A Better Life

Is there anything more comforting, satisfying or life affirming than a home cooked meal?  My answer would be no.  When I think back to the most cherished memories of my childhood it usually, not always but usually involves food.  I believe all major holidays involve a copious amounts of food of varying varieties for a reason.  We come together as a family around a dinner table to share and celebrate but also to remember. For me nothing personifies this spirit more than Thanksgiving.  Think about it, what other holiday epitomizes the sheer celebration of food, family, friends without a gift giving opportunity in sight.  I know that Thanksgiving is to give thanks for our country's heritage and a peaceful coexistence between the Native Americans and the visitors from across the Atlantic Ocean but in my family it was a time of reunion around some of the best dishes I could ever imagine.  My mind goes back to my childhood with my mother, grandmother and any aunts that happened by all w

As we course through this slide we call life, a number of things can occur that will give you pause.  It could be a war thousands of miles away or a shooting just down the street.  Ever wonder why we don't hear more stories about heroic deeds or a community that hasn't seen a violent crime?  We wouldn't be interested.  We determine what the "media" reports as news.  It is our responsibility to stand up and say enough.  Quit bombarding us with the most horrific events known to man and start helping society grow as a whole into a more positive force.   Why do we hang on every word we hear on the news?  Whether it is broadcast on the radio, television, in print in a newspaper, magazine or on the internet.  We just don't seem to be able to get enough.  We condemn others for participating in gossip but isn't that what news really is? Entertainment news is the worst.  Is it really necessary to follow the comings and goings of a movie star or musician? Does it