His progression from sitting to crawling to standing and eventually walking, mirrors my development in my law practice.  Sometimes you must struggle to succeed.

Powerful doses of dedication and determination can go a long way in lifting you over the hurdles in your path.  It is the determination I see in my son that inspires me.

He will stop at nothing to get what he wants.  He is not getting into trouble or “being bad.”  He is pushing himself past his limits (and ours) and is doing exactly what he is supposed to be doing.

Thanks to my son’s inspiration, I try to tackle each day with the same steadfast determination I see in him.

I do this with the confidence that like him, I am doing exactly what I am supposed to be doing.

I did eventually reunite with them in Bozeman, MT.  There, I came to the realization that silence is not solitude.

What I was embracing was the calm serenity of the stillness.

In Montana, I experienced this on a grand scale.  The rivers, trees, mountains and fresh air surrounded me with a truly silent embrace.  The sounds of daily life were background to my peaceful existence.  The calm, reassuring demeanor of family enabled my tranquility.

Upon my return to New York, I was taking my son for a walk in his stroller.

I was bombarded with the droning onslaught of cars, horns, sirens and construction.  Life was loud.

I was immediately on edge and my son had trouble sleeping.

Silence is tranquility.  Ultimately, it comes from within but can be facilitated by our environment.

Sometimes we have to actively seek it out while other times, it finds us.

In the process, I hope to adjust priorities and discover myself.

Digital clutter can be just as distracting as the physical and emotional clutter that invades our worlds.

I glare at a constant barrage of coupons, deals and “insider” specials.

I have started unsubscribing from everything.  If I decide to purchase something, it will be on my terms.  I refuse to be bullied by the digital marketing onslaught.

By unsubscribing, I can clear the path to my inbox, lose the distractions and focus on the invited, important communications that I welcome.

I will follow, but until then, we will be separated for nearly three weeks.  This is the first time I will be without my two favorite people.

Being detached is tough.  I broke down at the airport while seeing them off.

While I miss them terribly, I have decided to embrace the silence.

Parenting and lawyering are full time jobs.  Decibel levels are high and rest is intermittent.

I have suddenly been smacked in the face with silence

Rest, rejuvenation and reticence will fill my void until I am joyfully reunited with my little clan.

I started Crossfit.

I have been exercising consistently for the better part of 15 years, but my fitness was an illusion.

The three introductory Crossfit classes are called “foundations” and this word struck me.

The foundation is the plateau on which we construct our lives.  Whether it be personal, professional or financial, a strong foundation supports the building blocks of our dreams.

The foundation forges the base where we start the climb towards the infinite summit of our dreams and prevents the houses of our existence from crumbling.

Hobbies are a wonderful release…a momentary diversion from the daily grind.

Hobbies have an unhealthy tendency to morph into addiction.  Hunger and dependency develop.

I can attest to the unruly spending spiral associated with hobbies.

Saving is a state of mind and this recalcitrant spending corrupts that.

Don’t avoid your hobbies.  Avoid the enslavement to the things and actions affiliated with them.

I am typically wordy, expressive and perhaps long-winded.

This blog is an exercise in restraint for me.  It mirrors my life and the transitional journey I am on.

It is challenging, therapeutic and serves as a daily reminder who I need to be.

By minimizing my words, I am minimizing the clutter in my mind.

I am writing a simpler path.

Food, water, clothing and shelter.  Our families and friends.

Everything else is optional.

No, I am not going to sell or discard my personal effects down to necessities.  I am not going to cease working, curse material possessions and strip my life of its luxuries.

Millions of people throughout the world are happy with the bare necessities.  I will continue to be grateful for my conveniences.

However, before buying, selling or making any financial decisions, I will realize that everything is literally discretionary.

“I’m too old.”  ”I’m too young.”

“I don’t earn enough.”  ”I will earn more in the future.”

“I have too many monthly expenses, I can’t right now.”

These are excuses and they do not tally with reality.

Saving is a state of mind.  It is a personal contract you form with yourself and your family.  Don’t breach it.

Lifestyles need to be adjusted to fit a savings plan, not the other way around.  Make a commitment to modify your mindset.

When you stop spending, you save.