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In the early years of the Revolutionary War, things did not look good for the fledgling American navy. In a period of three months, they had lost seven ships, including their two largest. In the midst of the gloom, however, was a shining light: Captain John Barry. He was so successful with his first military […]
The coming of spring is a change we anticipate and welcome. After a cold winter, we rejoice in longer days and warmer temperatures. And as the snow begins to melt, we watch for splashes of color and for those first brave blossoms. But perhaps it’s more than good weather we’re looking forward to—it’s the abundance […]
In every family, each generation passes stories and traditions to the next. The knowledge and experiences that are transmitted in this way become a family’s collective memory. It not only is a history of who they have been but also a constitution of who they are and a road map for what they can become. […]
One act of kindness often leads to another—and another. Recently a man was waiting for his order in a drive-through lane when the driver behind him, impatient and in a rush, began to honk and holler at the man to hurry up. The man at the drive-through window could have reacted with anger or spite, […]
We live in a day of remarkable communication tools. New technologies allow us to connect with people anywhere in the world. Yet the irony is that many of us feel cut off, disconnected from other people, even the people who matter most to us. Too often we use modern conveniences to make our lives busier […]
On the first day of December 1955, a prim, middle-aged woman riding a bus home from work made a decision that would shake the country. Rosa Parks, a black seamstress who was tired after a long day’s work, refused to give up her seat on the bus so a white man could sit down. As […]
One of the most popular courses taught at Harvard University is a class called “Positive Psychology.” In essence, the professor teaches how to find joy in living. One semester more than 800 students enrolled.1 What does it say about our society that we must teach “finding joy” at the highest levels of academia? Many myths […]
One of the best gifts parents can give their children is to love each other. When children notice that their parents like being together, when they observe an enduring affection between Mom and Dad, it gives them a deep sense of security. Mother Teresa, leader of the Missionaries of Charity, remembered the glee she felt […]
The recent passing at age 97 of President Gordon B. Hinckley moves us to pay tribute to his remarkable life and leadership. We respectfully refer to him as “President” because for nearly 13 years he served as President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We lovingly call him “friend” because of his […]
In the middle of a cold winter it’s difficult to believe that summer’s warmth will ever come. Likewise, when we’re in the midst of heartache, when our difficulties seem to outweigh our joys, it’s easy to lose hope for today and wonder about tomorrow. It’s natural to doubt, to wonder about that which we cannot […]
The immortal words of Oscar Hammerstein inspire us today with their truth: My heart will be blessedWith the sound of music. 1 From the popular tunes we enjoy, to sacred hymns, holiday music, and patriotic songs of every nation, we are a world of music lovers. Hearing even just a few strains of a song […]
At the scene of a disastrous house fire, a television news journalist interviewed a woman who had lost her home and all her belongings. “How are you doing?” he asked. She responded, “Well, everything is gone, but we’re OK. No one was hurt. We still have our family, and that’s what really matters.” Of course, […]
New beginnings are all around us. They come as the beginning of new days, weeks, months, or even years. With them come opportunities to improve our lives, master a skill, or pursue a dream. Sometimes, though, the dream dissolves or slips out of our reach—often because of forces beyond our control. We’ve all been there. […]
In 1741, swimming in debt and out of favor as a composer, George Frideric Handel accepted a commission for a benefit concert in Dublin, Ireland. On August 22 the 56-year-old sequestered himself in his London home and began to compose music to biblical texts heralding the life of Jesus Christ. Just 23 days later he […]
Bethlehem seems so far away from much of the world. A relatively small town, not much different from other communities near Jerusalem, Bethlehem is a fairly quiet place. Although it was the family home of the ancient King David, Bethlehem might largely be forgotten to the world today had it not been the birthplace of […]
“O Holy Night” is one of the most beloved Christmas carols of our time. But most people have never heard the curious story of how it came to be. In 1847 a parish priest of a small French village asked a local amateur poet, Placide Cappeau, to write a poem for Christmas Mass. Cappeau was […]
Christmas excitement is so much a part of being a child. Who doesn’t remember counting down the days, eagerly anticipating the big event, asking, “When will Christmas be here?” To parents, the calendar seems to move faster and faster; the years speed by, and last Christmas seems but a few months ago. But the excitement, […]
The greatest story ever told needs no embellishment. It occupies little more than a page of holy writ. It begins with the mundane duty of paying taxes. It continues with a journey that was not unusual for the time. The plot thickens when no room can be found in the inn. And it ends with […]
The psalms are hymns of praise to God written in poetic style. Their authors lived thousands of years ago in a culture that would be unfamiliar to many modern readers. Some of the psalms were meant to be sung, but we can only guess at the music and meter that once accompanied them. Yet there’s […]
In September 1620 a determined band of British citizens filed down worn stone stairs to board the Mayflower, moored in Plymouth harbor. The ship set sail from England carrying 102 men, women, and children, along with their hopes, their convictions, and their dreams. Crossing the Atlantic, beset by autumn storms, took 66 days and claimed […]
Inscribed on the coat of arms of the United States Military Academy at West Point is the motto “Duty, Honor, Country.” These three words burn in the heart of every dedicated member of the armed forces—and of those at home who support them. Duty is the effort required of every man or woman who desires […]
A perennial question echoes down the centuries: Whence happiness? It doesn’t take long to realize what doesn’t make people happy—wealth, possessions, prestige, and intelligence. We all know people with very little of what the world might value who seem to be quite happy. And we see apparently successful people who are miserable. Happiness seems elusive […]
More than a hundred years ago, the popular American poet Ella Wheeler Wilcox published poetry filled with simple eloquence and uncommon wisdom. She was born in 1850 near the American frontier, far from the intellectual establishment of the day. But she had a knack for expressing memorably the truth and beauty she saw in life. […]
Over 150 years ago, Johannes Brahms began work on his masterpiece, A German Requiem. It premiered in Bremen, Germany, in 1868, one month before Brahms’s 35th birthday, and it was very well received. One reviewer exclaimed: “What we have heard today is a great and beautiful work, deep and intense in feeling, ideal and lofty […]
For years an attentive woman had tended her rose garden, carefully pruning and maintaining her plants exactly the way her family had done for generations. Once a flower faded, she snipped it off just above a five-leaf cluster. All good gardeners knew this rule. And then she was surprised to learn that this rule, like […]
Very often, the greatest truths are taught simply. Principles that have the power to resonate in our hearts for generations need no embellishment. And while we never completely forget correct principles, we need reminders along the way. One universal truth, taught simply and clearly, was given in a parable some 2,000 years ago. It came […]
In today’s high-speed society, the time-honored virtue of patience is in short supply. We expect patience in others—sometimes impatiently—but we often deny ourselves the serenity, steadiness, and balance that patience could bring to our own up-and-down lives. As the story of Helen Keller shows, patience is not shoulder-shrugging indifference but rather action that calls upon […]
Our greatest blessings and deepest joys always come from helping others, from opening our hearts to someone in need. Service is evidence of our love, but it can also be its catalyst. While it’s true that we serve those we love, it is equally true that we love those we serve. A young man who […]
The story is told of an inquisitive widow in 17th-century England who lived next to a man she considered quite eccentric. Each day her neighbor would sit outside in the heat of the sun and, for hours at a time, blow soap bubbles through a clay pipe, staring at them until they popped. One day, […]
We are shaped and tempered by our exposure to nature and wildlife—by the opportunity to rub shoulders with the trees. As Wallace Stegner, Pulitzer Prize–winning writer of the American West, put it, “We all need something to take the shrillness out of us.”¹ Considering the shrillness of our modern society, how grateful we should be […]