Tag: Love

A Love Letter to My Grandchildren

My Dear Grandchildren,

Thinking about how to tell you about the infinite power of love, I realize how important it is to share this letter with you.  To help you understand just how much love will shape your lives.

You’re still growing, discovering who you are and what you want from the world. As I reflect on everything I’ve learned and everything I’ve seen, I can’t help but realize that love has been the guiding force in all of it. If there’s one truth I want you to know, it’s this: love is the one thing that never runs out. It is truly infinite.

Love has no limits.  It’s a gift from God that never empties. “True love is infinite. It has no end, no limits, and no boundaries” (Unknown).  I want you to remember this when life gets tough or when you start to feel like there’s not enough love to go around. The love you give will always come back to you. It grows, just like a tiny mustard seed turns into a mighty tree. The more you pour out, the more you’ll have. And love? It keeps on giving.

Love has the power to change things.  To transform everything. It’s not just a feeling. It’s something far more powerful than that. Love is what changes hearts. It softens the hardest of feelings and brings people together.

I’ve seen this truth unfold many times in my life. When you approach someone with love, even if they’ve hurt you, that love has the power to melt away your bitterness, to open a door where there was once a wall. “Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend” (Martin Luther King Jr.). That’s the kind of love I want for you. The kind that can heal, the kind that builds bridges instead of walls.

Love isn’t passive. It’s not something that just happens to you. It’s something you choose every day.  Love calls for action, for intention. It’s an active force. And when you lead with love, you’ll see the world differently. I’ve learned that love moves you in ways you can’t predict, but it will always be the guide that matters most.

You will never have all the answers. Just choose love. “To love is to will the good of another” (St. Thomas Aquinas). That’s the essence of it. When you love someone, you are choosing to want the best for them, to care for them, and to be there for them, even when it’s hard.

Sometimes, we make mistakes. We hurt each other. There are moments when we carry the burden of regret or hard feelings. But love, I’ve learned, is about letting go. It’s about forgiving. You can’t move forward while holding on to old wounds. Love is what frees you from that burden. It’s what gives you the strength to keep going, even when it feels impossible. “Love is an endless act of forgiveness” (Maya Angelou).  This resonates deeply with me, even when I forget its lesson. You see, when you forgive, you allow love to take root again, to grow and bring healing.

And the beautiful thing about love is that it never ends. Even when someone leaves us, their love remains. It stays with us. It lives on in the memories we carry and in the ways we continue to love others by their example. The love we give and receive stays with us, shaping us, and guiding us through the rest of our lives. “Love has no age, no limit; and no death” (John Galsworthy). When someone you love passes away, their love is still alive within you. It never dies. It’s a part of who you are forever.

I want you to know that love isn’t something you will always understand. It’s not something that always makes sense. Sometimes it feels irrational or confusing, but that’s what makes it so powerful.

Love comes from a place deep inside that logic can’t explain. It’s a mystery. “The heart has its reasons of which reason knows nothing” (Blaise Pascal).  That’s the beauty of love. It doesn’t need to be explained. You feel it. You know it. And that’s all there is.

Love is also not confined by time or space. It’s already free. “Love is an infinite ocean, where every drop is a reflection of the entire universe” (Unknown). Love stretches. It connects us all, no matter where we are, no matter what we’ve been through. It doesn’t have walls. Love is limitless.  It grows as we share it, and the more we live it.

I think about St. Paul’s words to the Corinthians when he wrote about love. It’s a love that’s patient and kind, that doesn’t boast or get angry easily. It’s love that seeks the good, that keeps no record of wrongs, that always protects, always trusts, always hopes. “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7). That’s the love I want you to know. 

At its core, love is what makes life worth living. Without love, we would have nothing. Without love, we would be lost. “Love is the only reality, and it is not a mere sentiment. It is the ultimate truth that lies at the heart of creation” (Rabindranath Tagore). God’s creation.  It’s love that drives us to seek goodness for others, not just ourselves. It makes the world a better place, one loving act at a time. 

There’s one last thing I want you to know. Love never runs out. Its supply is unlimited. “There is no remedy for love but to love more” (Henry David Thoreau). That’s the key. The more you love, the more you’ll understand, the more you’ll see. Love opens new possibilities that you didn’t even know were there. It’s a wellspring that you can always draw upon, as long as you’re willing to give.

