Being kind
I don’t know about you, but I’ve been thinking a lot about the state of the world lately. The last few years have been anything but easy for most people, and intros to pr... »
Volume 23.09 | September 2022
Eve's piano dream
Several years ago, one of my neighbors was a shy 10-year-old girl with very inquisitive eyes and a big smile. One day, Eve mentioned her dream of learning to play the pia... »
The compassion game
It’s natural to make assumptions about people. Sadly, what we tend to assume is often negative. Personally, I have seen how very easy it is to do this, and I often pray t... »
Grandma, grandpa, and the drumsticks
I knew a pair of grandparents whose home was furnished with antique armchairs, ornate flower arrangements, and burgundy carpets. Aside from being an experienced homemaker... »
Have courage and be kind
The 2015 adaptation of Cinderella portrays a young woman who lives her life by the motto that her parents taught her before they died: “Have courage and be kind!” While t... »
Through the looking glass
I walk in and hear voices all around, but I understand nothing. How many times have I been in a similar place?—In the facility of an association or nonprofit that works w... »
The best gift
Life is filled with difficulties and challenges, and at one time or another we all find ourselves in some particularly desperate situation. These desperate situations cau... »
Here first
My three-year-old son was playing an educational game on the computer when his six-year-old sister demanded that he let her have a turn. His response was typical. “I was... »
Seeking to understand
The Prayer of Saint Francis says, “Master, let me not seek … to be understood, [but] to understand.” It’s not always easy to understand others. Each person comes with a d... »
How should a Christian react?
How should a Christian react to wrong and evil?—Like Christ reacted in similar circumstances. Jesus chose to overcome evil with good, and so can we, as the Bible teaches... »
Cast a wide net
I love doing something kind when it really hits the spot. I will spend hours finding the perfect birthday gift to give a friend, or the exact right thing to say in a text... »
Ray of hope
I can’t promise to spare you from the storms of life, but I can promise to be with you through them. My help may not always come in the form you expect, but it will alway... »