Intuitive, Counter-Intuitive and the Irony of Gardening

My mother drilled certain behavioral lessons into our psyche, starting when we were very young. One that has stuck with me is, “Don’t blow your own horn!” No bragging, boasting, or puffing of the chest. Not only is it bad manners, but you may be setting yourself up for embarrassment or humiliation at some future point. Sorry Mom, but a little brag, I have good intuition and instincts about people. A trait I probably inherited from my mother.

During my insurance career, I’ve hired several assistants, and they’ve all been terrific. I mentored them the way I was mentored. If you want to advance i...