Great Prose

Only in America
Ever wonder why? Humorous reading.

Too Late?
Why is it that we tend to value relationships more once they've ended? Is it simply human nature to take for granted the smile of someone close, the friendship of a relative, the concern of a neighbor? In the moment, we think that these people will be around forever.

Find The Courage To Know The Truth
My daughter amazes me. She's just been through a roller coaster growth cycle. I'm going to share this vulnerable, recent event from her life that has beautifully illustrates a powerful life lesson.

Communicating from the Heart
How many times have you kicked yourself for how you said something or how it was received? Your intentions may have been good, but the other person ended up feeling hurt or angry or worse. You ask yourself, "What could I have said so no one had bad feelings?"

Compassionate Communication: a Loving Way to Connect
Have you ever wondered if there was a communication method that really worked to bring people closer? How would your relationships be impacted at work, at home, with friends, if you interacted from a place of connection?

The Changing Definition of Happiness
Ever considered how multi-interpretable the question “Are you happy?” really is? And it is not just that happiness means something different for every person, but also that for each individual the substance of happiness changes as circumstances do.

Let the Past Be Past
Is it difficult for you to forgive? To let the past be past?

Why we choose the wrong people
Each time you choose the wrong person, and it doesn’t work out, you lose a little of your confidence. The questions that usually arise from people at this time are “Why does this always happen to me?” or “Why do I always attract the wrong people?” 

The Passion of the Christ: Review of the Movie - From a Christian Perspective
In my opinion, the move is exceptionally good in depicting the last 12 hours of Jesus Christ. It truthfully depicts what is in the Gospels; a few artistic liberties were taken, however, without affecting what is portrayed in the bible. And these are kept absolutely to a minimum.

The Passion of The Christ: Another Review
When I sat down this evening to write a review of The Passion of The Christ, you must imagine how profound it is for me that I am struggling with words and with the very idea of having to write about this movie. To say I am at a loss doesn't begin to express how inadequate I feel to even attempt to convey all that this movie is.

Guiltless Contentment
When you believe you have a balanced life, that you do your best in any circumstance you are in, and you hurt no one, not even yourself while experiencing this contentment bliss, it is enough reason to rejoice without feeling undervalued.

Learning to love yourself
We’ve all heard it before…before anyone can love you, you must love yourself. You must know yourself intimately to truly understand who you are and what you want out of life. You must like yourself for other’s to like you. You should be confident, be self assured, hold your head up high and most of all be truly happy in yourself.

Do You Worry Too Much?
Worry is a focus on fear, which leads to tension, anxiety, anger, and exhaustion. Here are ten tips to help you stop worrying.

Challenge Yourself ... Stretch your boundaries daily!
It is important that you test your boundaries and see how far you can go. Challenge your own beliefs to increase your sphere and strengthen your resolve in your own life. Of course, don't do anything to risk life and limb; however, it is important risk and overcome your fears.

How to Develop the Power of Belief
The mind is powerful. What you think with your mind is often formed into reality. Many of us have limited success because we think in our mind that we can't or never will achieve success.

Choose Your Attitude and Expand Your Thinking
Watch a child learning to walk and it's amazing. No matter how many times they fall down, they hop back up because they instinctively know that eventually they'll be able to walk. They don't have to worry what others think.

Allowing versus Receiving
Rather than "allowing" Spirit to do something great in our lives - being in control of certain aspects of the manifestation - why not just "receive" of Spirit the thing we desire. Why take control of it?

Habits-What I Want for You!
Every one of us was born with the power to change our lives. All of us have seen seemingly ordinary people become superheroes. Why is this? Something happens in their lives that makes them suspend belief long enough to act unconsciously. When this happens, they are able to access this power and perform extraordinary feats.

How to Cultivate Seeds of Greatness in your Life
10 action steps to enhancing the creativity in your own life:

Life Sparkles
Trouble will come, there is no escaping it, but trouble can richly bless us. We may find our life changing direction and seeing possibilities we may have missed if trouble had not brought its gift to us.

The Point of the Passion
I’ve been thinking a lot about The Passion of the Christ the past few weeks and have heard mixed reviews and comments regarding much of the information presented in the film.

Who Killed Jesus
Who killed Jesus? You and I did. Jews, Christians, and every person who has been born or will be born.

Plenty of Time
Hurrying is antithetical to a preschooler's very nature. An essay on revering a child's pace.

