"It's not our job to toughen our children up to face a cruel and heartless world.  It’s our job to raise children who will make the world a little less cruel and heartless.” – L.R. Knost I don’t think there is another parent in the world that would disagree with me when I say this is the toughest job we are given.   The most rewarding, but also the hardest.   We have a lot of sleepless nights.   We are always worried about this little human’s survival.   But to me, that’s not the hard part.   The hard part is how we help ensure that when they do grow up, that they are the best version of their selves they can be.   I’m sure each parent has a different image of that in their head.   Some have hopes for their financial security.   Some will focus on the impact they make on the world.   Some will provide all the training in the world for them to be a world class athlete.   There is nothing wrong with any of these aspirations f...

Travel means a lot of things to different people.   For some, it means adventure.   For others, relaxation.   For many, it means stress.   I travel for work on a weekly basis.   I sit in airports, on planes, and in hotel lobbies watching all the passengers and guests, imagining their stories.   Are they business travelers like me?   Families traveling with children could be visiting elder relatives or coming to Florida for a vacation.   Young men and women in groups could be traveling for sports teams or for their first vacation without parents.   Anxious passengers demonstrating they don’t typically fly, could be traveling for funerals or job interviews.   Everyone has a story.   I sit and watch and live vicariously through them for a few moments of time to feel what travel means for them.   When you travel via plane for work, it begins to feel as routine as commuting daily through traffic in a car.   You deal with ...

There is something magical about the theater.   The lights, beautiful stage design and props, the costumes all paint an enchanting background for the elegant dancing, and electric music.   I truly love it all.   I can’t tell you a time where I’ve gone to a performance and didn’t get goosebumps or a tear in my eye at some point.   It is an escape for the everyday where for a few hours you can get wrapped up in something whimsical and truly sensational.   I can’t remember my first live performance, but I can remember the first show that gave me the love.   I was fortunate enough to be a tag along on my aunt and uncle’s vacation to Europe when I was 14.   We spent some time in London and while we were there, we got to see the theatrical version of Beauty and the Beast.   Of course, the story and music were all very familiar from the Disney movie version, but seeing it live brought a whole new level of appreciation.   Since then, I haven’t b...