Beyond wrongdoing and right-doing, I’ll meet you there — I have had a prison ministry for many years. Prison inmates are society’s official bad guys. Just as the Yin Yang symbol shown here is not all white or all black, there’s no such thing as a 100% good or 100% bad person. Everyone is a mixture. …

How Charlotte Kasl’s Sixteen Steps Changed Me — My AA sponsor referred me to a different kind of recovery meeting. It did not use the twelve steps. They — and, after my first meeting, it would be “We” had sixteen. For me, admitting “we were powerless” needed to be replaced by “We have the power.” My whole life…

Early release, wearing masks, lockdowns, halting visits, and prayer — Inmates from various states write to me. Chet from Cotton Correctional Center in Jackson, Michigan told that there were five inmates and two staff sick with COVID-19, and one inmate had died. He is from Detroit, so he’s aware of how badly that city has been affected. Chet lives in…

There’s a lot to choosing happiness — It’s ironic when people, like those in my family, love literature and can’t talk about their feelings. None of us knew how. Our emotional pain and frustration built up inside us, driving us to self-medicate with alcohol and nicotine. My aunts, father, and brother were addicted to alcohol. Appreciating these…

New friends, inner weeding, rapid remakes, and quick tips — I have lumbered under a load of low self-confidence most of my life. Well, that makes me a champion collector of correctives for low self-esteem. Some take time. Others are quick fixes to use on and off. Clearing the outside I grew up with an emotionally abusive mother. That means I was used…

The partner dance between oral and overall health — Smiling has seven benefits according to the BrightSpring Health Services website. They are: Improved Mood. Smiling releases endorphins, which helps a person feel happier and more positive. … Pain Relief. Believe it or not, a good laugh relieves some body aches or pains. … Lower Blood Pressure. … Stronger Immune…

Supplements, food, and exercise to avoid fractures — One year after a woman’s last period, we consider her post-menopausal. Women can have hot flashes, mood swings, insomnia, depression, vaginal dryness, and loss of libido. Bones lose density. The chance of fracture increases. To prevent severe weakness and breaks, women took hormone replacement therapy until science realized that HRT…

When you best use your greatest talent in your working style — Yesterday we had a discussion about the difference between happiness and joy. Happiness can depend on a present condition or event that comes and will go. Joy doesn’t start, end, or depend on circumstances. Some say it is a quality of God. …