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 Reflections
Written by Robert Kirwan
The
articles I have written over the years, mostly in the Valley Vision
Paper which many of you will remember, have been arranged according
to the year in which they were written. The button will take you to
the year you select and from there you will be able to view the
articles that were written. I hope you enjoy what you read and I
also hope that they give you food for thought that will move you in
some small way.
I have also begun, as of March 2014, to include a special
Reflection on Life every week in our Valley East Facebook Group, so if
you would like to see those entries,
CLICK HERE
If
you have any comments, please send them to me at rkirwan@infocomcanada.com
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| If
you have any comments, please send them to me at rkirwan@infocomcanada.com |
 | Don't
Make Any New Year's Resolutions This Year! Make Some New Year's
Realizations! (Dec.27) |
| The
Perfect Gift (Dec.20) |
| There
Are Never Any Mistakes In Life ... Just Detours (Dec.13) |
| Don’t Ask Why? Just
Accept That Everything Happens For A Reason! (Dec.6) |
| Daddy, When Will
My Fingers Grow Back? (Nov.29) |
| 'Are Your
Potatoes Heavy?' (Nov.22) |
| You
Can't Direct The Wind But You Can Adjust The Sails (Nov.15) |
| The
Price of A Miracle - One Dollar and Eleven Cents (Nov.8) |
| Let's
Pause To Remember An Old Friend (Nov.1) |
| "The
Mighty Oak Was Once A Little Nut That Stood Its Ground" (Oct.25) |
| Never Expect
Payment For Kindness (Oct.18) |
| Have
You Turned A Life Around Today? (Oct.11) |
| Through
The Eyes of The Beholder, Things To Be Truly Thankful For (Oct.4) |
| Respect is 'Caught' not 'Taught', But Who Is Doing The Throwing?
(Sept.27) |
| May
We Never Be Too Busy To Respond With Kindness And Compassion To Strangers (Sept.20) |
| Change
Is Something You Can't Escape, Coping With Change Is Critical (Sept.13) |
| Love Your Family As You Would Love
A Stranger (Sept.6) |
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What
Really Matters In Life... People, Not Objects (Aug.30) |
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Fighting
To Keep Our Most Valuable Resources (Aug.23) |
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Wake Up And See That Your Dreams Have
Already Come True (Aug.16) |
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If
you have any comments, please send them to me at
rkirwan@infocomcanada.com |
JULY TO DECEMBER
| Will
Christmas Ever Be The Same Without Them? |
| Look
For The Gold Slippers This Christmas (Dec.12) |
| The
Community Circle of Support, We're all in This Together (Dec.5) |
| All
We Have To Do Is Stand By Each Other - Even A Goose Knows That (Nov.28) |
| The
"Good Old Days" Were Not That Long Ago (Nov.21) |
| Being
In The Right Place At The Right Time; Luck? or Providence? (Nov.14) |
| We
Need Not Be Afraid of Adversity (Nov.7) |
| Taking
Time To Think Before You Act or Speak Can Often Save You From Making Big
Mistakes (Oct.31)
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| When
Your Comfort Zone Feels Like A Jail It Is Time To Get Out (Oct.24) |
| Now
That Brick Has Hit Us, What Are We Going To Do? (Oct.17) |
| Who
Wants To Get Back To Normal? Not Me! (Oct.10) |
| Just
One of Those Stories That Touch The Heart (Oct.3) |
| Your
Decision - Change Your Focus or Remain Captive (Sept.26) |
| The
Dark Candle (Sept.19) |
| Be
Careful Which Memories You Engrave In Stone (Sept.12) |
| "Always
Be Kind To Strangers, For You May Be Entertaining Angels Without Knowing
It" (Sept.5) |
| Parents
Responsible For Putting An End To Wild House-Parties (Aug.29) |
| Of Course We All Want What Is Best For Our Children!
