America – The Promised Land

Gene Simmons was born in Israel shortly after the end of World War II. Most of his family perished under the Hitler regime in concentration camps because they were Jewish. When Gene turned 9, he and his mother legally immigrated to America. Most people know Gene Simmons as the former lead singer of KISS, a rock-n-roll band, who wore makeup …

Overcoming Hate with Friendship and Communication

Daryl Davis is a black man. He is a black man who has spent countless hours at Ku Klux Klan rallies (KKK). He has invited KKK leaders to his house… and shared meals with these men. You might ask yourself, “Why would Mr. Davis do this?” Is he some kind of bizarre racist who hates his own race? The answer …

Perspective: How Would You Live this Day Over?

Perspective. We mostly go through our daily lives by going through the motions. One day leads to the next. Alarm, breakfast, school, lunch, more school, practice, homework, dinner, TV, bedtime. Something like that. Most days are not special or memorable. For example, can you remember what you did on November 7th of last year? Me neither. This simple 1-minute video …

Three Simple Rules of Life

Stephen Hawking once said, “Showing up is half the battle.” This quote always stuck with me. It’s so simple that sometimes we forget the importance of the statement. You can’t be considered for the job if you don’t submit your resume. You can’t win the race if you are not entered. You can’t win the lottery if you don’t buy …

Sportsmanship on Display at X-Country Meet

At a cross-country meet in Wisconsin earlier this season, something unusual happened. With about a half-mile left in the race, Seppi Camilli, a runner from Marquette (MI) High School, made a bold move and broke free from several competitors from Stevens Point High School. With just the ‘straight-away’ left, he found himself alone in second place. However, with about 15 …

The Reciprocity Effect

Rehan Staton is a 27-year-old Harvard Law School graduate. However, his path to that degree was not typical. As a child, his mother abandoned the family and his dad struggled with gainful employment. In other words, Rehan grew up poor. To make it, he worked as a sanitation worker (that’s trash man to you and me). His grades were never …