Hilton Island Veterans Memorial When I was a child—probably until I was about six years old—I genuinely believed that Veterans Day was created to honor my mom and her twin brother, my Uncle Richard. Uncle Richard was a Marine who served in Vietnam, and in my young mind, it made perfect sense that a day this important would be dedicated to someone as significant as him. Of course, I eventually learned that Veterans Day honors all who have served. But that childhood misconception wasn't...

Today marks day 41 of the government shutdown in the USA—one day longer than the rains that fell during Noah's time on the ark from the Bible story. Like those ancient floodwaters, this period of uncertainty seems unrelenting, and the strain is showing. Federal employees continue working without paychecks, families face impossible choices about paying bills or buying groceries, and the psychological weight of financial insecurity grows heavier each day. Add to this the season itself—the...

Navigating Uncertainty: How to Stay Motivated and Professional When the Ground Keeps Shifting As I am writing this it is day 22 of the US Government shutdown with no hope in sight. The landscape of American professional life has entered an unprecedented period of turbulence. Federal employees face ongoing government shutdowns and potential layoffs, with approximately 199,000 federal employees having left their jobs since January 2025. Meanwhile, the World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs...