It's not the fact that some people disagree with the protests. That is as much a right as the protests themselves. It is the hateful, profane, condescending way some have expressed their discontent that baffles me. How do you criticize actions you've deemed disrespectful and divisive and an affront to civilized behavior with rhetoric to the same end? That's like the devil judging the Grim Reaper for harvesting souls.

You own your feelings. You own your thoughts. You control both. No one has the right to any of it—to any of you without your permission.

When I was in the Navy, everyone fell under the purview of “navy gray”. It is the military’s way of reminding its enlisted personnel that they are all equal. Man or woman, black or white, young or old, everyone was navy gray. With God's grace I can proudly say a better understanding of this concept has helped me ameliorate disputes, mend fences that appeared hopeless and find light in the midst of darkness.

Make a difference, change the game for the better, leave a legacy, be a guide that someone else can follow and make better, and then someone else will follow that and make that better.

We live in a world with an ever-growing population. Personal space these days is at a premium. Physically, we are practically tripping over our fellow man. Mentally and spiritually, the divide among us seems to widen.

Don't let life's challenges discourage you. Some things are just out of your control. Make it work for you! The most painful lessons of the past can teach you how to survive in the present .

My incentive? Making a peaceful spirit second nature. And that is so worth the effort.

Happiness will never flourish in a life bereft of optimism.

In a relationship, prudent application of the gray theory is a key ingredient in assuring years of happiness; “till death do us part”. Balance is at the center of success, satisfaction and a lifetime of love.

There should always be an end game, or else all you are doing is practicing for an opportunity for which you have no idea of what it is or what it will even look like.