I like this definition of family:
Family means NOBODY gets left behind.
We take care of each other.
No matter what.
My father used to say:
Blood is thicker than water.
It’s not just from the battlefield that we make sure to bring everyone home.
Home is where the heart is. 😉
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
I liked this Hebrew sign that says (translated):
When the end is good, all is good.
Or as we commonly say:
All’s well that end’s well.
Lot of truth to this.
And there are so many languages that talk to this.
I remember my father used to say it in German as well.
When things end well, it’s as if everything went well. And when things end badly, it’s as if everything was bad.
The human mind seems to focus on the last thing (and forgets virtually everything leading up to it).
Perhaps, we justify the means with the end (i.e. all the time and effort leading up to it).
Or maybe we recap our lives as either a success or failure by how things ended up.
In 20/20 hindsight, we can see the consequences of our actions.
– Was all the hard work worth it?
– Did we even focus on the right priorities and goals in life?
– Were the choices and decisions we made well-founded?
– What was the impact on ourselves, our loved ones, and more broadly?
We look for meaning and purpose in our lives, and hopefully in the end when we look back, we are blessed to see that it was all for the good. 😉
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
I loved this from a colleague the other day.
When things got a little tough in the office, I came in the next day to 6 smiley faces lined up on my desk.
This is something that I really appreciate from some people:
Their HUMANITY.
Even though my colleague faced the same tough day, she was thoughtful of others and the impact on them (not herself).
There are some amazing people out there, and I thank G-d for putting them in my orbit. 😉
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Last night was the State of the Union…
But this morning, I still can’t help thinking about the State of our Politicians.
The picture from Virginia governor, Ralph Northam medical school yearbook is outrageous, and yet he refuses to step down.
This didn’t happen when he was kid, but as a responsible adult.
And even for those of us who believe in personnel change and forgiveness, there has to be accountability for something this callous, hurtful, bigoted and offensive.
What happened to our politicians being true patriots, looking out for our good and the best interests of our nation?
One lady said to a group of us last evening:
I know who I am going to vote for in the next elections, and it’s NO ONE currently in political office!
To which another gentleman replied:
It doesn’t matter who you vote for, a politician always wins.
Somehow, I still have faith that there are people who can rise to the occasion and be the leaders that they must be. 😉
So I learned many valuable lessons when I worked at the U.S. Secret Service–I loved it there!
But one of the lessons that sticks out it that sometimes you have to take a bullet for the President!
This lesson stayed with me and I believe it applies to a lot of other situations in life as well.
Sometimes you take one for the
– Team
– Cause
– Relationship
It’s easy to say you are going to preserve you self by “dodging a bullet,” but often it’s really just the opposite that is needed.
If you take the bullet, you are putting yourself subordinate to a larger cause and what is really important.
Taking one to safeguard the President of the United States is definitely a larger cause.
But also your team, the success of an important cause or project, precious relationships that have been built over time–these can all mean more than taking even a significant hit.
This doesn’t mean to be stupid, become anyone’s punching bag or just take people’s sh*t for nothing.
Rather what it does mean is that you can suck it up sometimes–when the ends justify the means–and jump in front of that bullet to preserve something bigger and more important than just yourself.
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
I don’t get impressed by others easily.
But one thing that does immediately get my respect and admiration are people who sincerely believe in and are there to help others.
Of course, there are some professions like soldiers and first responders who put their lives on the line to safeguard others that come to mind.
But then there are the people we sometimes meet in everyday real life–people that live for doing good for others.
Yes, not many people are so unselfish and giving, and that is why it is an incredible person who lives this.
One person that I have had the honor to meet recently is such a person.
Months ago, in a stressful situation, I watched them get up and get someone a bottle of water who was choked up and just needed a sip of relief.
Then again, I saw that whenever they were asked a question or for some assistance, they almost immediately dropped whatever they were doing–and without any resentment–to do whatever they can to help, anytime, anyplace.
When I heard them talk recently about their philosophy on what life is all about–they confirmed exactly as I had been seeing, they said:
“I want to help people!”
And they went on to explain how that is the greatest job we can do–whatever our role is–simply, to help others.
Someone doesn’t have to be wounded or dying on the battlefield or in urban warfare to merit that help.
Just being another human being with a heart and soul–that itself is enough to jump to their aid and help, help, help.
To me, this person really encapsulates the essence of what life is all about.
It’s not I, I, I.
It’s about what I can do for others.
