Joe Soran

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

You may feel that you’re “not a writer” or that your life hasn’t been important enough to put on paper. But in the second half of life, something powerful changes.   In From Strength to Strength , Arthur C. Brooks  explains that we gradually move away from raw, fast intelligence and toward something deeper: crystalline intelligence —the wisdom that comes only from living.   “In every conceivable manner, the family is a link to our past and a bridge to our future.” - Alex Hale

“One bite at a time.” Simple. Memorable. Genius. That same wisdom applies to something far more meaningful than finishing a big task—it applies to writing a letter that could change your grandchildren’s lives. How do you write a letter to your grandchildren? Twenty minutes at a time. That’s it. Sit down and write for just 20 minutes a day, five days a week. In one year, you will have written more than 80 hours —80 hours of wisdom, love, stories, and hard-earned lessons that o

Just finished an excellent book entitled "Make it Stick" by Chip Heath & Dan Heath. The books is so full of great ideas that you will want to read it a second time.   The ideas really apply to writing a letter to your grandchildren.   They suggest using the acronym - "SUCCESs" to make ideas stick.   S - Simple U - Unexpected C - Concrete C - Credible E - Emotional S - Stories   By simple they mean that if you want your idea to stick, you need to simplify your message. In writ