An Open Letter to My Children About Emotional Boundaries
A father reflects on emotional boundaries, relationship maturity, and protecting your peace in this open letter to his children about choosing the right life partner.
Embracing Enough: Welcome to Lou LaMedica’s Personal Blog
"Embracing Enough" is my exploration of a life well-lived—where gratitude meets growth. From mindset and parenting to small business insights, easy family recipes, and personal finance, this blog shares practical wisdom on appreciating what we have and finding fulfillment in the everyday.
Featured Posts
I Don’t Recognize America Anymore
A veteran reflects on state power, anonymity, and why America no longer feels like the country he believed in.
Make the Good Stuff Happen Automatically
What if the key to long-term health, savings, and peace of mind isn’t discipline, but removing decisions? A reflection on building a life that works automatically.
52 Weeks Under the Bar: How Strength Training After 50 Changed My Life
A year of small, steady habits transformed my strength at 50. From rowing to barbell training, here’s how I became stronger than I was in my 40s.
Starting Classical Guitar at 48 — Why I’m Learning Something New (and Hard)
At 48 years old, I decided to learn classical guitar — not because I needed another hobby, but because I missed the feeling of being a beginner again.
Living Well Within Our Means
We’ve learned that living well isn’t about having the biggest house or the flashiest things. It’s about shaping what you have into enough, planning with purpose, and choosing experiences that last longer than stuff ever could.
Your Gut Knows the Way
From culinary school to combat zones, parenting through COVID to rebuilding a business—this is the story of trusting my gut when nothing else made sense.
Breadcrumbs for a Life Well Spent
Journaling helps me live with intention. From food to finances to bird calls in the woods, here’s how I track what matters and leave breadcrumbs worth following.
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Apple Spice Behind the Scenes
Asian-Inspired
Beans
Books
Breakfast
Business
Grilling
Chautauquas
Coaching
Comfort Food
Communication
Cooking
Emotional Health
Fall Recipes
Family
Gratitude
Grief
Habits
Health
Holiday Traditions
Italian Inspired
Kid Friendly
Kool Collectibles
Leadership
Leftovers Remix
Light Vibes
Meal Prep
Mindset
Music
My Story
Nature
nature
Nostalgia
Parenting
Patience
Personal Finance
Process
Purpose
Quick Meals
Reflections
Sales & Strategy
Sandwiches
Seafood
Seeing People
Slammin’ Sides
Slow Living
Soups
Sports
Sunday Funday
Sweets
Vegetarian
Winter Recipes
The Pull of the Dark: A Chautauqua on Keeping the Fire Alive
There’s a quiet pull in life that draws us inward—a kind of darkness that waits for everyone. This is about learning to tend your own fire, to keep showing up, and to find warmth even in the coldest places.
Walking Into Someone’s Shadow — When Other People’s Darkness Lingers
A strange encounter at a football game becomes a reflection on empathy, boundaries, and how to release the dark energy we sometimes absorb from others.
Living Well Within Our Means
We’ve learned that living well isn’t about having the biggest house or the flashiest things. It’s about shaping what you have into enough, planning with purpose, and choosing experiences that last longer than stuff ever could.
Listening to the Forest: A Photo Journal of Curiosity and Presence
A fall walk through the forest reveals deer, nurse logs, wild persimmons, and even the most poisonous mushroom in North America. A reflection on slowing down, noticing, and why Ferris Bueller was right.
The Creek Was Low, but the Forest Was Full
On a September walk, I found a forest full of surprises — seedlings sprouting late, fungi bleeding liquid, ants feasting on mushrooms. Each moment carried a question, and each question carried a lesson.
Quicker Eggplant Parmesan (Mark Bittman’s Version) with Marcella Hazan’s Tomato Sauce
Eggplant Parmesan doesn’t have to be complicated — this version is layered with golden eggplant, fresh mozzarella, and Marcella Hazan’s perfect tomato sauce for a dish that’s as comforting as it is classic.
RIP 2025 Mets: Season Recap of a $340 Million Collapse
The 2025 Mets were built for a World Series run. Instead, they unraveled after June 12, finishing with one of the league’s worst records since that date. No magic, no comebacks, and $340 million spent — this season will be remembered as an epic fail.
Marcella Hazan’s Perfect Tomato Sauce
Discover Marcella Hazan’s legendary three-ingredient tomato sauce — simple, rich, and unforgettable. A recipe so good, it could inspire The Marvelous Sauce.
Turkey, Bean & Pepper Jack Quesadilla — A Leftovers Remix
This Turkey, Bean & Pepper Jack Quesadilla started as a fridge raid and turned into a warm, golden, and unexpectedly perfect lunch. Creamy beans, smoky turkey, melty cheese, and a sprinkle of kosher salt made it the kind of quick bite worth remembering.
Heirloom Tomato & Basil Bruschetta
Fresh, juicy heirloom tomatoes meet crispy rosemary bread in this simple bruschetta recipe. A drizzle of olive oil, a hint of garlic, and a touch of basil turn it into the perfect summer bite.
Ayocote Blanco e Farro Minestra – Italian Soup with Beans, Farro, and Vegetables
A nourishing Italian-inspired soup made with ayocote blanco beans, farro, zucchini, spinach, and a Pecorino rind. Comforting, healthy, and perfect for a dreary day.
Abundance Signals: Walnuts, Mosquitoes, and the Forest’s Long Game
On my September 23 walk, the forest announced its changes loud and clear — walnuts thudding down in a mast year, mosquitoes in last-call mode, pawpaw perfume gone, and late-blooming smartweed still holding on. These abundance signals remind me that the woods don’t whisper their shifts; they proclaim them.
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