Are You a Positive Thinker?
Are you a positive thinker; the kind of person who can get the most from life and your relationships? Try this quiz and find out.

Fear of Skiing - A Phobic Tale
Voilà! A miracle! No trauma! And I know what happened. It’s called “flooding,” during which psychologists confront patients over and over with what scares them silly.

What Has Worked For Us: Brief Reflections On Enjoying 35 Years Of Marriage
We are not perfect, we don't agree on all things, and we still work through issues even after being married for nearly thirty-five years

To Know You Is To Love You
To truly love someone is to care about them to the very depth of who and what they are, what they believe, what they like, what they dislike, how they respond under pressure.

The Work of the Heart
Here is a touching piece written by a teacher. It reminds us of the satisfaction gained by doing the "work of our hearts."

A Beautiful Heart
"Perhaps it's good to have a beautiful mind, but an even greater gift is to have a beautiful heart," says Nobel Laureate John Nash. A beautiful heart is that gift...that leads us...into the beauty of giving.

Loving Someone Else's Child
Loving someone else's child is one of the MOST LOVING ACTS a nontraditional/ nonbiological parent can possibly do. Step, adoptive and foster parents may not feel they are so loving, at times, but the very fact that they doing something that goes against the normal parenting grain of attachment prove they are.

Are You Mortgaging Your Dream?
Career freedom comes when you move from, "Can I afford this purchase?" to, "Is this purchase worth what it really costs -- future options, choices, staying in a life I no longer want?"

Why Mel Owes One To The Jews
Today, peril threatens all Americans, both Jews and Christians. Many of the men and women in the front lines find great support in their Christian faith. It is strange that Jewish organizations, purporting to protect Jews, think that insulting allies is the preferred way to carry out that mandate.

Religious Freedom is for Everyone-Not just Minorities
With each passing year, secular fundamentalism more successfully injects into American culture the notion that the word "Christmas" is deeply offensive. Well, after watching this year's repeat of the annual "hate Christianity ritual" I think we may be mistaken in allowing this assault to go unchallenged.

Equal Earthquakes with Unequal Results
We ought to acknowledge that each day, every American derives enormous benefit from the faith of our Founders and of their heirs. We ought to acknowledge that our welfare is jeopardized by secular fundamentalism. Those many tragic and largely unnecessary disasters around the world bring out the goodness of Americans in the form of mountains of humanitarian relief. They should also remind us of the source of that goodness.

Cure for the Rotten Kiss
Ten ways to pump up passion and increase intimacy in any relationship.

10 Tempting Facts About Kissing
Kissing can build intimacy, but can it improve your health? Discover one doctor’s point of view.

A Perfect Valentine’s Day that Won’t Break the Bank
Shower her with rose petals, get away for the weekend and enjoy a gourmet meal without shelling out a fortune. Here are some of the secrets to a low-cost love fest.

Tips to Keep Your Romance Sparkling
Spark up your love life with these quick tips.

Seven Simple Ideas for a Romantic Valentine's Day
However Valentine's Day came about, one thing is certain. It's the only day of the year designated for intimacy. And with the hectic pace of our lives these days, is that such a bad thing?

Are You Experienced in Romance?
Are you an experienced romantic or do you still have a long way to go? Take this quiz.

Valentine’s Day for the Romantically Challenged
So you can’t sing like Dean Martin. You don’t dance like Fred Astaire. There’s still hope this Valentine’s Day. Sweep your sweetie off her feet with these Valentine’s Day ideas.

Too Busy for Romance?
How does one work romance into one's life? Tips for keeping romance a staple in your life.

Cupid's Arrow: Bent not Broken
Valentine's Day is a touchy subject with me. It is not that my husband forgets to honor our love on that day. We have Cupid's celebration for which he can ramp up his adoration for me.

Valentine's Day Craft Fun
Here are some Valentine crafts that kids can create to make the holiday even more special.

Things to Ponder
Light, humorous reading.

The Realities of Happiness and Anxiety
The history has proved that unfulfilled desires are the main reason for the absence of contentment. This is quite evident in the matter of the natives of the fully developed countries.

How to keep a healthy level of insanity
Humor.

Less Famous Proverbs
Light humor that makes you shake your head in agreement!

Give me that
An Inspirational Story.

30 Rules That Guys Wish Girls Knew
Humor.

Just a Detour...
Let's remember - our presence on planet earth is just a short detour from the real journey ahead..