But How Do We Know If We Are On The Right Track? (Aug.22) |
| Community Celebrations Touch The Soul In Ways That Many Of
Us Find Hard To Express (Aug.15) |
| Do You Know Where Your Children Are? They Are Watching
Everything You Do! (Aug.8) |
| Is
There Anyone You Want To Thank Today? (Aug.1) |
| The
Echo of Life (July.18) |
| A
"Love" Story (July.11) |
| Take
Care of The Rocks First (July.4) |
JANUARY TO JUNE
| Building
A Strong and Productive Life Is As Simple As Developing Strong
And Productive Habits (June.27) |
| Puppies
For Sale (June.20) |
| There
is Much in The Show Window, But Nothing In The Stock Room (June.13) |
| A
Sandpiper To Bring You Joy (June.6) |
| Graduation
Brings With It Many Dreams And Wishes For A Successful Life (May.30) |
| If
Nobody Cared... (May.23) |
| Every
Day Be Thankful For Who You Are And What You Have (May.16) |
| I
Loved You Enough... (May.9) |
| Sometimes
All We Need Is A Hug (May.2) |
| Hiring
People To Work For You Is No Easy Task (Apr.25) |
| This
Is Good! (Apr.18) |
| People
Will Always Remember How You Made Them Feel
(Apr.11) |
| I
Believe In Tomorrow (Apr.4) |
| A
Thousand Marbles (Mar.28) |
| The
People Who Make A Difference In Your Life Are The Ones Who Care (Mar.21) |
| Life
Is A Do-It-Yourself Project (Mar.14) |
| If
You Spend Time Mourning Your Losses You Will Miss Out On The
Special Things You Have
(Mar.7)
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| We
Can All Learn A Lot About Life From The Sponge (Feb.28) |
| I
Can Do It! (Feb.21) |
| "I
Don't Understand Life" A Lot Of Questions With No Answers (Feb.14) |
| "Just
A Dog" (Feb.7) |
| Enduring
Life's Challenges Will Give You The Strength To Reach Your
Treasure (Jan.31) |
| Saying
Good-Bye (Jan.24) |
| If
Tomorrow Never Comes (Jan.17) |
| It Was Meant To Be! (Jan.10) |
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| If
you have any comments, please send them to me at rkirwan@infocomcanada.com |
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Happiness
Is All A Matter Of How You Look At Things (Apr.3) |
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You
Can Find Peace In The Strangest Places (Mar.27) |
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Creating
Opportunity Is Just A Matter of Looking At Things Differently (Mar.20) |
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Are
You An Egg; A Carrot; or A Coffee Bean (Mar.13) |
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Do
You Know Who Packed Your Parachute? (Mar.6) |
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Cancelled
Hockey Game In Valley East Is First Step In Removing "Terrorism"
From The Game (Feb.27) |
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Animals
Are Parents Too (Feb.20) |
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We
Can Learn A Lot About Life And Love By Watching Lovebirds (Feb.13)
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"I
Believe" (Feb.6) |
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The
Secret of Success May Be As Close As Your Last Failure (Jan.30)
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Maybe
It's Time To Just Go Fishing Again! (Jan.23) |
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There
Are Times When We Only Need To See The Cake (Jan.16) |
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Treat
Every Person You Meet At The Most Important Person In Your Life (Jan.9) |
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If
you have any comments, please send them to me at rkirwan@infocomcanada.com
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| Try
to hold on to the memories of how good you feel during the next few weeks
whenever you are around people who liven things up with happiness. See how
quickly a room full of quiet people can break into laughter when one
person brightens up the room. Happiness is contagious, and all it takes is
one person to lift up everyone’s spirit. More
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| This is my favourite time of the
year, and I know that most of you likely feel the same way. However, at
the risk of putting a damper on your “Christmas Spirit”, it is also
the time of year when I get the most discouraged about the future of this
great community. More>>> |
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| The other day I came across a short article that clearly
explained why it is so difficult to get people to change their habits and
beliefs. The article showed me that a simple creature like the "processionary
caterpillar" can teach us all a lot about life if we are only willing
to listen. More>>>> |
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| Have you ever noticed that it is usually the little things
you do for people that are often the most appreciated? More>>>> |
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| We’ve all been there. If you are human, you can’t help
but experience times when everything seems to be going wrong and you feel
as if your life is completely out of control. More>>>> |
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| The
other day I was typing an article on my computer when I was interrupted by
the sound of someone speaking a language which I must admit I am beginning
to understand. It was my 15-month old granddaughter tugging at my shirt
wanting me to play with her. More>>> |
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| Have
you ever found yourself in a situation where you jumped to a conclusion
about someone, only to find out later that you were wrong? Embarrassing,
isn’t it? More>>> |
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| Have
you ever been involved in an argument or debate with someone and just
couldn’t find the right words to back up your position? More>>>> |
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| Many of my acquaintances often
ask me how I come up with ideas for my editorials every week. I tell them
that it is easy when you are around people all of the time. You just have
to watch and listen. Life happens and stories evolve on their own. More>>>> |
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| As one grows older you would
expect that there would be fewer and fewer new things to experience about
life. You know the expression, “Been there, done that!”
