Posted on

Don’t Feed the Trolls

Writing at times is like navigating a jungle full of keyboard warriors. You guessed it! We’re talking about Trolls. You know the ones. They’re like the colorful parrots squawking in the trees singing trying to gain attention.

Here is some facts about trolls. First they come in different shapes, and with different tactics. Sometimes they try to seem like they’re being nice and helpful, but in reality they’re belittling and condescending. Their words sting often. Other times they don’t even try to hide who they are. They want you to get upset, and that’s their goal. To knock you off your game.

Here are four quick points I want to make about trolls.

  1. Trolls gotta troll, it’s their cardio workout! It’s all they got. Trolling is what they live for.
  2. They try often to disguise themselves as Critics? Sometimes you’ll discover they’re artists too—in the fine art of NOT creating anything.
  3. They live in a virtual treehouse, attended to only by other trolls, cranking up their own echo.
  4. You, the dashing adventurer, get paid in gold coins to simply walk past them, ears plugged.

Remember, “Can’t please everyone” isn’t just some dusty saying in grandma’s cross-stitch. It’s the secret recipe to being the Indiana Jones of your field!

So write for that small niche audience and ignore the rest.

Posted on

Forgiveness- It’s a Bit Tricky

I’ve been thinking a lot about forgiveness this morning. There are many people I need to forgive: Like church leaders that severely hurt my wife and her sister or those in my past that have wronged me. Maybe it’s forgiveness towards those who ignored me when I needed help. Perhaps I need to ask for forgiveness from someone. Who have I wronged?

Forgiveness is a tricky thing. Because when it’s all said and done, forgiveness is never for the one you are forgiving.

It’s for you… And that’s why it’s hard. Because forgiveness doesn’t always make sense.

Posted on

Fears and Dreams

“What if people hate it?” That’s a question many of us ask every day. What if our ideas, opinions, our views, and art get rejected by others? That’s life. Because in this crazy dance of life, every significant step we take, sooner or later, is rooted in two fundamental forces.

Fear: It takes many shapes – the dread of embarrassment, the sting of rejection, the ache of loneliness, the shadow of death. These fears linger in the back of our minds, haunting our choices, shaping our paths, and often holding us back from embracing the fullness of life.

Dreams: These are the lights that guide us, the aspirations that fuel us. We dream of recognition, independence, conquering our anxieties, and becoming something more than ourselves. We long for acceptance, to be seen as unique, to matter to someone, to be cared for and loved.

Between these fears and dreams, our lives unfold. They are the compass and map, the obstacles and the goals. It’s a delicate balance, a continuous struggle, and a journey we must navigate. Our dreams drive us, yet often held back by our fears. But in understanding both, we find our way, we make choices, we take actions, and we shape our destiny.

Posted on

The Double Edge Sword of Empathy

I’ve blogged recently about my decision to scale back my time on Twitter. I haven’t decided yet if I’m deleting my account and saying goodbye, but I finally nailed down what bugs me so much about being on that platform lately.

word empathy on paper
Photo by Kevin Malik on Pexels.com


You and I aren’t wired to walk in someone else’s shoes. The sin of self runs deep through each of our veins. In our fast-paced world, the warmth of empathy often grows cold. The rush of daily life, the virtual connections, and the ever-competitive nature of society can erode our ability to understand and feel for one another honestly. Empathy, a gentle whisper of shared experiences and compassion, is lost in the noise of individualism and self-preservation. We become isolated islands, longing for a bridge yet hesitant to build one. The lack of empathy in our world is a silent wound, festering in the hearts and minds, leaving us disconnected and hollow.


Yet, we must also heed a caution: too much empathy, a complete immersion in another’s pain or joy, can sometimes blur the lines of objectivity. Too much empathy can often replace truth.

Posted on

How Not To Suck

There are a lot of areas in my life where my skills are somewhat subpar- Like Cooking, weeding the yard, hunting, and even organizing the house. Let’s face it: nobody wakes up and aspires to be bad at something. But we’ve all been there. But here is a secret. If you’re going to do something you’re not skilled at the best, you might as well aim for zero… or at least something better than bad. Because, after all, the second-best thing to zero is, you guessed it, something better than bad!

If you’ve ever burned toast so thoroughly that it resembled a charcoal sketch or danced like no one was watching (because they all left the room), then congratulations, you’re on the right track to not sucking!

You don’t have to be great; you just have to be better than bad. Celebrate those small victories! Because if we’re honest, it’s during those times when growth and improvement happen.