As a child growing up with eight siblings, one word that I can't remember ever hearing was the word “allergy”. No one in my family had a problem with allergies. In fact, I don't think I knew anyone with allergies when I was growing up.

If you could be granted one wish, what would it be? Think about that question for a minute.   You would have to know what's important to you. Would your one wish be about you and only you?  Would you ask for riches enough to last you a hundred lifetimes so that you could eat, drink and be merry?

Friends how many of us have them?  Most of us would say that they have close friends in their lives.  My questions to you is has the friendship been tested and held up?  Are you sure?  Do you know if it came down to it that they would save your life without hesitating? Would your friend be willing to part with a kidney if you needed one?

I hope that all of the fathers and surrogate fathers had a Happy Father's Day.  I've 3 beautiful children ages 16, 7 and 5 that I love very much.  There are few things that are more important to me than being a good father.  I take that job very seriously and believe it's a privilege.

Summer is here.  For some, it's a time to flex their muscles that they have been working on all winter.  That is a good thing.  Good physical health is important because there are so many positives that come from it.  It brings you high energy, a good body image and as well it helps you live a longer life.

Are you worried yet?  I don't know what you're seeing when you look out into the world but I'm seeing big time trouble coming.

I'd like to say Happy Mother's Day to all of the mothers and surrogate mothers.  I'd also like to say Happy Mother's Day to my mother, Deloris Stokes Risper.  This is still a special day and even though my mother is no longer here, I still want to honor her because she brought me into this world.

I believe that a lot of people have missed the boat when it comes to taking responsibility for their actions and for themselves.  I guess just like everything else, there's a time and a place for everything.  Some people get the picture sooner or later.  Some don't get the picture at all.

The day that I wrote this article was my daughter’s birthday. April 4th was a cold and rainy day.

When did you stop believing? Okay, maybe I should rephrase that question to be more specific. When did you stop believing in miracles? What happened to cause you to lose your God-given ability to believe in miracles?

Money is getting tighter.  Food, gasoline, housing and just about everything else is going up in pricing but our paychecks aren’t growing along with it.  It’s getting harder to hold on.  The job market is down, right along with the stock market.  Thousands of people are losing their homes to foreclosure.

Work.  The word by itself has the power to completely change the mood of a lot of people from happy to sad.  One word can change enthusiasm to despair.  I wonder how work has become so distasteful to so many people.

As the saying goes, “The whole world loves  a winner.”

So my question to you is, “Who is a winner?”

I lost my mother about 4 years ago and I miss her very much.  As the saying goes, “You don't miss someone until they are gone”, it's so true.

I'm humbled and happy for the opportunity to once again write about positive things. My mission in writing this column is to effect positive change in people's mental and spiritual nature.  It's my hope and desire that we'll grow together as spiritual beings.

     I am back and just in time for the New Year.  I hope 2007 was good to you.
As for me, I had so many items on my plate to deal with.  I have never experienced a year as busy as 2007.

You are hanging out with a group of friends. You all go to the movies then out to eat at your favorite restaurant. At dinner your friend Leah orders her food as usual. When the food arrives, Leah practically inhales the food, and then excuses herself to the bathroom. A few minutes later you also excuse yourself to the restroom. You go into the bathroom and you hear someone throwing up. Leah comes out of the stall and her eyes are bloodshot. You ask her if she is okay and she says that she is fine. Later you and your friends are at a clothing store trying on clothes. Leah complains about everything she tries on saying she is too fat. You and your friends are starting to get worried about her. You think she may be bulimic, but you're not exactly sure. Here are the causes and affects of bulimia along with some signs and symptoms to help you identify a bulimic person.

I have watched my wife and oldest son write poems for the last couple of years.  I never considered myself to be a poet.  But this year, I made a promise to myself to pick up a pen and write a poem.

Contracts are big part of our lives.  I wanted to talk to you about the subject a little bit.

Mindfulness is being aware. It's being present at the moment that you are involved with a person, place or thing. It's pure and simple.  

Have you ever wondered why children talk to their parents the way they do?

As I look out the window at the leaves falling gently from the trees, I become more aware of the changing of the seasons.

I believe that one of the main reasons that God placed us here on this planet called Earth is to learn how to be free.

How are you coming  along in that area?

I would like to talk to you about a subject that may be very  touchy for some of you.  Please hear me out!  I want to talk to you about violence.   More to the point, I want to talk about men who use violence against women.  Some call it domestic violence, I call it evil.

Don’t be afraid to get old.  Learn to make the best of  each moment that we’ve been given on earth.  Look forward to those years you have yet to  experience, and don’t regret the young ones their youth.

"Come let us rejoice and be happy with our many blessings  that the Lord has given us."

Let’s talk about self-love and self-respect.

When you greet people for the first time, or any time, do you look them in the eyes? Do you greet them with a firm hand shake?

As I awoke this morning, I remember thinking, Is it morning already? I don’t feel like getting up this morning. I sure don’t want to go to my job and work.

     I was thinking about my mother the other day, God bless her.  I miss her a lot even though I know she is in heaven.

    It was a cold December morning.  I was standing at the gasoline station down the street from my job, pumping gasoline.
    I was very, very cold and half asleep. I heard a voice coming from the other side of the gas pump saying... good morning. I was surprised. Not that someone was saying good morning, but that someone was so happy and cheerful so early in the cold morning.