So imagine how I felt, when, for the first time in my 55 years on
this earth, I found myself standing by in a lonely hospital room last week
watching my mother-in-law die. More>>>> |
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| Parenting is an art! Ask any
mother or father and they will quickly tell you that there is nothing that
fully prepares you for the role, but you soon discover that there is no
job in the world that is more satisfying or more challenging. More>>>> |
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| There are certain things you stumble across in this life
that hit you like a brick. A few weeks ago I saw the quotation above and
it almost knocked me over. It was on one of those days when I was
questioning whether or not I was making any difference at all in the
things I was doing. More>>>>> |
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| I want
to share a story with you that makes me feel just a little bit of pain
every time I read it. As a father, a teacher, and a husband, I have often
found myself in a situation where I “failed to see the cake” and I
know I missed out on some pretty special moments. More>>> |
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| I once met a farmer who had lived on the same farm all his
life. It was a good farm with fertile soil, but with the passing of the
years, the farmer began to think that maybe there was something better for
him. More>>> |
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| Some people find that it is a lot easier to simply accept
the status quo, and go about their live with a feeling that nothing they
do will make a difference. |
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| Every now and then Christians are challenged to justify
their faith in God. Some people just do not believe things they can’t
understand. Here is a little story that may help you the next time you
find yourself in a conversation with a person who is trying to put you on
the spot. More>>>> |
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| A long time ago there was a young man who was going through
a very difficult period in his life. He worked extremely hard and just
couldn’t find any time to spend with his wife and children. He went to
confide in his father, who was the wisest man he knew. More>>> |
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| Several centuries ago, the Emperor of Japan asked a
Japanese artist to paint a picture of a particular species of bird. Many
years later, the Emperor paid a personal visit to the artist’s studio to
ask for an explanation as to why his painting had not yet been delivered. More>>> |
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| I feel sorry for the next generation. Admittedly, I am not
very old myself, but as I look back over my life I realize that the times
during which I really appreciated what I had were the times when I didn=t
really have very much. It seems that the more we have, the more we want,
and the more we take for granted what we have. Many of us spend our entire
life searching for something that we had right in front of us all along. More
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| I was recently reminded of a golf tournament I played in
way back in August 2000. I was on a team with my son and two of his
friends. When we took our place on the tee to begin our quest for the
championship, little did I realize that I was taking part in one of those
significant life experiences that we all look back upon with fondness over
the ever increasing years of our life. More
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| Too often we come across individuals who are so sure of
them self that they refuse to change their focus. They would rather
continue in one direction without changing focus or giving consideration
to other alternatives. How often we have witnessed failure, when a simple
change of direction would have resulted in success. More
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| One of the things you learn as you are going through the
various stages of life is that no matter what you are involved in, life
has a way of throwing obstacles at you. Our ability to cope with
change and disruption determines, to a great degree, our peace, happiness
and contentment in life. But how do we develop this ability to cope with
change? How do we help children learn this skill? More
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| The "Daffodil Garden" was located on the side of
a mountain. It was a magnificent scene. One of the most beautiful sights
you could imagine. It looked as though someone had taken a great vat of
gold and poured it down over the mountain peak and slopes where it had run
into every crevice and over every rise. The mountainside was radiant,
clothed in massive drifts and waterfalls of daffodils. More
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| I read an article the other day which was written by a man
named Jeff Keller. After I finished the article, I realized that the
title, "There’s A Lot More Left In The Tube", is one of those
motivational quotations that you would like to hang up in every room to
remind you that you should never give up too soon. We have all experienced
frustration and despair at various times in our lives when we felt we had
done everything we possibly could to achieve a particular goal. It may be
something as simple as trying to grow flowers in your garden, or as
serious as how to cultivate a better relationship with your child or
spouse, or something to do with your job. Whatever the case, there comes a
point when you simply feel you can’t go on any further. More>>>>> |
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| Many times we, as flawed human beings, make a personal
comment, or react to a situation in anger, only to wish we could take back
our words or say what we really wanted to say in a different manner? Human
beings are, by nature, confrontational animals. We like to get in the last
word! We are quick to strike back with a negative comment when we are
angry or when we are insulted! We don’t like to sit back and take
criticism! Many times, our verbal attacks make us feel good for the
moment, but then we feel a sense of remorse and regret afterwards when we
realize that what we actually said may have inflicted great pain on those
around us. Consider the valuable lesson about life a father taught his son
in this little story and see if there is a lesson for all of us. More>>>>> |
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| One day a little red hen scratched about in the
barnyard until she gathered some grains of wheat. She called her
