Maintain Perspective

Life rarely coooperates in delivering the perfection we plan for. The good news is that it doesn’t have to ruin the story. Last week, my family made our annual family pilgrimage to Wrigley Field. Even though it was a bit chilly, the sky was clear and the game was fun. Only problem was the home team lost to the rival Brewers. Afterwards, we hit the gift shop and I let the kids pick out brand new Cubs hats. They each chose one that fit their personality perfectly (my youngest, who goes by "Rose," found one with little flowers on it!), and we got to take a photo wearing them next to …

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"Enjoy the Ride" by Jason Kotecki. 30 x 24. Oil on canvas. Original is SOLD. Prints and canvas reproductions available here. This painting was inspired by my family's trip to Mexico, the beautiful tradition of Dia de Muertos, and thoughts of love ones who have come before. Life can seem like such a slog sometimes. A constant struggle of trying to get ahead, putting out fires, overcoming one obstacle after another. It can feel like we’re in survival mode, and it takes everything we’ve got just to make it through the day. It’s easy to grow tired and become discouraged, maybe even …

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No rain, no flowers. Maybe it’s trite. But it’s also true. It may sound like optimism, and it is, but it’s also scientific fact. No pressure, no diamond. No fire, no s’mores. Why do life’s hard parts surprise us? We can look around see examples all around us that the good stuff never comes easy. The best night’s sleep comes after the hardest day’s work. We all want our lives to be awesome but then we yell at they sky when our comfortable little existence is disturbed. I, for one, am grateful that God ignores my whiny, short-sided complaints in order to grant the desires of …

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"Cherry On Top" by Jason Kotecki. Oil on canvas. Original is sold. Prints available here. I'm really not a fan of how often I base my happiness on what I haven't accomplished, or what inconvenience just popped up. The truth is, life really is amazing. Unfortunately, Adultitis would have us think differently. Your washing machine goes kaput. You're in the middle of dinner and realize you don't have a crucial ingredient. You don’t get the promotion. That nagging cold won’t go away. Your goals are taking longer to achieve than expected. It’s easy to get lost in the weeds, …

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"Like a Boss" by Jason Kotecki. Mixed media on canvas. 16x20 inches. Original and prints available here. Life can feel like a high wire act. You’re doing your best to juggle everything on your plate: your job, your family, your finances; and just when you think everything is going pretty well, you glance down and see someone whose yard looks way better than yours. How do they get those flowers to flourish like that? Or someone’s kids who are in way more activities than yours. Will my kids be less attractive to colleges? Or someone who just drove up in their new car. Should I be thinking …

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There’s something about those birthdays that end in “0,” especially once you reach a certain age. I mean, turning 10 didn’t give me much anxiety, and even 20 was pretty exciting, but the tide turned at 30 and I was feeling downright melancholy a few weeks ago on the lead-up to 40. It’s not just about getting older. I feel successful on many levels, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I should have somehow accomplished "more" than I have. For example, in my twenties, I thought I’d have at least one bestseller by now. And definitely a Porsche. And possibly be best friends with …

[Read more...] about On New Beginnings

It was Jackie DeShannon who first sang, “What the world needs now is love, sweet love. It's the only thing that there's just too little of...” With today being Valentine’s Day, I figured it would be fitting to talk about love (while ensuring that you’ll be humming that tune for the rest of the day.) The world is as jacked up now as it was when the song was first recorded in 1965. Maybe more so. Love seems like a good solution, a worthy place to start, but what does it look like when we’re talking about the whole world? I mean, it’s easy to love the people we know and care about, and this …

[Read more...] about Love is Kind