All it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing. (Edmund Burke, 18th century Irish statesman and author) Evil raises its ugly head far too frequently in modern society. Whether it is drug abuse, civil uprisings, or crime, we see it all too often in the...
At last it dawned on me that … obstacles were my life. (Fr. Alfred D’Souza, (Catholic Archbishop in India) That is D’Souza’s discovery. He wrote: “For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin—real life. But there was always some obstacle in the...
Never take down a fence until you know why it was put up. (Warren Wiersbe, pastor, author) This is one of Wiersbe’s lessons for life, and it may be helpful to learn. Fences are a kind of boundary; they may say “Stay out” or “Stay in.” They may be there to protect...
I believe that the best way to be a better teacher is to be open to the idea that there is more to learn. (Rita Platt, teacher) What is the goal of teaching? A good purpose might be stated this way: “The teacher’s goal is that the student learns and changes.” Wouldn’t...
You always have to watch out when someone steeples their fingers. (George W. Bush, 43rd U.S. president) We may not know for sure what Bush was referring to. Was he thinking of someone whose posture suggested deep and intense thought? Or was he referring to the posture...
Knowledge becomes evil if the aim be not virtuous. (Plato, classical Greek philosopher) There is more available knowledge today than ever before, and with the Internet, that knowledge is accessible to millions of learners. It’s important to be knowledgeable about our...
Yesterday is ashes, tomorrow wood. Only today does the fire burn brightly. (Eskimo Proverb) As we grow older, we tend to become more nostalgic. We long for the “good old days,” and we rehash the good memories, probably forgetting the less pleasant experiences. Others...
Thinking is one thing no one has ever been able to tax. (Charles Kettering, late engineer and inventor) On tax day in the U.S., a little humor might help. Will Rogers said, “The income tax has made liars out of more Americans than golf.” But Kettering’s comment is...
You must master your time rather than becoming a slave to the constant flow of events and demands on your time. (Brian Tracy, public speaker and author) We all have the same number of hours in a day and days in a year. It’s what we do with them that is the critical...
The best teachers are those who don’t fear being overshadowed by their students. (Author unknown) Caring teachers want to see their students succeed; that is often what motivates them to follow education as a career. Successful athletic coaches take pride in their...
Laziness is nothing more than the habit of resting before you get tired. (Jules Renard, French author) Resting is important. We do need to take time to rest; our bodies need relaxed time to recover energy and strength. But, as Renard suggests, to “take 5” when there...
The greatest oak was once a little nut who held its ground. (From a Norman Rockwell calendar) An acorn may not have had any ability to determine its future, but we do. The nut was safely buried in the soil, but when a sprout emerged and began to grow, it experienced...