A library is the delivery room for the birth of ideas, a place where history comes to life. (Norman Cousins, late political journalist) Because books are available on computers, Ipods, smart phones, and Kindle, the old-fashioned library may soon become extinct. There...
Giving offense is the price of diversity, not an impediment to diversity. (Irshad Manji, author) It may be difficult to accept Manjii’s statement at first. After all, we don’t want to offend anyone, do we? At least, not intentionally. But if we are to live with...
My great concern is not whether you have failed, but whether you are content with your failure. (Abraham Lincoln) We all have experienced failure of some kind—a lost ballgame, a low test score, a poor interview, perhaps; but we did not let that stop us from moving on....
Don’t cry because it’s over; smile because it happened. (Dr. Seuss, children’s writer) The party’s over, the candles are burned down, and the gifts have all been opened. It’s a big letdown, maybe. The joy of the high has dropped to the low with tears. Dr. Seuss’...
Although the monkey might dress in silk, monkey it still is. (Puerto Rican proverb) You’ve probably met someone who has put on a front, pretending to be something he or she really isn’t. That’s okay for an actor on stage or in a film. In fact, when we see some of...
Plan with the end in mind. (Stephen Covey, late businessman and author) Someone else wrote, “It’s not how you start, but how you finish.” But, Covey would say that to achieve a successful end—to finish well—you have to start with a plan. Develop a strategy to follow...
Success is important only to the extent that it puts one in a position to do more things one likes to do. (Sarah Caldwell, opera conductor) Many people are working hard to achieve success with the idea, apparently, that once they have achieved it, that’s the end. But...
Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do. (Bruce Lee, actor) Knowledge is important; you can hardly have too much of it. But if we don’t apply to life what we know, the information we have is of little value. Likewise, the intention to...
People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day. (Winnie-the-Pooh, cartoon character) Winnie sounds a lot like Garfield the cartoon cat. Both seem to be content at being lazy, doing nothing of importance. Maybe some of us are like that, too. Life may be...
It is easier to act your way into feelings than to feel your way into actions. (Philip Yancey, author) Yancey might well have said, “If you wait until you feel like it, you may never do it.” Many of us have learned that if we do what we should, we soon develop a...
The vow of marriage is not one of unending happiness, but a vow of determined decision- making. (Jeff Bogue, pastor) When we say “I do” at the altar, what are we committing ourselves to? Living with our companion in never-ending bliss and happiness? Like any other...
Blowing out someone’s candle doesn’t make yours shine any brighter. (Amber Teamann, elementary school principal) That sounds like a very good principle to teach elementary school children, who often display a “Me first” attitude. Unfortunately, it’s a lesson many...