neighbours and said, "If we plant this wheat, we shall have bread to
eat. Who will help me plant?" More>>>>> |
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The other morning I stopped for a hot chocolate at the drive
through of Tim Horton’s. It was early, and the line-up was unusually
long. By the time I got to the window for my single cup of hot chocolate I
was more than a little annoyed at the waiting time. The glass door lifted,
and there to greet my frowning face was a young lady with a sincerely
friendly smile and a cheery, "Good morning, sir. Here is your hot
chocolate. That will be $1.24 please." More>>>>>
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If
you have any comments, please send them to me at rkirwan@infocomcanada.com
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JULY TO DECEMBER
| A Very Special
Christmas Wish From The Kirwan Family
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| “Attitude
Is The Key To Dealing With Family Stress During The
Holiday
Season” |
| “Uncovering
The Secret” |
| “The
Watermelon Hunter” |
| “How
Many Potatoes Are You Carrying Around?” |
| “Celebrate
National Adult Day With A Child This Weekend…” |
| “The
Moments That Stand Out In Your Life…” |
| “Understanding
True Love Is Often A Matter of Time…” |
| “An Invitation To
Move To The I Can
Do It Street
”
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| “Wasted
The Whole Day Fishing With Jimmy. Didn’t Catch A
Thing.” |
| “The
Mystery of Life…A
Lot of Questions With No Answers…”
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| "The
Golden Windows..."
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| JANUARY TO JUNE |
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| Two little boys were dressed and ready to go. In fact, they
had been ready now for more than an hour. Excitement flooded their faces
and all their talk was about only one thing: their father had promised to
take them to the circus that afternoon and they were only minutes away
from leaving. For More>>>> |
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| One day,
many years ago, I was standing in the hallway at a local
elementary school watching a teacher bring her class to
the gym when I overheard the most philosophical question
I have ever encountered in my life. For
More>>>> |
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| When
my Father-in-law, Ignace Starcevic, passed away in 1982,
my wife asked me to come up with something nice to have
engraved on his tombstone. I was only 32 at the
time and we were in the process of raising three young
sons, aged 3, 5 and 7.
It was a hectic time of our lives and we were
typical parents – running ourselves ragged as we
encountered all of the normal experiences and challenges
faced by all other young parents. For
More>>>> |
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It
has often been said that a person’s life is the sum total of his/her
experiences. On the surface that seems like a simple enough statement, but
if one accepts this premise, then why do so many of us engage in practices
and activities which are negative and actually hurt us. Consider
the family of five who decided one day to each clean a different area of
the home. They each took a sponge, did the cleaning, and then placed the
sponges back on the kitchen counter top. The sponges all looked the same. For
More>>>>
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| There
are a lot of things I like about my life right now. I could spend the
entire editorial discussing my family, my career and how I have enjoyed
living in Val Therese for the past 32 years. But other than things to do
with my family, the thing I like best about my life is the fact that
through all of my work and personal interactions with the various parts of
the community, I get to meet so many wonderful people who are devoted to
improving the quality of life for others in need. For
More>>>> |
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| Norman Vincent Peale once wrote, “In her the creative
genius of God attains His highest skill. What a charming blend she is of
the most lovable and moving qualities of human nature. From the moment in
youth when she holds her first baby in her arms until in life’s evening
time she looks tenderly upon her grandchild, her life is one of dedicated
service and love. Loving us; believing in us; fighting for us; praying for
us; to her we are always her dear child – life of her life.” For
More>>>> |
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| The
other day I overheard two teenage girls in the mall complaining about
their parents. One of them was upset because her parents wouldn’t let
her go out on a date with a guy named Fred, who was three years older than
her. The girls were making plans to trick her parents into thinking they
were having a sleep-over. For
More>>>> |
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| A number of years ago, while attending a circus with my
children, I noticed a group of elephants in an open area. Each of these
gigantic beasts was being held by only a small rope tied to their front
leg. There were no chains and no fences around them. It was pretty obvious
that the elephants could break away from their bonds at any time, but for
some reason they did not. I went over to one of the trainers and asked why
these beautiful, magnificent animals just stood there and made no attempt
to get away. For More>>>> |
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| We all casually leave lasting impressions on others who
come into our life. The least, little courtesy, the simplest, kind word,
perhaps a bit of time spent "just being there," or even, I
suppose, the most fleeting, careless kindness, like fixing a wheel for a
stranger could be a gesture that someone else remembers for the rest of
his or her life. For More>>>> |
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| I’ve met a lot of people
over the course of my lifetime. Some I remember with fondness and some I
would rather forget. A little over two years ago, when I began working as
the Marketing Manager for the Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre, I met a
quiet, unassuming gentleman who has taught me a lot more about life than
he can ever imagine. For More>>>> |
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| What would you say if I told you that it was impossible for you to
ever make a wrong decision? You may not always be happy with the results
of some of your decisions, but it is impossible to make a ‘wrong
decision’. For
more>>>>
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“What is wrong with the younger generation today?”