Love is the one thing that will always be with you. It doesn’t matter where life takes you or how far you go. It will be there. Love is constant, unchanging, but always expanding. And in that love, you’ll find the freedom to be who you’re meant to be, to live fully, by loving deeply.

The more you love, the freer you become. The more love you give, the more you’ll find in return.

As your grandpa, I love each of you with all my heart and soul. I want nothing more than for you to lead lives filled with love—guided by love, surrounded by love, and sharing love with everyone you meet.

A life full of love is a life full of joy and meaning.

Love always,

Grandpa Bob

Photo by Diane Anderson – That’s 7 of our 8 grandkids…and we have another on the way in May.  Diane is their great grandmother.  God is good.  

Splitting Logs – The Firewood’s Promise (and my “Why”)

If you were to visit me on my mountainside, next to a huge pile of bucked-up logs that I’ve cut and collected over the past year, using my fancy new log splitter, what would you see? 

A grandpa dressed in a snow suit and beanie, warding off the low-teens temperature and wind chill, wearing eye and ear protection, splitting one log after another. 

I’m stacking the split firewood into an “outdoor fire” bin (the crummy stuff that’s showing some signs of water damage that may or may not burn so great), and an “indoor fire bin” for the good stuff.  We have so much that I use IBC totes that I can forklift and move around with my tractor.   

What you’d miss is what this guy’s thinking.  Of all the campfires these logs will deliver.  The warmth, the beauty, and the cheery faces reflected in the golden firelight.  The togetherness, the raucous fun, and always the smoke that’ll chase each of us in time.    

Lately, I’ve been thinking about words that rhyme with stories, memories, starlight, marshmallows, love, and family. Of a way to express my “why” behind all this work.

My new splitter hums, its rhythm is true,
Each log cracks clean, split in two.
And with each piece, I see what’s ahead—
Fires that warm, where stories are said.

Golden flames dance in their eyes,
Joyful voices filling the skies.
Kids with marshmallows on sticks they will hold,
Turning white fluff to crispy gold.

The stars above will steal their gaze,
A quiet pause from the firelight’s haze.
But soon enough, they’ll leap to their feet,
Cousins chasing cousins, the night complete.

This work is heavy, my labor long,
But in each log, I hear a song.
A promise of warmth, connection, and love,
Of smoke below and stars above.

Each crack of the wood a memory in waiting,
Moments of joy we’ll spend creating.
I keep splitting, I’ll keep the pace,
Knowing the fire will hold its place.

One split, one stack, one stick at a time,
Building a future that’s warm and divine.
A pile of firewood, yes—but so much more,
It’s family, it’s laughter, it’s life to the core.

I can’t think of a better “why” than this. 

Photo by Kevin Erdvig on Unsplash

Bringing Home the Moonbeams

There’s a line in a Frank Sinatra song that asks if we’d like to, “…carry moonbeams home in a jar.” A crazy idea. Moonbeams can’t be contained or put in a jar, but their magic can be carried home just the same. What if we could carry home the kind of wonder and light that moonbeams represent?

Life throws challenges at us every day. Deadlines. Difficult conversations. The relentless tug-of-war between expectations and reality. Yet, amid the noise, we often stumble upon moments of beauty.  Unexpected acts of kindness, moments of connection with strangers, or simply a sunrise or sunset that stops us in our tracks. These are moonbeams.

Have you ever met someone for the first time and felt their kindness so deeply that it stayed with you? Maybe it was a stranger who gave you directions with a smile, a colleague who truly listened, or someone who saw you struggling and extended their hand. These are glimpses of humanity’s greatness.  Magic moments where we see the best of who we are reflected in someone else.

What if we made it our mission to carry that magic home with us?

It’s easy to bring home the worries of the day.  Our frustrations, our stresses, our nagging self-doubt. But alongside these, we can also bring moonbeams: the small, bright moments of beauty, hope, and love that we encounter every day. We can share the wonder of a chance conversation, the joy of something new we learned, or the inspiration we felt when we saw someone overcoming adversity.

Carrying moonbeams is about being conscious of what we pass on to those we love. It’s about choosing to share curiosity instead of cynicism, gratitude instead of grumbling. It’s about being the explorer who brings back stories of the world’s beauty to share with those at home, inspiring them to see the magic in their own lives, too.

