What is the value of a human life? Or to be more precise what is it for a black person’s life? Is it worth subordinating your agenda, your rights, your feelings, your privilege, your race? Is it worth getting unfollowed, unliked, ghosted, canceled, hated, arrested, despised? Is it worth protests, standing against police lines, facing…More
Tag Archives: lifelessons
Peace Must Be Fought For
People in power don’t give up power willingly. You don’t see them surrendering a seat of power unless it’s absolutely necessary. Kings must be beheaded, rebellions must be incited, and revolutions fought in order to unseat tyrants, despots, and dictators. Isn’t that how America was born? Now we live in a “free” country. It’s blessed,…More
One of the Most Powerful Things You Can Do
Words are powerful, but this has even more power: Listening. When you take the time to turn your ear, pay attention, and ask good questions to others, you build bridges, change history, and move mountains. You are connecting. That will reverberate across time and space. You are making others feel loved by your act of…More
This Is What Love Looks Like
I have an uncle that I admire. His name is Rick. You probably don’t know him. But, if you did, you would sense that he’s different. He’s one of the most loving guys I know. And we can all learn from him. When he wants to talk to my wife or me, he will call…More
You Have Great Power
You are not powerless; you have a choice. You can choose to avoid the news, build a routine, exercise, connect with a friend, read a great book—hope. It’s not easy in this time, I get it. Shifting your mind from focusing on the negative to healthier activities is your decision. Decide to feed your mind…More
This Is How I See You
You are glorious. You are lovely; you are loved. You are a child, a daughter, a son, family, a friend. You are valuable regardless of your story, your brokenness, your failures. You are beautiful. You are radiant. I see it in you; you can too. Love yourself. See yourself. Look into your face. Don’t note…More
When You Savor Life, You Are Rich
An urgency to live well grows in us when we see our parents growing old. Or at least that’s what happened to me yesterday. “It felt like a few days ago when we took these pictures,” my mom said to my son as she showed him an album of Polaroid pictures of me when I…More
A Way Towards Prosperity and Peace
Worrying is such a waste of time. Your mind is consumed with all of the things you can’t control: the future, the pandemic, your kids. You’re not doing anything productive, moving the needle in any positive way. You’re just wallowing in the unknown. Instead focus your thoughts on the present, what you can do right…More
These Are the Rules You Should Break
Some rules are stupid. For example, some people think you shouldn’t ask your boss for a raise because that would upset them. Or you shouldn’t pursue your dream because it’s too risky. Or you shouldn’t invest in the market because you could lose money. Or you shouldn’t get married because happy marriages rarely happen. But…More
The Best Way You Can See Your Mistakes
The mistakes you’ve made are never just a mistake. They’re gifts. You see, the worst things in life can become the best. I got fired in my twenties from the only career path I was qualified for. It was what I got my master’s degree in for goodness sake. Sure, I thought my future was…More
John Pa 