Recently, my niece Aislynn turned four. On the morning of her birthday, the first thing she asked her mother was “Do I look bigger?” I guess when you’ve just turned four years old, you want to look bigger. I can assure you that wasn’t the question I asked of anyone on my last birthday.

I spent the Fourth of July with friends in Idyllwild, California, a small town nestled among the pines in the San Jacinto mountains. It was one of those rare times when I had nothing to do but kick back, sip a cappuccino in the sunshine and watch the parade go down Main Street.

We have many opportunities every hour to spread a little kindness.

Remember a time when you missed the mark? You set a goal and for one reason or another, you did not accomplish your dream. I can still recall the utter disappointment I felt during my freshman year in high school.

At a dinner meeting the other night, I listened intently as the speaker entertained us with her inspiring story “Taking the Next Step.” The premise of the talk was that one should “eat your frog first thing.”