Dr. Larry Pittman Goddard Blog

The best things in life are those who you love, the places you have been, and the memories you have created along the way.... Do not get burned twice by the same flame. I have learned that it is the weak who are cruel and that kindness is to be expected only from the strong.  I am glad to know many strong friends. No lie.  I met someone today and he said his occupation was "part time DJ"... But, now.... really.... aren't all of us part time DJ's? When I drive, I really just scan playlists for about 11 seconds each song... then I arrive at destination  Sort of a traveling Disc Jockey When somebody tells you nothing is impossible, ask him to dribble a football. Yeah I used to be a people person but then people went and messed that all up. I want to be a comedian so bad but I am afraid they will all laugh at me! Just because someone talks a lot doesn't mean they say anything. I'm old but I'm not stand-out-in-fron...

·          Before I get completely wasted, make a fool of myself, stumble my way home and pass out, let me wish you a very happy New Year. ·   My New Year’s resolution is to be a little less perfect so I can stop making everyone else look so bad. ·   This coming year may you have happiness, good health, prosperity and finally realize how awesome I really am! ·   May you grow old enough that you struggle to stay up until midnight, prefer to stay home on New Year’s Eve and are unable to remember what a New Year celebration was like when you were young. ·   To all of my Facebook friends, may your Facebook page be full of New Year wishes from people you barely know. ·   May your New Year’s resolution be high definition. And may you be too drunk to understand that joke! ·   New Year’s resolutions are a to-do list for the first week of January. ·   May the New Year hurry up and come so we can final...

The man asked if I wanted a cup of coffee.  He looked like a miniature Frankenstein, casually dressed, smelled like a Mexican Food Restaurant, and was chomping ice from a take away cup.  It was 1:30 p.m. and he was grinning--like a spider in his web.... It took him a long time to get the coffee. I noticed the collection of college yearbooks that I had personally donated to the University--searching estate sales for years until we had these valuable historical references.   No one remembers what anyone has done in the past.  The thought is that 'it' all began when they started working here... For some reason, that 'fight or flee' instinct hit me...was sitting here to 'help' this 'no small talk for you' administrator going to be the  biggest mistake of my life.  Here I was, at this man’s invitation—he’s an interim vice president at a large regional University and the big shot mayor in a little shot town—the town is quaint; the mayor...

While there is no one perfect way to respond or to support someone you care about, here are some good ground rules.  #1 Grief belongs to the griever. You have a supporting role, not the central role, in your friend's grief. This may seem like a strange thing to say. So many of the suggestions, advice and "help" given to the griever tells them they should be doing this differently, or feeling differently than they do. Grief is a very personal experience, and belongs entirely to the person experiencing it. You may believe you would do things differently if it had happened to you. We hope you do not get the chance to find out. This grief belongs to your friend: follow his or her lead.  #2 Stay present and state the truth. It's tempting to make statements about the past or the future when your friend's present life holds so much pain. You cannot know what the future will be, for yourself or your friend -- it may or may not be better "later." That yo...