“What counts is not necessarily the size of the dog in the fight—it’s the size of the fight in the dog.” Dwight D. Eisenhower, 34th President of the United States. Challenges teach us about ourselves and life. As our circumstances change, we change, our challenges are always changing. When I was a kid growing up in New York City, I had freedom of movement, I had a bicycle to explore different neighborhoods. Then one day, our family moved to San Diego, my whole life was turned upside down. I...

Dissent When I look at Instagram, watch the news and other media venues, my senses are overloaded. So much overlapping and multi-generational activity; it’s a lot to keep up with. Especially television dramas or news coverage. Excessive and graphic depictions of events and violence can increase the likelihood of experiencing a traumatic impact, especially anxiety and feelings of not being safe. Do you see bad or evil more than good? Seems like values, outlooks on life, interpersonal behaviors...

Fatherhood I came from an era where men didn’t express emotions. My father, born in 1913, never said I love you or hugged me. But I knew he loved me. When my son was born, I wanted to break the cycle of “silence” and teach my son to find the balance between self-expression and individualism. I had to uproot my own antiquated male stereotypical thinking and plant new ideas; more expressive, compassionate, and loving. Our grandfathers and great grandfathers were crusty hard-nosed survivors from...