November 2024 – RON MILLICENT

Strong Friendships Are Nurtured By High Self Esteem

Posted on November 14, 2024April 3, 2026 by admin

The Dwindling Foursome

There were four of us Two couples..

The friendship extended over four decades and not much of life’s experiences were left untouched.

We saw our children struggle to ‘find’ themselves as all do. We celebrated their graduation from High School, then college.

We celebrated their weddings, shared sorrow at some of their divorces; we welcomed with awe and love their children supported each other whenever one was sick, or needed healing of some sort.

There was seldom a family celebration of some kind where both families were not melded into one.

We each moved along in our respective careers, and encouraged one another when needed, and celebrated with each other when things went well.

The four of us traveled several thousands of miles together; we visited the world famous shrine at Lourdes, we walked the streets of Paris, Rome, visited the Black Madonna in Sicily, walked the cobble stoned streets of small villages, and towns.

Then one of our four passed; then to the shock of the remaining three, a second one of our beautiful foursome passed; then a third was afflicted with a grave illness Then there was one!

During these four decades, we had seen wars fought in other lands, we had seen governments rise and fall, we experienced confusion in our governing ‘Elites’ and found them to be anything but ‘Elite’

We felt our pride and faith lessen in some of the pillars of our society and government when they have made some disastrous decisions; we saw what we considered unjust actions taken by what we formerly thought to be 100% fair and just.

We saw wonderful feats of goodness done by some, and reckless poorly conceived actions by others.

We witnessed science making pronouncements that contradicted previous beliefs, and then those supplanted by ‘new’ discoveries.

The four of us watched the swirling events unfold and found that our world was in a state of flux and bewilderment.

We began to realize that the only unchangeable aspect of our lives was the love and support we gave willingly and in great quantities to each other.

That never changed.

Our description of the four of us can be summarized by this 33 word statement:

We lived well.

We created a ton of wonderful memories

We enjoyed a boatload of experiences

We had endless laughter

We loved and cared for each other

We always had each other

So as you go through life and witness change and turmoil everywhere you look remember that one of your greatest treasures

Is each other!

Letters Across Generations

Posted on November 14, 2024April 3, 2026 by admin

Building Self Esteem in our offspring

I don’t know where you will be when your parents give you this letter but, it doesn’t really matter. The only thing that matters is that I am giving you a sliver of family history by relating to you certain events in my life with the purpose of passing on to you what I have learned.

I have two car stories to tell you well, they are not actually car stories but the car is the central figure.

The first story is about a Mercedes Benz roadster that was given to me by an old treasured friend. That happened because when her husband died she didn’t know what to do with his car. She gave it to her daughter who neglected it. It saddened my friend greatly to see that her beautiful car was being so forgotten.

She asked me if I would treasure it as her husband did, and I enthusiastically responded “yes”.

When I picked it up from her daughters it was a very sad looking automobile. It was filthy tires were almost flat, etc.

Well Joseph, I drove it home and shortly after your dad and I began work on it. We spent long pleasant hours cleaning, polishing, renewing the leather had new tires put on, etc.

By the way, I hope you are spending long pleasant hours with your grandfather. I know he loves you very much.

The car looked pretty dang good when we finished it.

And now the story really begins

I read in our local newspaper that there was a “Show & Tell” event put on by the Portland Mercedes club. I thought it would be good to look at the beautiful cars being exhibited. On my way to the parking area for the show goers I passed by a check point the club had set up. Because I was driving a pretty good looking (now) Mercedes the folks at the entrance waved me in to the exhibition area.

Because of the car I was driving they assumed I was a member Big mistake!

So, I drove in not knowing what to expect.

There was a large semi-circle of beautiful automobiles all set for the public to admire.

I saw an empty spot, so I parked right amongst them. The club members were too polite to ask if I was a member. They probably assumed I was a new member who they had not yet met.

Then I noticed that each car had a placard on the dashboard which identified the year, the model and the owner of the vehicle.

At the same time I noticed that, a club official came up to me and said, “You don’t have a placard on your dash”. I acted surprised-and then he said, “They should have given one when you entered. Here, I will fix you up”

So he filled out the form, and now I was ‘legal’! I was like all the other members- I had a placard to put on my dashboard.

I walked around admired the cars, and visited with the owners; and had a grand time.

Then, someone passed the word that the dealership was giving lunch to all the car exhibitors. So, I went to lunch and still no one asked if I was a member. Such polite people!

At one point, I was approached by one of the club members and asked if I was going to show my car at the Concours d’Elegance (I had no idea what that was).

I asked him if my car was good enough and did he think it would be approved. He said ‘yes’ to my first question and then followed up with his statement “I will approve it!”

He had a clipboard people with clipboards are always important !!!

He signed something and told me to take a few pictures of my car and send them in with a packet he gave me.

A few hours later, the show broke up and we all drove home.

I did send in a few pictures with the packet he gave me, and a few weeks later received a ‘welcome packet’ with all the information.

Next step I arrived at the Concours d’Elegance with my welcome packet at the appointed date and time and was directed where to find “my” club,

I parked in the appointed space and had a splendid afternoon, met several nice people had lunch with them – saw beautiful cars. A hard afternoon to beat!

Well, Joseph, about a month or so later a friend of mine who had his car serviced at the same place I did told me that he saw my picture in the STAR magazine published for Mercedes club members.

So, I went to the service shop my friend mentioned and there on the counter was the magazine. I perused it and sure enough there was a picture of my car.

Turned out there was a reporter covering the event, and of all the cars there, he happened to pick mine to photograph.

What a kick

I was mistaken for a club member I did not correct them

I walked around visiting with the other exhibitors

I had lunch with them they were still thinking I was a member

I showed my car at the Concours d’Elegance They still thought I was a member (I never once said I was a member)

I was in a national magazine representing a club I didn’t really belong to ..

Now, you know that besides building a bond between us, and giving you a sliver of family history I always try to give you a nugget of insight/wisdom that may be of value to you.

Here is today’s:

Follow the main road of acceptable behavior,

But,

Don’t be afraid to take a little detour every now and then as long as it is not illegal and doesn’t cause any harm to anyone..

That is where the fun is and where memories are made…I can’t tell this story without smiling a bit

Your Loving Great Poppa

P.S. I soon after joined the club but the thrill was gone !!

Perseverance Through Self Esteem

Posted on November 14, 2024April 3, 2026 by admin

Interrupted Journey AI

We’ve all been there. You map out the perfect route. You set your destination. You have the playlist ready. And then… life happens. A flat tire. A sudden detour. A closed road. That job interview that fell through. That relationship that didn’t last. That plan that spectacularly failed.

Our first instinct is frustration. Anger, even. We see these interruptions as enemies to our progress, as time stolen from us. But what if we’ve got it all wrong? What if these interruptions aren’t roadblocks, but redirections?

An interrupted journey forces us to stop. And in that stillness, we gain something we never get at 70 miles per hour: perspective. It’s in the waiting room, not the boardroom, where we often have our clearest thoughts. It’s in the failure, not the success, where we learn our most valuable lessons.

These pauses are not punishments. They are opportunities. They are life’s way of asking us to check our compass, to make sure we’re still heading toward a destination that truly matters. They teach us resilience, patience, and a humility that smooth sailing never could.

So the next time your journey is interrupted, don’t just curse the delay. Lean into it. Look around. Ask what you can learn. Because sometimes, the most important part of the trip isn’t the destination you reach, but the person you become along the broken, interrupted, and ultimately redeemed path.

Even when the worst – the very worst – happens – there can be gained new insights, new appreciation of life, new hope !!