Yes. Balance. As a word balance is underrated. And probably a little bit under used. It’s not a sexy word. In fact it sounds pretty boring. It has never been  prevalent in pop culture. However, balance is a versatile word having the ability to be used as a noun, verb or adjective.

Don’t be fooled though. Balance is an essential ingredient to better quality of life. I had to learn this lesson the hard way, meaning I had to experience certain periods of imbalance to learn with parts of my life before I understood it’s importance.

Start with my diet. From my mid-teens to my early twenties my diet was terrible. Seriously. M&Ms, ice cream sandwiches and ginger ale sodas for breakfast some days. Carry out lunch with yellow Hostess cupcakes almost everyday. Snickers or honeybuns for afternoon snacks. And that was during the work week. Don’t even get me started on the weekend diet. At 23 years of age my doctor told me that if I kept eating like that I wouldn’t have to worry about body mass index at 24 because it wouldn’t matter………and then he fortunately sent me to a nutritionist. I was instructed to drink a glass of water before every meal and alternate fruits and sweets. Lost 17 pounds in three months. Balance. Glad those days are over.

And then there was the matter of sleep. I had to be up by 6:30am for work and routinely went to bed between 11pm and 1am. Around the same age (23) a fitness instructor encouraged me to try to go to bed at the same time (10pm) each night. I didn’t do that but I started going to bed by 10pm on Sundays. No TV, no music, no phones. No, um, social activities either……..at least not until the morning. Nothing. Changed my energy and focus for the entire week. Balance.

Look, I was not raised in the church. I am no theologian or Biblical Scholar. However, I do believe in the power of spirituality. I go to church occasionally and fellowship virtually almost weekly. I read scripture daily usually starting my morning with the Word of the day.  This fuels my positive energy all day. Not preaching to you just sharing with you. And honestly with all of the hedonistic heathenly things I’ve done in my life I could probably use a few more daily scriptures. Balance.

That’s it. Now that I’ve spent some time staring at these dull words I need a picture to provide some variety and a point of emphasis. This heavenly photo of Ms. Lupita Nyong’o just might do it. Praise the Lord.

You see, balance.

This is a Yamaha Revstar guitar. I don’t need it really. But, it sure would look good under a Christmas tree. My gift wish for the 18th Day of Christmas.

Leisure time. Time for oneself is a good thing. Making the most of that time is important. For the 19th Day I made a little extra time for guitar practice. Find some extra time for yourself this Holiday Season.

For the 20th Day of Christmas I practiced singing this song at home in anticipation of my public debut. I’ll keep you posted…. 

I like chocolate. I like kisses. Good for the 21st Day or any day. I’ll empty this dish tonight so it can be refilled tomorrow.

December 5, 2025. Snow is on the ground. Snow is still falling but not accumulating on the roads which means I don’t have to clean my driveway or sidewalk. That’s a good thing.

Late Fall. Early Winter. The Cold.  Don’t underestimate The Cold. The Cold has presence. The Cold has life. It breathes. It moves. The Cold knows it’s purpose, resting comfortably on its laurels while arrogantly awaiting its seasonal arrival.

The Cold knows it’s effect on us. It laughs as, upon first exposure, our bodies recoil when feeling the relative change from the now departed summer. The Cold boldly moves as it watches us hurry to find the nearest shelter, smiling proudly as it forces us to wear coats, hats, gloves, hoodies.

The Cold moves you differently than heat. Upon stepping outdoors into the Summer heat your body feels the weight of the high temperatures initially, then the heat settles into your skin and bones. The Cold is not as patient, attacking your skin instantly and cutting right through to your bones while celebrating as you surrender and seek refuge. Beware…  

‘Tis the Season. Fall is here and Winter is coming. So to is The Cold.

You know, I’ve been spoiled with many different types of Christmas gifts over the years. Toys in my youth. Money as a teenager. Musical instruments as an adult. Loved and cherished them all. But you know what, the best gift is the soft, warm and close embrace my wife gives when she knows I need it. Like today and everyday. 

Give the gift a hug today. You may receive one in return.

Easy gift wish for today. Easy gift wish for any day. Any guesses? One Happy Place………

I recently reposted a story from 2022 titled “Revenge of the Clothes Dryer” which tells the time I gained some weight while thinking my clothes were shrinking. Well it is 2025 and I feel my clothes are shrinking once again. So…….

Today’s Christmas wish is for time to exercise. Last year a few of my coworkers, who saw me take walks during lunch, asked if I worked out. I did not but was flattered by the assumption. Using that as motivation I started doing “50 Exercises For Men Over 50” which I saw on YouTube. From February 2024 to January 2025 I was pretty consistent with daily workouts.  Not so much since then.  Guess I better get back to it. My shrinking clothes are telling me it’s time.