Tag Archives: Personal Reflection

Success Is What You Leave Behind

Posted on November 6, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

At 60, I’m looking back at what I’ve accomplished and ahead at dreams still unfinished. Maybe success isn’t about achieving everything we want, but about living a life that matters and still having reasons to want another tomorrow. Continue reading →

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Good People, Bad People and the Rest of Us

Posted on October 14, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

I’ve been cheated by Christians and treated with extraordinary generosity by non-Christians. Being a good person isn’t necessarily about religious identity. It’s about character, compassion, and how we treat others when nobody’s watching. Continue reading →

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One Wish? Seriously?

Posted on October 2, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

If a genie granted me one wish, I’d be tempted to ask for more wishes. But if the Aladdin rules apply, I’d choose something harder to come by: peace, grace, mercy and the wisdom to focus on what we can actually change. Continue reading →

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The Most Spontaneous Thing I’ve Ever Done

Posted on September 23, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

I’m usually more planner than risk-taker, but one August afternoon in 2015, Daryl and I decided there was no good reason to wait. Continue reading →

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Apparently, Bravery Needs Privacy

Posted on September 4, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

WordPress wants to know the bravest thing I’ve ever done when no one was watching. I’m not sure why private bravery gets extra credit, but apparently heroism now requires an empty room. Continue reading →

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The Kindness of Strangers in a Parking Lot

Posted on August 31, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

After a sudden fall left me bloodied and disoriented in an Atlantic Beach parking lot, two strangers stayed with me until help arrived. Their kindness has stayed with me ever since. Continue reading →

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Do I Even Feel Bad About My Screen Time?

Posted on July 21, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Yes, I probably play too many games on my phone. Some exercise my brain. Others involve a penguin racing downhill on a sled. The real problem may not be my screen time, but the judgment packed into one little word: “even.” Continue reading →

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I Don’t Follow Bloggers. I Follow Writers.

Posted on July 5, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

I blog every day, but I don’t really follow bloggers.

I read blogs. I click around. I sometimes find something thoughtful, funny or surprisingly well-written. But I don’t follow bloggers the way I follow favorite bands, authors, movies, teams or restaurants.

I don’t really follow bloggers.

I follow good writing when I find it. Continue reading →

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The Language Barrier Starts Here

Posted on June 24, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

I once showed enough promise in German, Spanish and French that my mother thought I might become a translator. Years later, I mostly speak English, Southern, sarcasm and enough Spanish to identify a blue pen. Continue reading →

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Happiness Is Not Perfect Weather

Posted on June 19, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Happiness does not wait for perfect circumstances. More often than we admit, happiness grows from what we choose to notice — the clouds or the beauty around us. Continue reading →

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