It’s a Martian word, so you probably don’t hear it a lot down here, unless you move in some hipster or techie circles. It’s a darkly guttural word that sounds something like a bullfrog in a fight with a cat, so it lacks a certain sense of poetry.
But it’s an important word to describe a unique and powerful ability that can separate:
- leaders from posers,
- successful marketers from annoying advertisers,
- elected officials from also-rans,
- spiritual shepherds from obnoxious preachers,
- faithful, lifelong friends or marriage partners from relational flame-outs,
- Oprah from, well, anybody (okay, just kidding… a little).
I’m referring, of course, to grokking. [click to continue…]
This is one of the strangest days of the year. The Christmas tree is still up, but there are no presents beneath it. The trips have been made, and people are starting to settle back down to “normal.” All the cooks have declared a holiday, and the Great Gift Exchange has begun. And in our culture, we’re preparing for another phenomenon: the end of one year, and the start of another.
Sort of like they did on the first day after the first Christmas.
Take a look, and maybe we can catch an insight into how we can extend the wonder of the season past all the gifts and food. And I think we can gain some principles that will also help us prosper in the coming year. [click to continue…]
As you can probably tell from here and here, I’m a big fan of Winnie the Pooh. I pretty well ignored him during my first childhood, but in my second – with my own children – he and his friends became some of my favorite characters.
There in the Hundred Acre Wood, Pooh is a model of contentment. He helps his friends, enjoys the outdoors, doesn’t fret about his weight, and never loses his patience. He loves his honey, and his only real worry is seeing to it he has a plentiful supply. His friends are high-strung (Rabbit), insecure (Piglet), maternal (Kanga), and playful (Roo), gloomy (Eeyore), egotistical (Owl), and irresponsible (Tigger).
Winnie the Pooh? He’s just proud to be here.
I think I may have found the secret to the chubby cub’s contentment. Just outside the hollow tree where he lives is a log that is used for sitting. Beside the log is a sign that reads, “The Thotful Spot.” Being a Bear of Very Little Brain, Pooh must think hard, and think often. Whenever there is a problem or a confusing question, or practically any occasion that requires a brain, he returns to the Thotful Spot to think. He doesn’t always come up with the right answers. But he always comes away with an idea. And he always comes away happy.
Everybody needs a Thoughtful Spot. [click to continue…]