Self-Control Not being able to govern events, I govern myself. (Michel de Montaigne, 16th century French philosopher) How often do we wish we could change things around us? We might say, “If only…,” and we are frustrated that we aren’t in control. Perhaps we should...
Contentment We are not born with the instinct for contentment; rather, it is learned. (Howard Dayton, author) Is it ambition, greed, or simple boredom? Whatever the cause, a lot of people seem to be dissatisfied with their place in or the pace of their lives. As...
Choices The choices that we make in our life, indeed determine the kind of results that we experience and the quality of the life that we live. (Sumeet Jain, engineer and educator) As children mature, they begin to learn what adults have known for a long time. There...
Stand Firm Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm. (Abraham Lincoln) Standing firm is an admirable character trait. Being sure of what you believe and defending it strongly is important. But, as Lincoln suggests, what you’re standing on—your...
Opportunity You can never relive a moment. You can't relive an opportunity. But you can be ready for the next adventure. (Chris Suitt, minister) How often have you wished that you could “relive a moment”? Wouldn’t you like to take back those words you said in anger?...
Faith Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase. (Martin Luther King, Jr., late civil rights leader) We talk about “people of faith,” but in reality everyone lives by faith. Whether it’s a small thing, like trusting the chair to hold...
Others A man wrapped up in himself makes a very small bundle. (Benjamin Franklin) We’ve all known people like Franklin writes about. The self-centered person is difficult to be around, and certainly almost impossible to engage in a meaningful two-way conversation....
Purpose Great minds have purposes, others have wishes. (Washington Irving, 19th century writer) “I wish I could run in the Olympics.” “I wish I could be a concern pianist.” The wish list could go on and on. We have wishes to be or to do, but wishing by itself won’t...
Love Everybody wants to change the world; nobody wants to love their neighbor! (John Burke, author) Looking at our troubled world with wars, natural disasters, and viruses we have probably all said at one time or another, “If only… I would…” We’d create changes that...
Questions and Answers [Pay] more attention to the question than to the answer and never [be] afraid to go in an opposite direction to find a solution. (Richard Saul Wurman, author) There are two ways to consider this advice: 1) A good question may, indeed, cause you...
Discernment In our world, cultivating discernment is a necessary antidote to deception. (John Stonestreet, columnist) Stonestreet continues, “Too often, we are oblivious to the cultural currents around us. As the old Chinese proverb goes, ‘If you want to know what...
Others We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men. (Herman Melville, 19th century American novelist) The recent “lockdown” because of a virus threat is a perfect example of what Melville wrote. We certainly learned, as John...