Imagine if we all carried moonbeams in our metaphorical jars. How much brighter would our homes, our communities, and our world become?

What if we could embrace the day with the motivated curiosity of an explorer. Purposely looking for the moonbeams—the fleeting magic of kindness, beauty, and connection.

Imagine carrying them home to share, not in jars, but in our words, our actions, and our presence.

Because moonbeams, once shared, have a way of multiplying.

Photo by me, capturing a “moonbeam” of a sunrise view outside my kitchen window the other day

Turning Hope into Action: A Path to Achievement

Hope is extremely powerful.  Its power rates right up there with the power of love. It’s the whisper of aspiration that accompanies our desires and dreams. We hope for success, for love, for fulfillment.

But hope alone is not enough. Hope is not an action—it is merely the spark that ignites the flame of possibility. To transform hope into reality, we must take tangible steps toward our goals.

Consider these hopes (I could list 20 more examples):

“I hope I can pass this class.”

“I hope I find someone I want to spend the rest of my life with.”

“I hope I get to my appointment on time.”

“I hope I can get promoted at work.”

These statements reflect our desires.  Our aspirations.  But they do not guarantee outcomes. Hope, though powerful, cannot materialize our wishes on its own.

Hope is most powerful when it energizes our ideas, motivating us to translate our hopes into concrete plans and steps.    

The journey from hope to action is challenging. It requires us to believe in our possibilities and commit to making them happen. It requires us to confront our own inertia, to overcome self-doubt, and to navigate the uncertainties of the future. It demands courage—the willingness to take risks, to persevere in the face of setbacks, and to embrace the unknown.

Will our actions always lead to success?  Can we get everything we hope for? 

Of course not.  Life is filled with obstacles and disappointments. However, by taking proactive steps toward our aspirations, we increase the likelihood of realizing our dreams. Actions propel us forward, opening doors to opportunities we never imagined possible.

While hope is undeniably powerful, it is action that transforms hope into reality. We can’t merely hope for a better future.  We must actively strive to create it.

In the end, it is only through action that we shape our destiny and manifest the life we envision.    

p/c – Tommy Lisbin – Unsplash.com

Grandma’s Hot Chocolate

There’s something special about grandma’s hot chocolate.

It doesn’t matter that she boils water and pours in the envelope of instant powder like the rest of us.

It’s what she does while the water’s boiling.  The questions she asks while stirring-in the powder.  The way she stops stirring to listen to your answers.

Grandmas have that way of listening, even to the stuff we’re not saying.

It’s the way she adds the right amount of milk to “thicken it up a bit.”  Nobody else gets it exactly right like grandma.  She knows just the way you like it.  In fact, she’s the only one who does.

It’s counting out the right number of baby marshmallows.  Enough to sweeten things, but not so many that they get in the way.

It’s the way she squeezes your shoulder as she places the cup on your placemat.

It’s the way she sits to enjoy it with you.

That first sip is such a treat.  Is it the taste of the chocolate, or seeing grandma’s warm smile across the table that makes it so good?

It doesn’t matter.  Your loving journey to the bottom of this cup of wonder is just beginning.

Funny how the simplest things in life are transformed when they’re mixed with grandma’s love.

A love she teaches us to bring to the simple things in our own lives each and every day.

Photo by Salome Alexa on Unsplash

The Four Most Important Letters in Leadership: L-O-V-E

It’s no coincidence that these letters spell out love…

It doesn’t matter whether we’re talking about business, politics, sports, charities, social clubs, or just about any other area where human beings come together to accomplish something.  The most important determining factor in an organization’s success is the quality of its leadership.

What makes a strong leader?  Is it the one with the loudest voice?  The guy who makes the best speeches?  The one who puts in the most hours?  Is it the dude ordering people around the most?

Of course, it’s none of these.

The best leaders focus on the four most important letters in leadership:  L-O-V-E

L—Listen and Learn.  Strong leaders are curious.  They never stop asking questions.  They have two ears and one mouth so they can listen twice as much as they talk.  A strong leader listens to employees, customers, competitors, “the market,” and any other source of information available.  A true leader is constantly learning, and knows he doesn’t have all the answers.

O—Observe and Organize.  Leaders make time to observe what’s really happening.  They don’t rely solely on the stories people tell.  They measure the reality.  Leaders organize for success.  They delegate responsibility and authority to others within their organization.  They define processes that multiply their efforts, and the efforts of those they lead.  Ronald Reagan coined the phrase, “trust, but verify,” and strong leaders live by this maxim to ensure their organization is as efficient and scalable as possible.

