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A businessman, exhausted from a lengthy trip that yielded far less than he had anticipated for all his hard work, sat gazing out of his office window one late afternoon. He felt overcome with discouragement. Even the sky was overcast. He sat, as it were, marinating in his misery when he noticed a break in […]
Who can measure the extent of a father’s love or place a value on the power of his example? The same loving father who quiets a five-year-old’s nighttime fears can speak across generations in the memories of his adult children, who are now raising five-year-olds of their own. In so many ways, for better or […]
In times of distress or anxiety, most of us find comfort in prayer. Just as a child runs to his parents’ bedroom when a dark night turns frightening, we grown-ups turn to our Heavenly Father when we’re troubled or in pain. We know the comfort sincere communion with our God can bring. And most of […]
Sometimes the words we use to describe the good and beautiful things of life make them seem too difficult to achieve. But when we examine the words more closely, something like holiness is not so far out of reach. The dictionary says holy means “belonging to, derived from, or associated with a divine power.” In […]
A teacher felt compassion for a young boy in her class whose father had been out of work for some months. The family had moved several times and was currently living in a government shelter. Sympathetically, the teacher said, “It must be difficult to have no home.” But the boy quickly and emphatically explained that […]
A father of five children, who lost his job a year ago, had to survive on part-time work while looking for a steady job. He was sure the financial strain would intensify conflicts at home. But to his surprise, the layoff became a blessing. Every one of his children expressed joy in the extra time […]
The birth of a child brings joyful noise into a home. And then, a score of years later, the silence after his departure is filled with memories: thoughts, images, and whispers of years gone by. The child, who just yesterday slept in a bassinet, now enters college; the son, who a few days ago scuffed […]
A newborn baby laid in its mother’s arms is a bundle of potentialities. For one so small, knowing little and recognizing even less, it will take an artist’s eye, an eye born of hope and love, to trace the child’s possibilities. The sculptor Michelangelo’s name is on a plaque affixed to a large block of […]
In the days when people depended upon sheep for food and clothing, village shepherds often gathered their flocks into a single sheepfold at night. Once the sheep were gathered in, one of the shepherds could stand watch at the gate and protect the sheep from predators. In the morning the other shepherds returned, and each […]
In our daily opportunities to give help to others, do we measure our efforts in terms of their immediate results or by whether we did all that we could to serve those around us? Our efforts need not be expensive or well publicized. We can bless the lives of others through seemingly small, well-intentioned acts […]
Perhaps the most enduring and important theme in all the world’s great literature is the search for home. From the great epic poems of antiquity to the most important plays and novels of our century, writers have depicted heroes lost and far from their loved ones, lonely and desperate for the refuge and comfort of […]
It was Thomas Carlyle who penned the words: “Music is well said to be the speech of angels.”1 One important duty of angels is to watch over us. Interestingly, music at times has assumed that divine duty. When part of our lives, music can help us in time of need. Parents who teach their children […]
Every spring we celebrate a newness of life. We rejoice over blossoms that have kept their promise; we cheer for saplings that have survived winter’s frost; and we marvel at the animal kingdom newly replenished. But at times, even in the midst of beautiful spring weather, we might be tentative. We keep the snow shovel […]
As a service project, a college student undertook to raise a puppy for a guide dog organization. Her job was to feed, exercise, socialize, and give basic obedience training to the puppy for a year. After that, the dog would receive additional training by the organization and then be given to a person with special […]
Wouldn’t it be marvelous if we could see into another person’s heart and know exactly how he feels? Instead of grappling with words and language to try to understand each other, we could simply read each other’s thoughts. Such dreams are the stuff of science fiction. No matter how well we think we know someone, […]
A traveler, walking along a forest path, comes across an intricately woven tapestry lying on the ground. After much effort, the traveler determines how the pattern was woven. Is it possible for that traveler to focus entirely on the tapestry without ever once wondering about the one who created it? We are that traveler. God […]
Choosing the right road at the beginning of a journey will more likely ensure reaching the right destination. A man boarded a bus with the clear intention of going to a large eastern city. At the end of a long trip, he found himself not in the East but in another city far south. He […]
Sometimes, in order to get along with those around us, we find ourselves in situations where we need to compromise. And yet, there are also times when we need to take a stand, define our position, and refuse to back down. When it comes to questions of personal integrity—to those beliefs which most define us—we […]
During some of World War II’s darkest days, Winston Churchill inspired his countrymen with these words: “Let us . . . brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that if the British Empire . . . last for a thousand years, men will still say: ‘This was their finest hour.’ ”1 Be our […]
We have long known the power of the written word. Through their writings, historians preserve the events that shape the destiny of nations. Poets write words that blissfully lift us above the mundane business of life into thoughtful reverie. Novelists, with the magic of their words, transport us into paths of excitement and intrigue. Philosophers […]
In the days when sailors depended upon wind to carry them to their destinations, it was not uncommon to hear that someone was “sailing by ash breeze.” The phrase referred to the fact that, when winds died out, sailors often progressed toward their destination by rowing. Oars, at the time, were often made of ash […]
Sometimes endings bring sadness, longing, even regret. Whether finishing an especially good book we wish were longer, winding up a vacation that we would like to prolong, or facing the greater challenge of saying good-bye to a loved one, we often feel downcast by the end of things. But our souls can take comfort in […]
Life may seem to flow on steadily, the same as it’s always been. But if we look back and review what life was like years ago, we see that there are dramatic differences. Like turning a giant ship, steering begins long before change is seen. It takes time. And only by small increments does society […]
Treating others with respect is an important and timeless virtue. Beginning with something as fundamental as the Golden Rule, respect is among the most essential values of life. It is known by many names: common courtesy, civility, esteem; but the simple definition taught to children is perhaps the most meaningful—treat others as you’d like to […]
Families have become increasingly far-flung in recent years. Once, children typically grew up in one home and then, upon reaching adulthood, moved not too far down the lane. Today’s families often end up scattered across counties, countries, and continents. The world likely will never return to what it once was. Even though the logistics of […]
How difficult it is to forgive those who have injured us. When we have been wounded, anger, silence, or bitter words can be the weapons that keep quarrels alive. But there is no peace in the nursing of a grudge. The French writer, Guy de Maupassant, told a story about a grudge that led to […]
Great nations are made of great people, willing to be inconvenienced and ready to defend the liberties they hold dear. The constitution, government, natural resources, or historic victories alone cannot ensure freedom or prosperity. Ultimately, a nation’s strength and promise are found in its people.
The port city of Barcelona, rimmed by the bright blues of Mediterranean sea and sky, offers her citizens and visitors alike a sumptuous visual feast. In particular, the stunningly unique architecture of this grand city—from the ancient Barcelona cathedral in the heart of the Gothic Quarter to the famous modernist church known as Sagrada Familia—continues to capture the eye and hold the heart of all who linger here.
What is the spirit of Geneva? What magic has made the name of this city on a lake a byword for peace? We speak of “the Geneva accords” and “the Geneva conventions”—the word itself has come to stand for a process of mediation and compromise, the reasonable resolution of unreasonable disputes. Robert de Traz describes the “spirit of Geneva” as “a practical, down-to-earth belief that peace does not come through major declarations . . . but rather through hard, unglamourous work . . . cooperation in a hundred different areas . . . expecting no miracles.”1
It’s impossible to visit London and not be mesmerized by the magic of this city. As poets and writers have flocked here to write stories that are loved worldwide, we have all come to know London’s streets and spires, her clock towers and cathedrals, her palaces and cottages—owning them, in a way, as we own favorite authors and books.