“Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love.” ~ Lao Tzu I was reminded of these profound thoughts by Lao Tzu the other day as I was talking to a friend. I saw that she was under a tsunami warning, so I called to make sure she was ok. She was, and then she thanked me and told how kind I was.  In the course of our (very long) conversation we started talking about that statement. We all speak about kindness but what is kindness really? After much in-depth conversation we realized that kindness was different to each soul on this planet. “Kindness was as different as each sunset and as necessary as every breath we take” she said.  Our own kindness isn’t up to us to define, the kindness others show to us is! Kindness is defined only by those who our actions affect and those who witness them. We can’t define or understand our own actions until they have been assessed by others. For instance, you might have the kindnest of intentions to tell a friend something but once you do, your friend is crushed and their life is changed. You thought you were being kind but were you? Doing your best to be kind is a lifestyle and a learned behavior not an every now and then dalliance. Kindness is a deserved outcome of your loving and aware actions. Kindness is also something you deserve to have happen no matter whether you are the one giving the kindness or receiving it! As my friend and I continued to talk about kindness, I asked her, deep down, what kindness actually felt like? We made our way through the usual descriptions but pressed each other to dig deeper for more and more. Finally, after a long pause she brought up a quote of mine. “Kindness is what the thorn must feel as it sees the rose bloom. “ I threw one of her’s back at her. “Kindness is the wind knowing it will cool you on a hot day and the stream being willing to offer itself for you.” So what is kindness, how does it make you feel, why is it? The answers, as my friend Running Sky would say, are as plentiful as the stars in the sky.  The only thing I know for sure is that I wish you kindness in your life. I wish you the gift of feeling kindness building from within and the feeling of kindness washing over you from the outside.  Peace    …..Gregg

Dear United States Senators…Right off the top and with all due respect, I don’t care what you think! I care what you do and right now what you should be doing is being a good, reverent and honest juror in an impeachment trial! I’ve heard too many of you saying that you don’t “think” it’s constitutional to impeach a President who’s out of office so no matter the evidence, you’ll vote no. Too bad! It’s been determined to be constitutional . The constitutionality question has been put to the United States Senate and it has been determined to be constitutional! You might not like it, but that is the fact! So the trial is proceeding and you are now a juror tasked with hearing the evidence, evaluating the truth and voting on it. In other words… It’s now time to pull up your big girl or big boy pants and do your job! If any of the rest of us out here in “Real-World-Land” were on a jury, our opinions on the validity of the proceedings wouldn’t mean squat! All that would matter would be the facts! (Facts, remember those?) The same holds true for you now. For now, we don’t care what you think about anything other than the facts!  Trying to litigate the past doesn’t matter. Trying to imagine the future doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is where we are now! (You are part of what got us here so buck up and take some responsibility.)  Listen to the facts.  Access the facts.  Weigh the facts.  Vote on the facts.  Live with your vote for the rest of your life and more than likely, the lives of your children.  On behalf of many, many, many Americans…  Do your job and stop hoping, wishing, praying and finagling ways to be re-elected! If you continue on this path, you will lose more than your seat in the Senate. You will lose the United States of America.  Do your job.  Just Do Your Job.  Sincerely, Gregg Masters

It seems like the question on everyone’s lips right now is “How do we move forward from here?” It’s pretty simple isn’t it? I mean we move forward now, the very same way we moved forward in order to make it this far.  No matter whether it’s Covid-19 or election results or racial injustice or your finances or problems around the house, getting to the solutions are the same.  First, you’re good but you’re still human, while you’ll want to accomplish them all at the same time, (Which is yesterday!) One Step At A Time is the ONLY way to get there! That’s why it’s the first and most important step. As for the rest, here they are… Access  Look at the situation dispassionately and access what the situation is and how exactly are you involved in it.  Adapt  Once you have accessed the situation then it’s up to you to adapt your behavior to I’m prove it. It’s not up to others to change. It’s up to you! Overcome  Take your new plans and your new path and overcome the challenges both real and imaged. Most importantly, overcome your previous mindset! That old mindset is what got you in trouble in the first place. Overcome that first and the rest will follow.  Repeat It’s not over! Things like this will happen over and over again. New problems and challenges will stand in your way and these steps got you past your last challenge. Use the knowledge you gained and use these steps again and again! One step at a time!!! Let’s be clear here, to do anything else others that solid action steps is nothing but LIP SERVICE! Lip service to others around you (including those you love) but most importantly, lip service to yourself! Do not let that happen! Moving forward is scary as hell but it’s the only way to look back with satisfaction of a job well done and look forward with anticipation, wonder and hope for a future ahead! Peace       …..Gregg