Ask
any adult that question and inevitably the answer will boil down to the
fact that, in general, kids just seem to have a serious lack of respect
today. Not all kids display this character flaw, but a large number of
them certainly do. And the ones who demonstrate a lack of respect for
people, property and themselves tend to be the most vocal and the most
visible. For
more>>>>
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| The
latest data we have available shows that the jobless rate in
Sudbury
is anywhere from 7 to 10%. This is a serious situation which has been
getting worse over the years as the rest of the country shows employment
and economic growth. For more>>>> |
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It’s
strange how you sometimes get the best advice from the most unusual
places. The other day I met a young man who was a former student of mine. He told
me a story about the birth of his daughter that touched my heart. The
baby was born with a minor problem that caused enough concern for the doctor
to order a test the next morning. For
more>>>> |
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| I
consider myself to have been very fortunate in life. Sure there have been
days I would like to forget and I have suffered a lot of set backs and
disappointments like anyone else, but, for the most part, my life has been
pretty good. One of the reasons I
feel this way is that many years ago I learned to accept the principle
that where I am today is the sum total of every single thing that has ever
happened to me along this journey. For
more>>>> |
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| The other day I reviewed the results of an international
survey which concluded that
Canada
has one of the most serious shortages of skilled labour in the industrial
world. That didn’t surprise me much. We’ve been hearing for years that
our schools must begin to produce more skilled graduates in the trades.
What did surprise me, however, is
the survey found that employers in
Canada
are not just having trouble finding employees in the skilled trades field.
For more>>>> |
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| “What
do you want to be when you grow up?”
That is the million dollar question that has been asked to young
people since the beginning of time. More>>>> |
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| One
of the most important lessons we learn in life is usually due to problems
we’ve encountered because we’ve failed to adhere to the following very
simple, basic rule. “If You Want To Accomplish Anything, You Must Pay
Attention To The Little Details.” More>>>> |
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| One
day two young brothers were in the backyard when their father came home
and saw them digging in a hole that was already waist deep. The father
came up to them and asked for an explanation. More>>>> |
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| As the
story goes, one day a long time ago, a young mother walked into her 5-year
old daughter’s bedroom and was extremely upset to see that the little
girl had used almost a whole roll of expensive gold wrapping paper to
decorate a small package about the size of a shoe box. While severely
scolding her daughter, the mother quickly gathered the remaining paper,
scotch tape and scissors. The child was told to get her pajamas on and go
to bed immediately without watching TV or getting her usual bedtime snack.
More>>>
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| It
never ceases to amaze me that people who have been through some of the
most horrendous challenges this world can throw at them seem to have the
most positive outlook towards life. I met a wonderful lady the other day
who taught me a great deal about what it means to live one day at a time
and how happy you can be if you focus on what is truly important. More>>> |
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| I want to thank Cindi Cooke for sending me the following
email which clearly demonstrates the one thing that we all take for
granted, but that is definitely our most valued possession. I don't think
the story needs any introduction. The message is clear. More>>>> |
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| However,
no matter how happy we are or how much we enjoy the Christmas festivities,
most of us will experience a few sad moments at this time of year as well.
More>>>>> |
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If
you have any comments, please send them to me at rkirwan@infocomcanada.com
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| "Take
Time During The Next Few Weeks To Develop An Action Plan For
Achieving Your Dreams
"
There
are two times of the year when most people are open to “new
beginnings” and are actually energized about making changes that
will improve their life. One of those times is on your birthday. The
other time is January 1 as you begin a New Year.
