The Strength of Ten

The Strength of Ten
My strength is as the strength of ten,
Because my heart is pure.
—Lord Alfred Tennyson

My mother shared the last two lines with me when I was a teenager. I was going through some tough times as I was trying to straighten out my life. As I did so, I was struggling with the backlash I got from what turned out to be false friends. That quote really struck a chord and gave me strength when I greatly needed it. I've never forgotten that quote and have oft remembered it when I needed courage.

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The Answers You Get

The Answers You Get

I often remind people to be careful when seeking my advice and counsel: "Do you want the answer you want to hear or that is easiest to hear or do you want the answer you need to hear even if it's hard to hear?" For example, on one daddy daughter date last year with my teen girl I asked her, "How am I doing as a dad? What can I do better or differently to help you?" The answer I got really surprised me.

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