Failure There is no failure except in not trying. (Elbert Hubbard, 19th-20th century American writer) Hubbard also wrote: “The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one.” An anonymous author offered this provocative question:...
Advancing Years A test of a people is how it behaves toward the old. (Abraham J. Heschel, 20th century rabbi) With newer medications and improved health care, people are living longer, so Heschel’s comment is appropriate. He continues: “It is easy to love children....
Decisions Each day, you have three choices: go backward, stay the same or go forward. (Chris Suitt, pastor) We may not often stop to think about it, but it’s true that our choices often determine failure or success—or maybe it’s just a stalemate. Suitt advises: “Go...
Volunteering There’s nothing stronger than the heart of a volunteer. Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle, famed World Ward II pilot) Four months after the infamous attack on Pearl Harbor in Dec. 1941, Doolittle, the first Air Force general, led a courageous bombing raid on...
Change Change will never be easy, but it is an unchangeable fact of life. (Kenneth J. Brown, author) Change is inevitable, and that’s usually a good thing. We move from kindergarten all the way through 12th grade, and we certainly have seen lots of changes over that...
Artistry Every artist was first an amateur. (Ralph Waldo Emerson, 19th century American essayist) Except for the rare child prodigy, no one becomes a concert pianist without long years of learning and practice. The quality of some world-renowned artists’ work was not...
Christmas Giving Always give without remembering and always receive without forgetting. (Brian Tracy, Canadian American motivational speaker) Perhaps you’ve been going through the list of Christmas cards you received last year, wanting to be sure you don’t forget...
Success Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value. (Albert Einstein, late theoretical physicist) People seem to be born with drive to be successful. As we grow into our teen years, it might be in sports, drama, or music that we dream of being the star....
Riches There is nothing wrong with men possessing riches. The wrong comes when riches possess men. (Billy Graham, late evangelist) Some of God’s chosen people in the Bible were very rich, possessing lots of land and thousands of animals. Abraham gave away much of his....
Double Vision When you have one eye on the goal, you only have one eye on the path. (Zen Parable) This idea could be thought of in more than one way. Yes, keeping your eye on the destination is important. To be distracted and look elsewhere even for a moment can take...
Pearl Harbor Day Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few. (Winston Churchill, British wartime prime minister) Few people alive today remember the tragic news of the bombing of The U.S. base in Hawaii, which began our involvement in...
The Right Way Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught. (Oscar Wilde, 19th century Irish poet) Wilde raises an interesting dilemma. We’re often told to keep our eyes on the goal;...