A Beacon of Light

“If the bath water only got half a degree warmer every hour, we would never know when to scream.” Marshall McLuhan Positivity is defined as “the state of being positive; a positivity that accepts the world as it is.” I do my best to be a positive person. Negativity brings people down. Positivity generates energy, good feelings, and…

“See the line where the sky meets the sea? It calls me.” Disney’s Moana The 1987 movie, The Princess Bride, popularized the word inconceivable. Those who have seen the film know exactly what I’m talking about. In reality, this is a word I rarely use. Yet this adjective  came to mind yesterday while I was walking along Sunset…

“Sunset Dunes is a success. It’s good for the environment, good for our local economy, and it’s bringing joy to people of all ages.”Joel Edgardio We called it The Great Highway — a four-lane (two in each direction) roadway which parallels the Pacific Ocean in San Francisco. It connected Sloat Boulevard (to the south) with the Richmond District (to…

“When you can’t dowhat you’ve always done,then you only dowhat matters most.”Robert D. Hales When it comes right down to it, what really matters in life? Of course, this question can be answered in many ways, but when responding to this question, a number of common themes are raised. These themes include health, meaningful relationships,…

“If you don’t lovelike God loves,you don’t really love.”Kevin Maguire I have said many times that everyone has a story to tell. Each one of us has a lifetime of memories, experiences, and lessons learned which have the potential to be both beneficial and motivational for others. Pat Maguire, the founder and owner of Java…

“Summer means happy times and good sunshine.”Brian Wilson This is not my usual blog post. Today, I had the unexpected opportunity to visit Redwood Rest Resort, now simply known as Redwood Resort, in Boulder Creek, California. It was at this venue that my family enjoyed a number of summer vacations in the early 1960’s. At…

Over the past few months, I have had the privilege of collaborating with Patrick Maguire, founder and owner of Java Beach Café in San Francisco, on the creation of his soon-to-be-published book All Things Beautiful.  Pat is a native San Franciscan. He was raised in an Irish-Catholic family in the lower Sunset District near Ocean…

“It’s okay to feel manythings at once,including uncertainty.”The Gottman Institute I’ve been doing a bit of research on the life expectancy of the average American male. There’s good news and not-so-good news. According to World Bank, American men are expected to live for 78.39 years. I consider this to be not-so-good news, since I’m 71…

“The bond that linksyour true family is not oneof blood, but of respectand joy in each other’s life.”Richard Bach My nephew, Sean O’Donnell, and his wife, Kerry, invited family members to join them yesterday for the baptism of their daughter, Aiofe, in San Francisco. Following the ceremony at Saint Gabriel Church, the family gathered in…

“When you rise in themorning, think of whata precious privilege itis to be alive.”Marcus Aurelius We — that’s you and me — take so much for granted. I pride myself on living my life with an Attitude of Gratitude.  I do my best to be A Beacon of Light in the world. I make it…