The Father's Eyes
An inspirational story. This teenager lived alone with his father in Syracuse, and the two of them had a very special relationship.

Life whispers in your soul and speaks to your heart
Inspirational story. Don't go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention. Life whispers in your soul and speaks to your heart.

U + I = V
An African proverb states, "Before you get married, keep both eyes open, and after you marry, close one eye."

Lost and Found (A Valentine's Day Story)
For years I've been under the impression that the man didn't have a nerve in his body — that nothing ever rattled him. And now this. Then again, it also means that I have discovered one more reason to admire my husband. Even when he's rattled, he can still think calmly in a crisis.

The Grandfather Tree
I don’t know what trees or houses acquire through time. But I do believe some important element of life is absorbed by that which endures the longest.

The Taffy Pull
The next morning as I sadly contemplated the empty Baggie, I decided the Brownie leaders had been dead wrong. Making the taffy wasn't the best part.

Tough Times
For most of us, life is a mixture of placid and tumultuous experiences. Like a roller coaster ride, life brings us periods of smooth ride punctuated with interludes of stomach churning, accelerating drops through the unexpected.

Speak Up For Yourself
Your ability to speak up for yourself, and to say no are directly related to your ability to set boundaries.  In this lesson, I'd like to explore what a boundary is, and identify where you may need to set and enforce boundaries in your life.

Simplifying Simple
A simpler life can be launched with a concept so simple it takes only a few words. For me, simplifying your life is not to add another "should." It's simply to recognize that your degree of happiness equals your degree of compassion.

Is Mothering Wearing You Out?
Learning to take care of ourselves is essential for our own health and the health of our family.

Ordinary People Can Live with Significance
Can ordinary people like us live lives of significance? Can we have profound impacts on others?

Living a Life of Significance
While we remain in pursuit of many worthwhile personal endeavors, we must always remember to acknowledge and nurture those around us. Those who need nurturing may be our family or our co-workers; but they may also be those in the community at-large.

How to Help Your Loved One Die
Things to Think About Before Your Loved One Dies, Loved One Going to a Care Home.

Eyes Are The Mirrors to Our Soul
 I will never forget the look in this kitty's eyes as she looked back at me at the receptionist's counter. We were her last hope. If, as I've always heard, the eyes are the mirrors to the soul, Cassie reflected something to me that day, a vision of the commonality of spirit of all living beings.

The Shelter Cat
Even the most forgiving cat lover would have deemed her ugly, but she had twice the personality of her sisters.

Iron Lung: A True Life Story
I worked for Hope as an attendant being a nursing–school student. I was taken aback when I first saw this woman living inside a tank called a respirator.

A heartwarming story of being Old
Humor

True Romance for Couples with Kids: 10 Inexpensive Ideas
Anyone can splurge on a formal dinner or a pricey bottle of perfume, but it takes creativity, forethought, and time to be truly romantic. Here are 10 ideas to get you started...

Valentine's Day — Where Did That Come From?
I discovered that Valentine’s is not a holiday that was “invented” by greeting card companies to sell more greeting cards or by candy companies to sell more candy or by florists to sell more roses. Valentine’s Day actually started more than 1,500 years ago.

Find an Excuse to Love
"Some children just need more love." I don't know how many times I heard Mrs. Tucker say that. Mrs. Tucker was a 73-year-old woman who worked with me in an after-school daycare program. She rarely missed an opportunity to show warmth and affection to a child.

Weeding Through Your "Friendships"
Some people are complete pack rats (myself included!!). We save everything - whether we need it or not. Our reasons are simple - we may need it someday. This can include anything from old cards and letters, to magazines and recipes, and friends.

Becoming More Aware
As the world keeps spinning and many of us do too, with our busy schedules and fast lane lives, filled with growing children, business meetings, paying the bills, pursuing careers and helping the world, it's very important for us to slow down and become more aware.

Some Comebacks for Nodding Off at Work
Humor

Interesting Obscure Facts

A "Potential" New Year's Resolution
The moment we are born, we each have in our possession the most amazing gift! It is the gift of pure untapped potential, unique and different for each of us.

Wisdom of Mahatma Gandhi

Into the New Year 2004: Some Thoughts
Life is much more than the material gain and comfort. We are tempted to enjoy our life to the fullest extent possible, taking into consideration what we can do materially. If material gain is not intended for a greater purpose, that gain will not be of any use to others.