V—Visualize.  Where are we going?  How will we get there?  These are the two biggest questions leaders face.  The leader’s ability to visualize the future, define and articulate the mission, and steer toward success will make or break their organization.  Look too far into the future, and they may fail to see the short-term obstacles and challenges.  Look too closely at the short-term obstacles, and they may steer their organization off-course and miss its ultimate objective.  Visualization isn’t an independent activity.  The strong leader makes time to help others take emotional ownership of the vision and connect it to what they do each day.

E—Encourage and Execute.  Ultimately, success is all about execution.  A strong leader knows that nothing happens without the people he’s leading.  Encouraging others to give their maximum effort in pursuit of the organization’s vision and goals is the primary role of the leader.  Encouragement comes from the leader’s words and actions.  People will watch and listen to see if their leader’s values and moral compass are something they can support.  They will learn quickly whether their leader cares about their well-being, as well as that of the organization.  A strong leader is sincere in defining what it will take to succeed, and excels at encouraging their team to make it a reality.

It’s no coincidence that these letters spell out love.  It’s the attitude a strong leader brings to their work each and every day.

 

Shameless plug:  If you want to improve your leadership game, check out my new book, Leadership Starts (and Ends) in Your Head…the rest is detail.

 

Why Oreos and Steaks Matter

I personally never saw the benefit of splitting my Oreos in half, and eating the middle first…

A kid’ll eat the middle of an Oreo cookie, and save the chocolate cookie outside for last…

I personally never saw the benefit of splitting my Oreos in half, and eating the middle first.  Seems like a lot of work.  In fact, the middle is boring without the chocolate cookie, in my humble opinion.

If dissecting the cookie isn’t the best, what’s the best way to eat an Oreo?

If you bite into an Oreo, it’s a challenge to not drop crumbs all over the place.  The cleanest and most effective way to eat an Oreo is in one bite.  Just pop the whole cookie in your mouth and let the taste celebration begin.  To add to the party, take a small sip of milk and let all that flavor mix around as you chew.  Enjoy.

The ideal number of Oreos to eat in one sitting is four…each with one bite, and each with a healthy sip of milk.  Oreo purists will argue that the ideal number is an entire column (purists know what a column is in this context), but that’s a bit much for me.  You’ll have some milk left in the glass after your four cookies, and that’s useful for rinsing everything out of your teeth as you contemplate the goodness of your Oreos.

I always thought it would be fun to eat a few Oreos before a dental hygienist appointment.  I wonder if anyone has actually gone through with this idea.

Steak.  It’s what’s for dinner.

For vegetarians, I apologize in advance…

The smell of steaks on the grill is a little slice of Heaven.  There’s something about the smell of a barbeque grill that permeates a neighborhood.  If your neighbor is cooking steaks, you know it, and you wish you were cooking your own.

Some of the best steakhouses age their beef for thirty, even sixty days.  They say that the longer the aging process, the more tender the meat will be.  I’m not quite so patient.  I’ll give it about three days of aging in the fridge before cooking.

I’ve tried many cuts of beef.  My favorite is the rib eye.  Rub a little olive oil on each side, and then season with Mansmith’s.  Grill it low and slow, about ten minutes on each side for the perfect medium-rare tenderness.  Let the meat rest for a few minutes, and then enjoy with a baked potato and some steamed or sautéed asparagus.  Talk about good eats!

I like nearly every food I’ve tried, except olives and horseradish.  A few favorites come to mind…Salmon.  Eggplant parmesan.  Hot apple pie (with ice cream).  Saag paneer.  Unagi.  Lasagna.  Date shakes.  Vegetarian lamb.  Chocolate chip ice cream.  Chili.  Oatmeal cookies.  Fried chicken.  Carrot cake.  Cornish pasties.  Bacon!

Food is much more than the sustenance we need to live.  It’s more than nutritional value (or lack thereof).  Foods have history.  Many are at the heart of our family traditions.

One thing all foods across the world have in common:  they are best when shared with the people we love.

Explore.  Taste.  Savor.  Share.  Love.  Enjoy!

Unmaking an Oreo:  http://youtu.be/cJyGoGPXTj4