This drawing fools the eye into believing the two white lines are bending. A ruler confirms they are parallel straight lines. Can we believe everything we assume about what we see? At first it's unsettling to question our beliefs and assumptions, but after a short while it becomes freeing.

At the beginning of the second week in February, we come together to remember the African Americans who have influenced our society today. This is known to us as Black History Month, or African American History Month. Without a doubt, segregation had been an issue until around 1954, when a series of Supreme Court decisions were passed making it illegal.

A colleague asked me an interesting question, "Do you see life from the perspective of the glass being half full or half empty? Ordinarily the answer helps define whether we live our lives as optimists (the glass is half full) or as pessimists (the glass is half empty) — but let’s be extraordinary. The question really inquires about how we approach problems.

How wise to interrupt February with Valentine’s Day – an opportunity to brighten these bleak winter days when natural light is in short supply. Often we use this holiday to express our love for others. This year let’s illuminate our own lives with love, light, and laughter.

I like squirrels. Watching them scurry up a tree and do their high wire act on the upper limbs fascinates me. I admire their keen eyesight, keen sense of smell, and keen hearing. They’re cute, fluffy, clever little rodents. They must have the psyche of daredevils otherwise why would they race across the road in front of my moving car challenging the fates and my braking reflex? But these traits are not what make me want to outwit them.