From the Desk of Pennwell Gray

The great human divide.

This may be a rambling, unstructured flow of thought so I place this statement as my disclaimer before I begin. I think we’ve all been thinking a lot about what is happening in our country – how could we not? There is so much going on – the global pandemic, racial discord, political outrage, and everyone is affected. But why is it that it seems anger, hate, biased views and disrespect for others has become the norm? Why is it that everyone seems to be compelled to not only share their opinions, but force their beliefs on others and insist that they agree and support them?

Help me, help you. Working together.

It has always floored me how many people are ready to blame someone else when something goes wrong, deflect responsibility by making excuses and expect others to fix things for them – without being part of the solution. We are so quick to find fault, almost as if we are looking for flaws, and quick to complain. Data supports this. According to Convince and Convert, 92% of customers will call you out on poor customer service.* But how many of us actually make an effort to turn a negative situation around or better yet, praise someone when a job is well done?

Friendship. Gratitude.

So often I hear people say how difficult it is to make new friendships as we grow older. I always question that in my head, wondering is it really that hard or is it that we become unconsciously stuck in certain routines and don’t really want to make the effort?

Simple gesture. Lasting impact.

We sometimes think we just don’t matter to anyone. There are days when we feel low, despite the family and friends surrounding us. We feel misunderstood. We contemplate our existence – work, relationships, roads not taken and painting a picture with grass that may be greener (which is rarely the case!). We get caught up in this woe-is-me mentality that is most often short-lived.

Welcome

I’m thrilled that you are here! Together we will journey through a variety of topics – from the most simple to the most controversial – but more importantly, we will journey through the complexities of the human condition. My aim is to take a closer look at specific experiences and events, ask questions when warranted and seeking answers – or at least find some accepting ground on which to stand. For me, writing requires quiet reflection and soulful exploration in which I can sift through my thoughts and emotions, sometimes finding clarity and sometimes leading to the discovery that the simple act of jotting thoughts down is cathartic in itself.