to see ya.” I …

I started dating a new girl in March of 1968.  We met at the White Rose for my fraternity.  Our chapter was being installed as Lambda Chi Alpha’s Lambda Tau.  I had pledged the prior fall, and after almost getting black balled, I was assigned to help guys who didn’t have dates get dates for …

When I was in school, I hated math on the days we had to tackle story problems.  Things like: If four guys go golfing at a course thirty minutes from their home, have an 8:00 a.m. tee time and they each get a hole in one during the round, what time will they get home?   …

I missed one day of school my sophomore year of high school.  I didn’t miss any my junior or senior years.  It wasn’t because I was a great student, dedicated to getting good grades, but I wasn’t sick, so I didn’t pretend to be so.  The day I did miss my sophomore year was because …

The first time I met Dave Pray he was the elementary school principal in Clinton.  He was new at his job but had been a teacher there prior to his promotion.  I was a couple of years into my tenure in Addison. We were at a workshop hosted by the Lenawee County Intermediate School District.  …

What I know for sure about death and dying is limited. I’m positive there’s something else.  I just don’t know what.  If you’ve read my blogs, especially since Ruth’s accident, you know that I believe that she stops in to let me know she’s still with me. There are no big visions or conversations just …

I was about thirteen years old when I first thought about my own mortality.  I had lost two of my grandparents a few years prior, but never considered my own death until around the time of my thirteenth birthday.  I don’t know if the thought of being a teenager triggered my fear, but it was …

When I was an elementary school principal, Madelyn Hunter was one of several educational gurus that I followed.  She had a model for effective teaching that outlined the important parts of a good lesson plan.  I encouraged my staff to use her model.  Some did, some didn’t, but most at least gave a look see …