Tag Archives: Personal Reflection

Career Plan? I’m Still Waiting for the Final Draft

Posted on May 9, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

I’ve had four or five career plans by now, depending on how generously we define “plan.” Teaching is the current one, writing is the dream one, and a few letters from former students reminded me this week that the work still matters. Continue reading →

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The Day My Life Found Its Direction

Posted on May 2, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

On June 17, 1984, I accepted Christ during a week at Christian Retreat in Bradenton, Florida. The world did not suddenly become easy, but it did start to make more sense. Faith gave me a compass, and that one decision has shaped everything since. Continue reading →

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Camping: Where Memories Are Made and Sleeping Bags Go to Die

Posted on April 29, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

The WordPress question only asked if I’ve ever been camping, so technically “yes” would have been enough. But since I have stories involving Boy Scouts, Florida-Georgia trauma, a ruined sleeping bag, a lightning storm under a Hobie Cat, and a meaningful breast cancer walk, maybe this deserves a little more than one word. Continue reading →

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What I Learned by Running

Posted on April 23, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Some regrets are not about one moment, but about the lesson that moment taught you. One hallway in eighth grade left me learning something I later had to spend years unlearning. Continue reading →

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What Really Makes a Person Unique?

Posted on March 31, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

A person’s uniqueness usually isn’t one dramatic thing. It’s the combination of experiences, personality, values, flaws, humor, memories, and perspective that nobody else carries in exactly the same way. Continue reading →

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Hidden Talents (Including One That May Be Slightly Questionable)

Posted on March 24, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Some skills show up immediately. Others stay hidden until life gives them a reason to appear—and sometimes they’re stranger than expected. Continue reading →

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Three Compliments I Still Carry

Posted on March 18, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Some compliments fade almost as soon as they’re spoken. Others stay with you for decades because they arrived when you needed them most. Continue reading →

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Some People Dabble. I Apparently Settle In.

Posted on March 14, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Some people have hobbies they pick up and put down. I tend to move in, unpack, and stay awhile. Continue reading →

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Not Fate, Not Destiny — But a Plan

Posted on March 1, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Fate feels mechanical — like life is a railroad track already laid down. I don’t believe we’re actors reading lines from a script. But I do believe in a Father who has a plan, who gives us freedom, and who weaves redemption into the choices we make. Continue reading →

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Sixty Miles in Orange and Blue Shoes

Posted on February 19, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

In 2006, as my mother battled breast cancer, I laced up a pair of orange and blue Mizunos and walked sixty miles over three days. They didn’t cure anything, but they carried me through one of the hardest seasons of my life — step by step, mile by mile. Continue reading →

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