Aside from my formal education and experiences growing up in New York City, nothing has shaped my development more than being able to see, feel and experience people and places that were outside my normal boundaries of New York City. NYC may be the greatest city in the world, but the residents there often […]
Except perhaps related to relationships, quitting is the easiest thing in the world. Giving up is far easier than persevering through all the obstacles that life places in front of us. Those hurdles are both known and unforeseen and often they are formidable, without easy and clear fixes to them. I said quitting was only […]
Whoever says patience is a virtue has too much time on their hands. Patience is virtue propaganda from someone who obviously consistently owes money. I rage against patience as someone who admittedly, has a ton of it. Patience is an enabler’s nightmare and a manipulators most valued tool. My rant against patience, of course […]
“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift of God, which is why we call it the present.” Bill Keane I come from a family with strong ties to revisionist history. I do not think it comes with ill intent, but I listen to my mother and brothers at times recount […]
In nearly every relationship I have ever been in at some point I have been chided about my lack of public affection. “Look at him. He is holding her hand walking down the street…skipping, feeding her strawberries, lying down across a puddle so that she can use his back as a bridge…Why can’t you be […]
Merriam-Webster defines fear as: an unpleasant emotion caused by being aware of danger: a feeling of being afraid: a feeling of respect and wonder for something very powerful. Yet, you did not need me to define fear for you. We all know what it is…At least we know what it is conceptually. People hate […]
By Richard Ray: For years, when challenged, I have argued the differences in my having strong opinions as distinctively distinguishable from being judgmental. Admittedly, I have some educational training in arguing semantics, but I acknowledge that the distinction is thin at best. Merriam-Webster’s definitions highlight how similar the words are, but for me conceptually […]
There are so many things in this world that are out of our control. This is not necessarily all good or all bad, just a fact. The obviousness of the statement makes it no less important to highlight and discuss. It starts, literally, from our beginnings. We do not control the family we are […]
I have to amend my bucket list… http://diaryofamadmind.com/index.php/2016/08/17/my-bucket-list/ I have put a visit to the new National Museum of African American History and Culture at the top of my amended list. I actually implore all of you to do so as well. In fact I realize I am long overdue for a trip to many […]
“Everyone experiences doubt: Perseverance is often what separates those who ultimately achieve success.” Richard Ray Everyone loves a success story. Almost as universally, people love a story of redemption. We love a story of someone overcoming some tragedy or insurmountable odds to achieve the American dream of success. Success is some intangible, subjective idea […]