Some lesser known laws..
Humor

Chanukah's Message - Not Just for Jews
Chanukah invites us all to express gratitude to the Creator whose beneficence is boundless. It stimulates discussions that can spur our spiritual growth. It reminds us that with His gift of creativity, challenges become optimistic opportunities to partner with God in creatively solving all material shortage.

Brain Teaser
Test your skills in this fun quiz that makes you "think outside the box."

Picture Essay: True Strengths

Signs Found In Kitchens
Humor.

Inspirational Story: The Donkey
Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up.

Inspirational Story: The Turtles
Some of us waste our time waiting for people to live up to our expectations. We are so concerned about what others are doing that we don't do anything ourselves.

Inspirational Story: The Pretty Lady
This very old Chinese Zen story reflects the thinking of many people today. We encounter many unpleasant things in our life, they irritate us and they make us angry. Sometimes, they cause us a lot of hurt, sometimes they cause us to be bitter or jealous. But like the little monk, we are not willing to let them go away.

Inspirational Story: The Frogs
Next time you hear somebody criticizing or making fun of you, remember, it's probably just a couple of noisy frogs.

No Hopeless Situations
There are no hopeless situations -- only people who are hopeless about them.

Trust in God!
It is easy to get discouraged when things are going bad. But we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of pain and suffering.

What is a Life Purpose
Discovering one’s life purpose is like cutting a diamond. Every gem quality diamond has within it a ready-made design, waiting to be discovered. So do you. The secret is to discover and actualize your unique pattern.

Receiving: The Flip Side of Giving
We want to have a joyous time, and remain mindful of our values. Yet, we often get caught up in the flurry of gift-giving fever and forget to enjoy what others give us every day. In a time when people are saying "Peace on Earth, goodwill toward men," how is it that something meant to be so special can become so stressful?

Christmas Message -  2003
Christmas brings to our mind the supreme sacrifice of God, an action on the part of God to liberate Man from the clutches of sin, to give him freedom, to restore the peace and happiness mankind lost when it alienated itself from God.

10 Simple Christmas Decorating Ideas Using Stuff You Already Have
Here's ten simple (but VERY effective) ways to use common Christmas items you already have to add that special holiday touch.

Holiday Memories Rest On Traditions
For most people, holiday seasons bring with them warm memories from years past. Traditions are the stuff those memories are built on, and each family has its own special tradition that comes either from the long ago past or has been built in just one or two generations.

Overcoming Loneliness this Christmas
There are many people who will be alone on Christmas day, so don't think that you are the only one, or that you are in any way a failure if you find yourself without company at this time. There are a number of things that you can do to make the day more pleasant for yourself.

The 12 Birds of Christmas
The hustle and bustle of the holiday season is joyful for some people and stressful for others. If you begin to feel pressured by a need to give just the right gift or the perfect holiday meal, perhaps these commonsensical birds of Christmas will re-mind you to peaceful balance.

The Five Best Gifts to Give Your Family
There are five gifts of love that we can give to our families that can make a huge difference in their lives.

What Your Name Means
Here is a fun way to learn more about you!

How To Find Meaning and Motivation in Life
Ask yourself this: what is the single most important value I stand for in my life, my core reason for being?

Happy Hannukkah Holiday Ideas
The celebration of Hannukkah is a time that Jewish families look forward to all year. Here are some suggestions for celebrating the eight-day Festival of Lights.

5 Ways to Leave Your Mark on the World
Ready to make a major difference in the world, but not sure how to do it? Follow the example of these five leaders.

Cultivate A Positive Attitude
Having a positive attitude is one of the greatest blessings in life and cultivating one is the best service we can do to ourselves.

Inspirational Story: $20 Bill
The worth of our lives comes not in what we do or who we know, but by God who loves us.

I've learned....
Inspirational: I am friend to everyone and everyone is friend to me.

Modern Day Christmas Celebrations
"Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will towards man" is absent in our modern Christmas celebration. The religious significance of spiritual renewal has become of least importance and market forces dominate in our present Christmas festivity with an intention of commercialization.

Should Dara Sigh be executed? A View on Capital Punishment
Only two persons said that Dara Singh should not be executed. One was John Stanes, the elder brother of Graham Stanes, the other person was Dara Singh's mother, who said that "he didn't kill even an ant while a boy" and he could never be a murderer. Gladys Stanes said that she had forgiven Dara Singh and did not file any suit against him