"Our brightest blazes of gladness are commonly kindled by unexpected sparks." ― Samuel Johnson One of the defining characteristics of youth - whether one is young in body or young at heart - is the capacity for surprise. That capacity can weaken over time, especially if you take the attitude that you've "seen it all" …
Category: Ideas Worth Spreading
Every Sunset
"Know what you want to do, hold the thought firmly, and do every day what should be done, and every sunset will see you that much nearer the goal." ― Elbert Hubbard The spirit of determination is one that I have often admired in others. Determination - a firmness of purpose or resoluteness - is …
Help Yourself
More often than not the best way to help yourself is to help others. Helping others is a simple thing to do, really. It doesn't require much beyond the willingness to jump right in and lend a hand. Selfless service is the gateway to being someone who matters. "No one is useless in this world …
Legerdemain
"He who busies himself with the sins of others, or judges his brother on suspicion, has not yet even begun to repent or to examine himself so as to discover his own sins..." - St. Maximos the Confessor Judging others is likely the most popular way to avoid self-examination. The judge, with his wagging finger …
Greater Love
"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." - John 15:13 While this quote is commonly referred to in the context of the Crucifixion, there are many other levels of "laying down [one's] life for [one's] friends" which are worthy of consideration and actualization. For starters, …
The One Within
An excerpt from "My Kingdom" by Louis May Alcott I do not ask for any crown But that which all may win Nor seek to conquer any world Except the one within. Be thou my guide until I find, Led by a tender hand, Thy happy kingdom in myself And dare to take command. While …
Precious Privilege
I have a simply but profound thought to share with you today, dear readers: "When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive - to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love." - Marcus Aurelius Do this daily and you will find yourself blossoming in in ways …
All In
There is no point in dabbling in love or in life. Either you're all in or your not. When you are all in, all of you is moving in the same direction. When you're not, the niggling doubts and lingering suspicions about yourself or others will spread you thin, blunt your charge, and ultimately keep …
The Power of Words
"I know nothing in the world that has as much power as a word. Sometimes I write one, and I look at it, until it begins to shine." - Emily Dickinson Your words are one of the most powerful tools at your disposal. They can ignite fury, relieve tension, destroy lives, repair broken hearts, empower …
To be loved
"To be loved for what one is, is the greatest exception. The great majority love in others only what they lend him, their own selves, their version of him." - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Everybody loves love, but what does it mean to be loved for who or what one is? If you've ever been …
Gregory Hake 