We can become bitter or better as a result of our experiences
Identical twins brothers attended their twentieth high school class reunion. One brother was a successful writer. The other failed miserably at everything he tried. The successful brother was asked what he perceived as the critical factor that helped him achieve success, and he quickly answered, “My parents.” This story illustrates how two people can come […]
The way to mend the bad world is to create the right world.
“Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me” are the opening words to a famous song. But what do the words really mean? How can being filled with peace inside one’s self lead to peace on earth? The brilliant philosopher Teilhard de Chardin refers to the “unimpeachable wholeness of the universe.” […]
Everyone should keep in reserve an alternate plan for livelihood
Just when we might think we have settled into a comfortable niche and everything seems to be going smoothly, we may find our lives turned completely upside down! We might be facing dramatic changes that require we “sing a new song.” In some instances, our comfortable routine of daily living may be interrupted to the […]
Joy is not in things, but is in you
How beautifully the great teacher Jesus trod the path of joy! He said, “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full” (John 15:11). Jean Paul Richter once said, “Joys are our wings; sorrows our spurs.” And Henry Ward Beecher commented, “Joy […]
Progress requires change
“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into his likeness” (2 Corinthians 3:18). If we look at life from one viewpoint, everything may seem unstable. Changes can take place so rapidly that it may seem nothing in the world could be looked upon as permanent. Friends may […]
As you are active in blessing others, they find their burdens easier to bear
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” With these immortal words, St. John sublimates Jesus’ recognition of the very depth of the love we would seek to achieve. Pure love, untainted by doubt, undisturbed by worldly consideration or thought of personal gain, represents a pinnacle of achievement. In […]
Expect the best and your positive outlook opens the door to opportunities
It is a natural fact that winter storms can be dangerous. With freezing temperatures, snow, sleet, and wind, icy conditions on the roads pose a threatening challenge to even the most experienced driver. Sometimes car batteries freeze up, and it’s hard to get the car started, or snow has fallen that must be plowed away […]
The only way to have a friend is to be a friend
A friend has been described as a gift we give ourselves, another part of ourselves, a mirror reflection. Webster’s Dictionary describes a friend as “one who is personally well‑known and for whom one has warm regard and affection.” Friendship not only involves us, it begins with us. The attractive force of friendship has its source […]
You get back what you give out
When she was seventy‑one, Golda Meir became prime minister of Israel and governed for five years, including the period of the Arab‑Israeli War. With a dedicated heart, she worked assiduously for peace, meeting with world figures such as Egyptian president Anwar Sadat and Pope Paul VI. Known affectionately in Israel as “Golda Lox,” she was […]
Happy relationships depend not on finding the right person but on being the right person
In the fairy tale The Sleeping Beauty, the heroine is saved from her seeming endless sleep by a kiss from the handsome prince, who whisks her away to his palace where they live happily ever after. This same idea is portrayed in Snow White and in countless other stories. Even in the 90s, many films […]