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| The
Truly Important Lessons To Be Learned By Our Children Will Last
A Lifetime
This
is the time of year when students, teachers and parents take a
deep breath and look forward to the Christmas holidays as a
well-deserved break from the day-to-day challenges of the
classroom. For those students who have found success so far this
year, it is a happy occasion. For others who may be struggling
it is simply a chance to escape from their problems for a few
weeks.
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| My Junk Drawer
Every now and then I get the urge to go through my
cluttered office in an effort to get rid of some of the “junk”
that has accumulated over time. There are so many things lying
around that I haven’t needed in years and I can always use the
space that would be created by throwing out stuff I don’t need. A
few weeks ago I got that urge to do some “cleaning”.
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| When Are We Ever Going To Need This?
“When are we ever going to need this?” If
you are a teacher or a parent, you have most certainly already been
asked this question on more than one occasion. If your children are
still fairly young, believe me; the question will eventually come up
and it will put you on the spot.
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| Winter
Is Going To Be Here Before You Know It
I am now going through that transitional stage of life where
one moves from being a healthy, robust middle aged person into what
is commonly referred to as the “senior” years. Strange as it may
sound, I never gave much thought about how I would feel once it was
time for me to enter the ranks of “seniors”. When I was younger
I thought that a senior was anyone over the age of 50. But with each
passing birthday, I began to think of seniors as being much older
than that.
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| Taking
Advantage of
Opportunity
May Require Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone And Taking Personal
Risks
Deciding that you are going to do something to improve your
life and begin a new career is one thing, but actually doing it is
another. Anyone can talk about self-improvement. As a matter of
fact, I am sure that we all engage in such conversations from time
to time. It takes a lot of courage to actually risk stepping out of
your comfort zone to do something about it.
|
| A Very Special Thanksgiving
Weekend
This
weekend we celebrate Thanksgiving, a time of the year that has
always been special to me. Usually I find myself working out in the
yard putting things away for the winter with plenty of time to think
about life in general. This is going to be a very special
Thanksgiving for many of us because things don’t appear to be
going very well for a lot of people right now.
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| You
Are Never Too Old To Live Out Your Dreams
More and more we find ourselves running into someone we know
who has begun a new career or a new hobby or opened up a new
business at an age when most others would be thinking about
retirement. The initial reaction to such news is often one of
astonishment that the person would want to ‘waste so much time and
energy’ during the final stage of his/her life instead of sitting
back and soaking up the sunshine.
|
| Parents,
Teachers and Coaches Must Learn How To Deal With The Curse of
Knowledge
Once we know something, we find it hard to imagine what it was
like not to know it. Our knowledge has “cursed” us. And it
becomes difficult for us to share our knowledge with others, because
we can’t readily re-create our listener’s state of mind.
|
| Now
Is A Good Time To Change Your Focus And Make Things Better In Your
Life
It is therefore
extremely important for all of us to remember that no matter how
difficult the situation may be, there is no problem that cannot be
solved. It might just mean that you have to take a step back and
approach your problem from a different angle. A change in focus may
very well enable you to discover a simple solution which was there
all along.
|
| Life
is Like Choosing Food In A Cafeteria
The
community of
Valley East
is experiencing
a remarkable turning point in our evolution which has been largely
brought about by a global recession that has gripped the world in a
stranglehold the likes of which could never have been imagined a few
short years ago. As we struggle to
emerge from the devastation brought about by a collapsed economy we
are going to be left with a large number of casualties.
Unfortunately, many of the victims will be young people who are
attempting to start out in new careers. Clearly, our entire future
as a community will depend on the courage and tenacity of young
people who are able to endure the challenges which lay ahead.
|
| It’s
All About Attitude!
William James, one of the founders of modern psychology, said
"The greatest discovery of this generation is that a human
being can alter their life by altering their attitude."
