Joe Soran

In 1973, Ernest Becker published a Pulitzer prize winning book "The Denial of Death." Some of the key points are that humans are unique in that that can think about thinking. They can put ourselves in hypothetical situations, to contemplate the past, present and future. They can vividly imagine their deaths. This leads to a very common feeling of fear that Becker termed "death terror." To counteract the this "death terror" people have come to the realization that they hav

"Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" — Mary Oliver That question stopped me cold. I have been busy my entire life. Productive. Helpful. Responsible. I have said yes when I meant no, filled my days with good things that quietly crowded out the essential things. Then I read Essentialism by Greg McKeown. And something shifted. The Most Dangerous Word in the English Language is "Yes." McKeown offers three liberating truths: "I choose to." "On

Rode in the back of a pickup truck at 60 miles an hour eating a popsicle. Drank water straight out of a garden hose and somehow survived without electrolytes. Played with lawn darts — giant metal spikes specifically designed to test sibling reflexes. Rode bicycles with: no helmets no pads no fear and usually no brakes. Sat in the front seat at age five while Dad smoked with the windows rolled up. Shared one seatbelt among four children and a German Shepherd. Wandered miles fr

“We travel, initially, to lose ourselves; and we travel, next, to find ourselves.” Pico Iyer Include travel in your letter. What delighted you? What surprised you? Who did you travel with? What meals were fantastic? Where would you want to visit again and again? Where would you not want to travel to a second time? Who were the people that you met? Did you ever get lost? How did you make the best of a bad situation? What were the simple pleasures you will always remember?

The world your grandchildren are navigating would be unrecognizable to the generation that raised you. Social media delivers an unrelenting stream of comparison, criticism, and noise — twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, directly into their hands. The economy asks more of them and promises less. Mental health struggles that were once whispered about now touch nearly every family. The pressure to perform, to achieve, to appear confident while feeling completely lost

One day—maybe sooner than you expect—you’ll wish you could ask your grandmother just one more question. What was she afraid of when she was young?How did she get through the hardest moment of her life?What did she really believe mattered? But you won’t be able to ask. And that’s the quiet tragedy most families carry. Not that their grandparents didn’t love them……but that so much of their wisdom, their stories, their truth… was never written down. If you’re a grandparent readi

We all have scars. Some a lot more than others. Some are physical and some are emotional. You don’t get to be old without getting lots of emotional scars. They are part of life. They are proof that you have lived a full life. A life with love and heartache, great happiness and great disappointment, dreams fulfilled and dreams crushed, friendships kept and friendships lost. Your words can be the splints, casts, band aids, ointments and wisdom that can help your grandchildren h

In the old days, we used CliffsNotes. They were black and yellow booklets that summarized famous books. They were very popular because instead of reading and trying to figure out "Hamlet," you could read the booklet and get an expert review of the play in far less time. It was an easier way to understand a challenging classic. You can do the same things for your grandchildren. Have you ever read a great book that changed your life? That inspired you to change the way you

You have the right to the work, but not the reward. This timeless truth reminds us of something we often forget: our job is to show up and do the work , not to control the outcome. The Bible echoes this same wisdom. In Colossians 3:23 we are told, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord.” And in Ecclesiastes 9:10, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.” These verses call us to bring our full effort, our full attention

Plato once declared, “An unexamined life is not worth living.” Powerful words—but how do we truly examine a life? Not by letting thoughts drift through our minds, but by capturing them in writing. Thinking alone is fleeting. Ideas come and go, shaped by mood, distraction, and time. But when you write, something remarkable happens. Your thoughts slow down. They take form. They become real. Writing forces clarity. It reveals patterns. It connects moments that once felt isolated

“The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it.” Think about the movies that stay with you long after the credits roll. In Interstellar, a father reaches across time to guide his daughter.In Coco, a family’s survival depends on remembering those who came before.In The Notebook, a written story keeps love alive when memory begins to fade. Different stories. Same truth. We all long to be remembered.And more than that—we long to matter to those who

Who Did You Love? One of the most important things in a person's life is their love stories. Write a letter to your grandchildren and tell your love stories. Tell your grandchildren who you loved. How did you fall in love? How did you keep love alive? When were your happiest moments? What were your love songs and why? How did they make you a better person? Did they save your life? How were they your best friend? How did you express your love to them? How was their love ex

Close your eyes. Go back in time to one of the hardest seasons of your life. Sit down in front of your younger self. Look closely at that tired face. The worry. The uncertainty. The nights when sleep would not come. Then smile gently and say, “Thank you for hanging in there.” Because you did hang in there. You survived the disappointments.The broken plans.The deep sadness that felt like it might never lift. Maybe you carried burdens you never expected to carry.A struggling ch

“Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt.” How many letters have never been written because of doubt? “I’m not a good writer.”“I don’t know where to begin.”“It won’t be good enough.” Doubt whispers. And while we hesitate, time moves. Your grandchildren do not need a perfect letter. They need a real one. The blank page feels intimidating, but remember this: “The scariest moment is always just before you start.” — Stephen King

I recently watched a movie with several of my grandchildren, and it reminded me of something powerful: when a young person is struggling, a grandfather’s story can become a lifeline. Not because it’s perfect or dramatic—but because it proves this simple truth: fear is part of life, and it can be overcome. That’s why you should write a letter to your grandchildren. Not a resume. Not a brag sheet. A portrait of your spirit . Your face is what you were given. Your spirit i

You fall off a cruise ship at night. You bob to the surface and look at the massive boat slowly moving away. The lights grow smaller. The engines hum. No one seems to notice. You might drown. Your arms thrash. Your legs kick. Panic rises. The ocean feels endless. Then—splash. A big white life preserver lands in front of you. Someone saw you. Someone cared. You swim toward it and grab hold. Instantly, you stop fighting just to survive. You no longer have to frantically kick to

One of the simplest ways to make writing a letter to your grandchildren easier—and far less intimidating—is to keep a small notebook just for ideas. Not a diary. Not a memoir. Just a place to capture thoughts as they show up in everyday life. Most people stall because they think writing a legacy letter means sitting down and producing something profound all at once. That’s exhausting. A notebook changes the job. Instead of “write a letter,” the task becomes “write down one

It's going to happen. You're going to die. You will probably be in a hospital surrounded by family. What are they going to think about you then? What are they going to think about you in a year? What are they going to think about you in ten years? How do you want to be remembered? You don't want to leave a list of professional or financial accomplishments. The object is not to leave a sports car in the garage. You want to leave list of the values the guided your life an

A grandfather has a quiet, powerful role in shaping the life of a grandson. In a world that is changing faster than ever—and growing harder to navigate—young men need a strong, loving, and protective presence. They need someone who has lived long enough to say, “I’ve been there,” and steady enough to say, “You’ll be okay.” Today’s world throws constant noise at young people: headlines, peer pressure, easy answers to hard questions. A grandfather offers something different—lov

That truth is written all over this picture. A joyful little girl, mid-leap, arms wide, trusting completely that her grandfather will catch her. Her laughter fills the room. In moments like this, we feel how precious life really is. Life is fragile. A single bike accident can change everything. Memory loss can quietly steal the stories we meant to tell. As we grow older, our bodies weaken, our hands tire, and the strength to write a long letter slowly fades. Time is not somet