We were created by the Almighty to learn to live beyond our meager selves and serve the greater good, our Creator and his children.
All I can say is that these people who live and breath this loving, caring, and giving lifestyle are totally awesome to me and my personal role model and heroes. 😉
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
So I had this great conversation today with someone about values.
Thinking about what I really value and whether I am living consistently with these…
For me, I was able to clarify for myself these critical values:
1) Being a good person and influence in the world (having a positive impact on people and ideas)
2) Being a good family man (a loving husband, father, and previously son)
3) Being spiritual and serving G-d (living selflessly for my Maker and not selfishly for myself)
4) Being a hard worker (living productively and not as a laggard or sloth)
5) Being a balanced person (living along the “golden path” or “middle of the road”–not an extremist)
6) Being a generally healthy person (living a lifestyle that includes activity, exercise, good nutrition, and no smoking, drugs, or excessive drinking)
What I realized is that when I need to let my values guide me every moment of every day.
This ultimately means my success and happiness!
Being what I think that I am supposed to be or what others would want me to be, just doesn’t work–it’s a strategy for failure.
My father used to tell me:
“Let your conscience be your guide” (that and the Torah, of course)
This is the answer to a lot of questions that I have in my life–about what to do with my life and what decisions to make.
Values–driven by conscience and integrity–that’s where I want to go next and next. 😉
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
I thought this was a really special Jewish clock I saw in the store yesterday.
It promotes holiness and sanctity in the family.
Mikva (Jewish ritual bath) = Tikva (hope)
Rebirth and renewal (from the immersion in the holy water).
Build your family in sanctity!
Purity leads to sanctity.
The Jewish laws of refraining from sexual relations during Nidda (a women’s menstruation) and of immersing in the mikvah at the end of the cycle and before the husband and wife coming back together physically are cornerstones of acting with self-control and a couple dedicating themselves to Hashem first.
The family is the core of raising and educating our children and of the makeup of the community and ultimately of serving G-d in everything we do.
Self-control (with sexual purity, kosher food, Sabbath time, etc.) is what separates us from animals and how we emulate being more like the angels.
It is also a way for a husband and wife to elevate their love and show respect for each other as human beings and not just physical beings.
I never saw a clock that reminds us of these holy concepts and laws like this.
Also at the top it says another well-known Jewish quote about managing our time wisely:
“The day is short and the task is great.”
Another good reminder to maximize the use of our time every day here on Earth and to make the most out of every moment.
If we dedicate ourselves to serving G-d, raising our families, being productive professionally and personally, and acting with integrity and sanctity always–this is a good life! 😉
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
I am just so impressed with this charity…the Make A Wish Foundation.
They grant the wishes of children diagnosed with terminal illness–and in the U.S. alone, they grant a wish every 34 minutes!
What nobler and giving act can there be, especially when it comes to an innocent child who never even had the chance to live their lives and try to make their dreams come true.
Whether it’s letting the child meet a famous world wrestler and actor, John Cena (featured in the video above)–who has granted more wishes than any other celebrity in the history of the foundation–to taking a child to a special travel destination or helping them be that incredible superhero for a day.
Seeing the joy on the faces of these children–despite the pain of their illnesses and their dire situations–seems like one of the holiest and most incredible things that we can do.
I really want to acknowledge the famous people, like Cena and others, who take the time and effort to really give back–and with a loving and caring heart to these kids.
Again, there are truly good people out there–who don’t just live for themselves–but who think about and give generously to others.
Life is not just about “I” but about all the people we can reach and uplift.
Cena isn’t just a champion wrestler, but he has a champion heart.
And the Make A Wish Foundation is an incredible organization composed of thousands of incredible people doing righteous work that I believe makes G-d smile down at us from the Heavens above.
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Some thoughts today on what is wisdom:
– Knowing you know nothing–and you can prove it (ah, humility)!
– Knowing when to ask–like the infamous directions when you’re lost or how to use the latest new technology.
– Learning from all others (everyone has something they can teach us).
– Wisdom = Knowledge + Experience (you’ve gotten an inkling about some truth out there, and you’ve had a chance to test it out).
– Seeing that people’s outer bodies are just the superficial, material cover for their inner souls.
– Realizing that doing for others is so much more rewarding than doing for ourselves.
– Following the great truths of morality and responsibility.
– Keen awareness that we are not alone in the universe–G-d is everywhere.
(Source Graphic: Andy Blumenthal)
andyblumenthal