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| The
True Meaning of Fatherhood
This coming Sunday, June 21, 2009 will be the 35th
Father’s Day I have celebrated as a father and the 4th
as a grandfather. Once again I expect to be spending a good part of
the day in quiet reflection about the tremendous responsibility I
took on when I became a father for the first time. I will have to
once again have to admit to myself that I wasn’t always as good a
father as I should have been.
|
| Burning
Boats
&
Caterpillars
Most
people fail to achieve their goals, not because they are lazy or
lack self-motivation, but because they were never fully committed to
succeed in the first place. All of the people who achieve great
things begin with a plan of action and then an unshakable commitment
to its accomplishment. It is commitment that makes the difference
between success and failure.
|
| A
Philosophy of Life That Can Be Adopted By Everyone
Many
years ago I decided that I would adopt the "What if this is the
last time..." philosophy of life. I discovered that this
approach to life enables me to adopt a healthy perspective on all
events that take place in my life.
|
| Your
Education is What You Are Left With When You Forget What You Were
Taught
Personally, I
can’t remember what my primary grade teachers taught me when I was
learning to read. I don’t remember the specific lessons. But I
love to read! And I love working with numbers! I don’t remember
what I was taught, nor do I remember the marks I received on my
report cards.
|
| Stop
Longing For Your Childhood Dreams And Enjoy The Life You Were Given
We
must never forget that true happiness
comes from accepting the life with which we have been provided and
by living that life to the fullest. Happiness does not come from big
homes and fancy cars. True happiness comes from your attitude
towards your own unique situation in life and the relationships you
develop with the loving people around you.
|
| You
Can Learn A
Lot
About Life By Squeezing A Sponge
I am a firm believer that a person’s life is the sum total
of his/her experiences – ALL of his/her experiences. For example,
there are a lot of things that have happened to me during my
lifetime that I wish would have turned out differently. However,
when I examine my situation today there are so many positive things
that I wouldn’t give up for the world.
|
| "Your
Greatest Gift: The Power To Choose Your Own Destiny"
I don’t get much of a chance to read poetry, but I came
across one recently that was written by a wise old person who goes
by the name of Hafiz. The poem is called, Gifts, and it speaks about
the potential we all have when we first come into this world.
|
|
"It’s
Time For Each Of Us To Recreate Our Life"
My wife and I
were watching a documentary on TVO recently that was originally
intended as a warning about the consequences of rising oil prices.
We both watch CNN quite a bit, so the comments being made by the
experts didn’t seem that outrageous, considering the global
economic crisis we are experiencing in all corners of the world
today. After a few minutes I clicked the information button on the
converter to see the description of the program and was amazed that
the show was produced in 2005.
|
|
"There
Are Five Birds Sitting On A Wire. One Decides To Fly Away. How Many
Are Left?"
While there are
several obvious answers you may come up with, the correct answer is five
(5). Read the question again and you will see that it did not say
that one bird actually “flew away”. The information you are
provided with is that one bird merely “decided to fly away”. In
fact, deciding to fly away and actually flying away are two
completely different things.
|
|
"Have the Courage to
Get Up
And Ride
The Wave
"
We often look up to highly successful business people or
athletes as if their “surfboards” were making the waves they
rode. They know, and we often overlook, that they’re just riding
the waves of circumstances and situations that came their way. They
have taken advantage of the opportunities that crossed their paths
and have made the best of it.
|
|
"An
Optimist Sees The
Opportunity
In Every Difficulty"
It may be hard for us to think positive at a
time like this, but whenever I find myself drifting off into
“negative-thinking mode” I take out my favourite quote by
Winston Churchill as he explained the difference between a pessimist
and an optimist. He said, "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees
the opportunity in every difficulty."
|
|
"Breaking
News!"
Sometimes these things appear at first to
be negative, but upon closer examination and upon accepting that
nothing much can be done about it, one may as well simply find
something to enjoy about the experience.
|
|
" Working Together For
The Good of Our Community"
Whenever I
have time to reflect on my feelings about living in the
community of
Valley East
and whether or not I might enjoy living elsewhere, I recall a
story I once read about a farmer who had lived in the same
home all his life. It was a good farm with fertile soil, but
with the passing of the years, the farmer began to think that
maybe there was something better for him.
|
|
" Many
Among Us Have Been Living In A Recession
For Years
!"
The truth is that many of the people in our community
have been living a “personal economic recession” for years
as corporations helped individuals with high paying jobs drive
up the cost of everything from bread to homes.
|
|
" You
Are Special…
Don’t Ever Forget It!"
