Blog | markbecklpc

Making Love Last

How was your Valentine’s Day this year? Hopefully it was great. Maybe it was so so. For many couples, Valentine’s Day is disappointing. Underperforming relationships are hard to hide on a holiday meant to celebrate love. Many partners are left feeling neglected, unappreciated, lonely or just plain forgotten. It’s no coincidence that separations and divorces spike in the weeks after Valentine’s Day—not to mention affairs. Indeed, the infidelity website Ashley Madison always ha

A Moment not to Miss

I’m an amateur photographer (which is to say, I spend money at it rather than make money at it). Photography is all about light. Often, the right light is the difference between just a snapshot and a memorable photo. Coming home from the beach a couple of weeks ago, Debbie and I were treated to a stunning sunset. It was breathtaking. I pulled off the road and stopped to photograph it. Whether a sunrise or sunset, no two are the same. They never disappoint, but something else

Step Into Your Future

If you’re a social media user, maybe you’ve noticed the recent trend. People are flashing back to 2016 and posting photos and stories about the decade since then. You’d probably agree, a lot has changed in ten years. How are you different today? Any regrets? If you got a do-over, what would you change? Since 2016, I’ve moved to a new state, lived in two different homes, started a new business and added a few more gray hairs. I’ve lost some friends and made some. I’ve celebrat

Rituals Matter

As my family prepared our Thanksgiving dinner last week, then began decorating for the Christmas season, I thought about the rituals that surround us in life. They are everywhere. Rituals are regular practices that connect us and identify us. They tell us who we are, be it in our family, our faith, our community or our country. Whether it’s a wedding, a funeral, a church service, a holiday parade or a political pep rally, rituals give us common ground. Whether they happen wee

We All Need to Matter

I met a young man recently who impressed me deeply. He was in my home doing some repair work. He was a capable, courteous and likable fellow and probably would be successful at about anything he undertook. As he worked and we talked, he mentioned having been in Afghanistan. “You’re a veteran?” I asked. “Yes, two tours,” he replied. He seemed to have come home intact, free from the visible and invisible scars of war that so many combat veterans carry. I asked him, “Do you miss