Benjamin Franklin said it well "Life's tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late." as we approach Father's Day I can't help but reflect upon the wisdom of Franklin's statement when I think of my dad Paul Luvera, Sr. From the perspective of my 82 years I see how blessed my sisters Phyllis, Anita and I were by who our parents were. I regret my failure to fully and completely appreciate how unique my dad was until he…
On January 24, 2002 William "Bill" Taylor died in Anacortes. He was one of Anacortes's most successful basketball coaches. He also was a positive influence in so many young men's lives, including mine. He was a great coach and mentor to me. I've published a full account of my high school relationship to this great coach and his profound influence in my life: https://paulluverajournalonline.com/weblog/2013/01/william-taylor.html . In addition, I published a background of this unique man who was so important in guiding…
Someone has said that free advice is not always worth the price, but I am not intimidated because when you are as old as I am you stop worrying about what other people think. Dr. Daniel Amen MD has a "18/40/60 Rule" which is: At age 18 we are worried about what everybody is thinking of us. At 40 we stop caring what other people think of us because we think we are pretty special. Then, by age 60, we finally realize that nobody has been…
I enjoy witty and insightful quotations. Here are a few without any attempt to put them in some logical order but simply represent quotations I liked. 20 years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bow lines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sail. Explore. Dream. Discover. (Mark Twain) your attitude is like a box of crayons…
I've been thinking about Robin Williams and the demons he had to have to drive him to end his life as he did. I suspect we all have some thoughts that wake us up in the middle of the night. The worries about what might be or the regrets of the past, but depression so grave as to result in a tragedy like this is beyond sad. Robin Williams talked about worry In the movie Jack where his character said: "“Please, don’t…
I've been spending time sorting through an accumulation of materials collected over fifty five years of law practice on all kinds of subjects. Many end up in the recycle, but some still make me smile or make me think. This is an unorganized group for your review. Maybe there is something here for you. The popular radio program of its day, Amos and Andy, had a character: "lawyer Calhoon" who was always giving advice. His client, about to be led…
Have you thought about how your old ways of thinking and acting can take over your life and without knowing it, you are controlled by your deep seated attitudes and habits? Too often, it seems to me, we don't take the time to stop and reflect on who we are and the lives of doing the same thing in the same way when it would be healthy to change. One of my favorite illustrations of this is in a book Herbert…
Many of us are familiar with the story about the elderly Cherokee who tells his grandson a story about the inner conflict of people. It is a powerful illustration of a truth about our human nature. It goes like this: one evening, an elderlyCherokee brave told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. he said "my son, the battle is between two 'wolves' inside us all. one is evil. it is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed,…
I was sworn in as an attorney in 1959. After 55 years of representing people, and not corporations, I have retired from the practice of law. My wife Lita, who has been my law partner as well, has retired with me. Today is the first day of our change in our life work. We have never played golf and don't plan to start, but we have many unfinished and planned projects to occupy us. It's been a great privilege representing…
This week there was a cloud of rain that moved across the water towards our house followed by a heavy rain. When it finally stopped the sun broke through and there was an amazing rainbow in bright colors starting at the water level at the end of Vashon Island and curving through the sky to a point a mile away where it ended in the water as well. We came out for a better view and after enjoying the unusual sight…