A long time ago I attended a conference where a
well-known motivational
speaker started off his seminar by holding up a brand new
crisp $20 bill. He
looked over the crowd of close to 200 business persons in
attendance and asked, “Who
would like this $20 bill?" |
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If
you have any comments, please send them to me at rkirwan@infocomcanada.com
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JANUARY TO JUNE
| Have
you ever gazed into a newborn baby's eyes and seen the infinite
presence of pure spirit looking back at you? |
| Everything
in your life is an exact duplication of your consciousness |
| Taking
Advantage of
Opportunity
May Require Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone And Taking Personal
Risks |
| Thank
You For Showing Us How To Light The Candle Again, Candice |
| The
Little Things Do Make All The Difference In The World |
| Respect
is Caught; Not Taught! What
Are Your Children Catching From You? |
| Nothing
is Really Work Unless You Would Rather Be Doing Something Else |
|
Knowing Where To Look Comes From Years of Experience |
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If
you have any comments, please send them to me at
rkirwan@infocomcanada.com |
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|
| There are certain things you stumble across in this
life that hit you like a brick. A few weeks ago I saw the quotation above
and it almost knocked me over. It was on one of those days when I was
questioning whether or not I was making any difference at all in the
things I was doing. More>>>> |
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|
|
| The Tipping Point philosophy is based on the belief that
changes in behaviour or perception can reach a critical mass and then
suddenly create a whole new reality. The most important thing in trying to
analyse whether something is at the verge of a tipping point is whether it
(an event) causes people to reframe an issue. More>>>> |
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|
| "A special invitation to all
residents of Valley East to join together in celebrating a hundred
years of history as we take a giant leap into a bright and
exciting future!" More
>>>> |
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| By reaching out to help each other - that is with residents
who are willing to support local businesses and with businesses who are
willing to provide local residents with good value for the goods and
services purchases - we will all benefit from the power of this Community
Circle of Support and move forward into a brighter future with the
confidence that we are all in this together. More
>>>> |
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Have you ever watched geese flying along in the sky in a
“V” formation? They fly like that because as each bird in front flaps
its wings it creates an updraft for the bird immediately following. By
flying together in a “V” formation, it has been estimated that the
whole flock adds over 70% to its flying range than if each bird flew on
its own. This means that the flock can cover their journey much more
quickly and with much less of an effort by working together. More
>>>> |
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| As
the community of Valley East continues to struggle in the face of a large
economic slow-down, it is becoming clear that our entire future will
depend on the courage and tenacity of young people who are willing to
avoid the lure of greener pastures in the south. The difficulties they
overcome will make them stronger. More
>>>> |
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|
|
| It takes a lot of hard work to bring you publications
like The Vision Paper and valleyeasttoday.ca. This hard work must be
supported by local businesses and local organizations. Individuals must
contribute stories and let us know about events that are going on so that
they can be covered. Take pride in your community and make a sincere
effort to "look through the windows" More
>>>> |
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| Whether you own a business; participate in a service
group; belong to a sports organization, a church or a school; have a
garden you wish to share ; or if you just want to express your opinions on
Valley East, take action now! More
>>>> |
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| Thousands of gardeners from
Valley East work extremely hard during the short summer months bringing
life to their yards. When you have a chance to visit these backyard
wonderlands you are truly amazed at the creativity and beautiful landscape
designs that have been created by your friends and neighbours. These are
not magazine layouts. They are real, live gardens, existing right here in
our own community. |
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| When amalgamation was forced upon the region on
January 1, 2001, it signaled the end of the "City of Valley
East" - the name which we had recently acquired in an effort to show
the rest of the world just how proud we were to be part of this great
municipality. |
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|
Pierre Charette, owner of The Vision Paper, and I were
talking the other week about Valley East. Both of us have been in the
publication business for some time and it is our job to be aware of the
pulse of the community. As we spoke, we both agreed that the community
spirit which seemed to peak when we became the "City of Valley
East" has gone downhill since amalgamation. |
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| If you own or operate a business in Valley
East, or if you live in Valley East, what I am about to tell
you may not be anything you did not know or realize.
Nevertheless, now that we have celebrated our 100th
Anniversary as a community, this may be the turning point we
have been waiting for. It is now up to us all to take action. |
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REFLECTIONS ON LIFE
by Robert Kirwan
Robert Kirwan has been writing inspirational editorials
about education, sports and life in general for over 25
years. He is most recognized as the writer/editor for
Valley East's The Vision Paper for almost ten years. In
this section of Valley East Today, you will find many of
Robert Kirwan's best editorials.
For
more>>>>> |
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Robert
Kirwan uses some inspirational
stories to emphasize important
strategies and advice that can be
used by students of any age as
they seek their place in life.
Click on the links to listen to
the audio tapes of previous live
radio shows or you can open
up a PDF Version of the show that
you can save on your own computer.
