character
What Defines You?
“I don’t know. Just because someone’s pretty doesn’t mean she’s decent. Or vice versa. I’m not into appearances. I like flaws, I think they make things interesting.” ― Sarah Dessen, The Truth About Forever Men who believe their noses aren’t attractive enough, women who think some sections aren’t large enough while other sections are too large, […]
Read MoreTreasure the Ordinary
“Every day look at a beautiful picture, read a beautiful poem, listen to some beautiful music, and if possible, say some reasonable thing.” ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe You hurry to look at the sunset announced by someone standing at the window. Remarkable in its beauty, this setting sun of oranges and reds mixed with purple hues […]
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The Power, the Joy, and the Fear of Anonymity
“She’d never felt more alone, even as hundreds of people walked by. No one recognized her, and she began to treasure her anonymity as a gift.” ― Jamie Ford, Songs of Willow Frost Airports are busy, the roads are full, the restaurants are filled with tables of people. Sitting quietly on a bench, he watched […]
Read MoreWhen Everyone’s a Winner, We Lose
In a word, we may reasonably hope for the virtual abolition of education when I’m as good as you has fully had its way. ~C.S. Lewis, Screwtape Letters “You won!” I congratulated my great-nephew after our race across my brother’s yard. I suppose I could have tried a little harder, but I am forever trying to […]
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Serving In Any Season
“I slept and I dreamed that life is all joy. I woke and I saw that life is all service. I served and I saw that service is joy.” ― Kahlil Gibran The sound of the ringing bell serves as an instant reminder of the season. It is the familiar sound of the Salvation Army […]
Read MoreSavoring the Moment
“Sometimes you will never know the value of something, until it becomes a memory.” ― Dr. Seuss The chicken pot pie before the crust is broken. The first bite into a juicy apple. The heat coming on as you stand over the register absorbing the warmth. Sitting at your clean and orderly desk before the project begins. […]
Read MoreRevelations Come When We are Ready
“For things to reveal themselves to us, we need to be ready to abandon our views about them.” ~Thich Nhat Hanh There is really no other way to see things than the way they always have been seen or to do things other than the way they’ve always been done, right? It’s worked for years–the way […]
Read MoreThe Face Across the Table
“A single conversation across the table with a wise man is better than ten years’ study of books.” ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow The shelves are lined with books to help you be a better investor, a better volunteer, a better gardener, a better something. A $10 billion industry in just the United States, learning to help […]
Read MoreWithout Stars, We’re All Pretty Much the Same
“I’m quite happy to say that the Sneetches got really quite smart on that day, the day they decided that Sneetches are Sneetches and no kind of Sneetch is the best on the beaches.” ~The Sneetches, by Dr. Seuss Walking into the store, the lady in the fancy dress feels intimidating, the way she seems to […]
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Choices: Waiting at Every Turn
“The moment that we believe we have a choice, there is hope. We are no longer playing the role of victim — we are taking responsibility.” ~Julie Freedman Smith and Gail Bell, Parenting Power When children are young, we give them freedom in choosing things: what color shirt they will wear, how much food they […]
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Thoughts to Encourage
Nothing helps like a good nap…
Birds are Beautiful
A Dog is Faithful…
