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How we choose to spend our time says a lot about us. It’s true that sometimes we don’t have any say over how our minutes, hours, and days are spent. No one really chooses to wait in long grocery lines, catch the flu, or get stuck in traffic. But what we do with the time […]
How we treat others says much about who we really are. Civility, mercy, sacrifice, and integrity hold our society together. Yet such qualities often seem in short supply. Too often, arrogance and indifference isolate us from one another and harden our hearts. So taught Fiorello LaGuardia, mayor of New York City at the time of […]
We all have moments in life that can change us forever. Somehow we’re never quite the same after certain experiences. And more often than not, such pivotal moments can be relatively simple and small.In the late 19th century, a young American of Scottish descent traveled to Scotland to live and work for a number of […]
Since the revival of the Olympic Games in 1896, thousands of athletes have dreamed about representing their country and becoming Olympic champions. During the 1912 games, a new horse-and-rider event called dressage was introduced. It was a competition in which only commissioned military officers—all of them men—were allowed to compete. It stayed that way for […]
People who travel to foreign lands usually go hoping to see exotic scenery and famous places. They thrill at the wonderful new sights, sounds, and smells. But if they are perceptive and sensitive, they also grow to understand other peoples in other cultures. They realize, as the poet Maya Angelou said, that “all people cry, […]
Everyone wants to love, and everyone wants to be loved. From our earliest years, we look for love. Some people travel far and wide in search of it, and others may not know love when they’ve found it. In day past, children left little paper hearts or small boxes of candy on the doorsteps of […]
Parents often tell their children that life isn’t fair. The harshness of this reality is somehow softened when it comes from loving parents. It’s usually not until children become adults that they realize how right their parents were and how painful some of life’s injustices can be. Life really can be unfair. But that doesn’t […]
Saying good-bye has never been easy—especially when we have concerns about where loved ones are going or how long they’ll be gone. But knowing that good-bye is really a pronouncement of the blessing “God be with you” can make the separation more bearable. The word good-bye was formed from the longer phrase “God be with […]
We’ve all heard the expressions “Bless your heart” and “All the best” and so many others. With these words we extend good wishes to those around us. Such expressions are like a prayer calling down heaven’s blessings upon those we care about. And we all need blessings. There are those who may say that these […]
Did you think to pray?” This simple question from a 19th-century hymn reminds us to offer thanks and seek divine guidance, comfort, and peace each day. Is there anyone who does not need such divine intervention?
At the beginning of each new year we feel a sense of renewal and a chance to start over. We put more energy into accomplishing some of the things we have been putting off. We call this a time of resolution. Resolutions are promises to ourselves. Unfortunately, sometimes even our most heartfelt resolutions go unfulfilled. […]
Good tidings of great joy”1 is the message of Christmas. Whenever we love andserve, whenever we forget ourselves and lift others, we feel that joy. Real joy comes not from ease or riches or from the praise of men, but from doing something worthwhile.”2 Real joy is the blessed reward of selfless living. Over a […]
During the first half of the past century, Edgar A. Guest became well-known as the“people’s poet.” Celebrated for his homespun, sentimental verse, he penned some 10,000 poems during his life, which were syndicated in hundreds of newspapers across the country and reprinted in several books, such as A Heap O’ Livin’ and Just Folks. One […]
And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of […]
Long ago, in the dusty village of Bethlehem, a new life came into the world—a worldthat would be changed forever. On that silent night more than two thousand years ago, the light of a new star shone on the fields, the walkways, and stables of Bethlehem. Not everyone knew or recognized this radiant fulfillment of […]
We don’t miss what we’ve never known. But when people or things are an important part of our lives, we miss them dearly when they’re no longer with us. Yet, all too often, we take them for granted until they are taken away. For example, we often don’t appreciate health until we lose it; food, […]
In 1893 Katharine Lee Bates, an English professor from Massachusetts, visited theColorado Rockies. Her stay included an expedition, in a prairie wagon, to the 14,000-foot summit of Pike’s Peak. From that towering mountaintop, “the wonder of America,” with its “sea-like expanse,”1 spread before her. Returning to the hotel, she penned the words to “America the […]
It may be that we have more expressions about “home” than anything else. We’ve allheard “home is where the heart is,” “there’s no place like home,” and “home sweet home”— simple sayings that ring with truth and bear repeating. The hallmark of a happy home is not its size or location, but what goes on […]
In 1940, as the thunder and lightning of armed conflict erupted across Europe, WinstonChurchill stood at the head of a nation faced with the horrible reality of a calamitous war. “I have nothing to offer,” he told his countrymen, “but blood, toil, tears and sweat.”i In spite of the arduous road, Churchill was firm in […]
The great Irish tenor Ronan Tynan inspires audiences around the world with his abundant musical gifts. We admire his singing and performing, but just as impressive is his life story. Ronan was born with a lower-limb disability. Then, when he was 20 years old, both of his legs were amputated below the knee following a […]
From the timeless tale of the puppet brought to life comes the classic ballad “When You Wish upon a Star.” The little wooden Pinocchio, painstakingly carved by Gepetto, wished to be a real boy. He could move his arms and legs, he could sing and dance, but to achieve his ultimate dream he had to […]
One of the great opportunities in life is to gain a variety of experiences. It is important that we fill our days with a balance of meaningful events and activities that will stretch our minds and strengthen our relationships. Even everyday duties can provide a chance for us to improve our skills and share our […]
It’s one thing to write a song about rejoicing when all is well and the future looks bright. It’s quite another to sing of rejoicing while enduring violence and persecution—as did William W. Phelps in Missouri in 1833. He wrote “Now Let Us Rejoice” against a backdrop of “defeat, frustration, homelessness, suffering, privation, [and] hunger.”1 […]
Throughout history, men and women have drawn strength from stepping away from the crowd to quietly commune with their Maker. Isaac of old “went out to meditate in the field at the eventide,”1 as did David2 and Jesus3 and so many others in the scriptures. In more recent history, the story is told of General […]
During the first half of the past century, Edgar A. Guest became well-known as the “people’s poet.” Celebrated for his homespun, sentimental verse, he penned some 10,000 poems during his life, which were syndicated in hundreds of newspapers across the country and reprinted in several books, such as A Heap O’ Livin’ and Just Folks. […]
John F. Kennedy reminded us nearly half a century ago, “A nation reveals itself not only by the men it produces but also by the men it honors, the men it remembers.”[1] Most of us honor and remember those close to us who have made an imprint on our lives. Who heads the list of […]
“Is there no balm in Gilead . . . ?”1 asked the prophet Jeremiah. Anciently, an ointment known for its power to heal and soothe came from Gilead, near the Jordan River. Made from the gum of a tree, the balm was in high demand as a trade commodity at the time. Today we talk […]
On a recent flight during rainy weather, a young boy looked out the window as the airplane rose through the clouds, then beyond, into the calm, blue skies of a sunny day. Turning to his father, he shared his new discovery: “If you go up high enough, it’s always sunny.” How true. Above the clouds, […]
Some of us might think that if we just had more education, more social connections or financial opportunities, we could really be something. But often the quality that makes all the difference is nothing more than perseverance, or steadfastness, even in the face of opposition. We know it as “hanging in there” and “sticking with […]
Twenty years ago, a humble steelworker who appeared to have made little difference in the world died. He wasn’t famous, never earned much money, and didn’t associate with any VIPs. But he was a good man, a loving and dedicated father, a caring husband, and a kind neighbor and friend. At his funeral, hundreds came […]