Author Archives: thisihumblyspeak

Your Roots, Your Backbone

Posted on February 9, 2018 by thisihumblyspeak

Last week I had the honor of addressing the 2018 Winter Graduates of University of La Verne College of Arts and Sciences. Here is the speech. Traditionally commencement speeches contain life advice, words of wisdom, ideas on how to be … Continue reading →

Posted in faith, family, humanity, kindness, life | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

I Want to Write

Posted on January 9, 2018 by thisihumblyspeak

Here it comes again — a new year, a clean slate, a fresh start with new opportunities. No matter how we celebrate the coming of the New Year, with a boom and a bang or a whisper and a shout, … Continue reading →

Posted in gratitude, life | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Toward Tomorrow

Posted on January 1, 2018 by thisihumblyspeak

I prepare to leave yesterday behind And look toward tomorrow; I know that it may be a repeat of today and the yesterdays, But I insist On seeing the value even in the humble, unremarkable repeat of situations. Because, if … Continue reading →

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Christmas Hope

Posted on December 21, 2017 by thisihumblyspeak

Christmas is the one time of the year I truly embrace with unashamed childlike excitement. The years may have flown by and brought me children, grandchildren, joy, sadness, successes and failures, big moments, laughter and tears, losses and gains. Yet, … Continue reading →

Posted in faith, family, gifts, God, kindness | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

Thank You

Posted on November 20, 2017 by thisihumblyspeak

One of the things our parents drummed into our ears as children from the time we learned to talk was to say thank you (and please). We grew up saying Thank You for as many things as I can remember. … Continue reading →

Posted in family, gifts, gratitude, kindness, life | Tagged , , | 12 Comments

MEN, Step Forward

Posted on October 17, 2017 by thisihumblyspeak

October and the color purple, with hashtags #CATURNSPURPLE, #DVAM2017 spread across the Golden State and social media, remind the nation that this is Domestic Violence (DV) Awareness Month, designed to increase awareness and understanding of a topic not often brought … Continue reading →

Posted in family, justice | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Guns, Endemic to America

Posted on October 9, 2017 by thisihumblyspeak

How many people must be killed to bring about reasonable gun controls in the US? So routine are shootings—homicidal, suicidal, accidental—that only mass shootings like Las Vegas, or Orlando, or San Bernardino, or Newtown, or Aurora, or Blacksburg, or Columbine … Continue reading →

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Ants Do It, Birds Do It

Posted on September 19, 2017 by thisihumblyspeak

I found this thought among my collection of writings. I still stand by it. “The advancement of humans individually and collectively lies not in perpetuating or fighting about differences, but in universal respect, cooperation void of egoism, and a willingness … Continue reading →

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Wish and Pray

Posted on August 28, 2017 by thisihumblyspeak

As summer draws to a close and I know that those “lazy, hazy,” out of the ordinary days must end, I look across the glossy tanned bodies of eclectic people in their “itsy bitsy teeny weeny” sometimes non-existent bikinis, to the … Continue reading →

Posted in faith, family, God, life | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Dutiful Freedom

Posted on July 18, 2017 by thisihumblyspeak

“Why can’t I have freedom to do what I want?” complained my eight-year-old grandson when he was asked to perform a task given him. “There are too many rules and duties,” he whined further. One of my goddaughters at age … Continue reading →

Posted in family, life | Tagged , , , | 9 Comments