Sometimes a person’s legacy is left behind in the lives of those they influenced. And sometimes a person’s legacy is heard in the echoes of words they said. Maybe that’s why I am such a quote aficionado. Today is set aside to remember Martin Luther King, Jr, a man most famously known for the words, “I have a dream … “ …
In Others’ Words: Leave a Message, Please
There’s a lot of wisdom in today’s quote, don’t you think? And I love that it’s wrapped up in just a touch of humor. The past is a tricky thing. We have to learn from it. And sometimes our heart is comforted, even blessed, by a walk down memory lane. But sometimes . . . well, the past shows up …
In Others’ Words: From Failure to Failure
People like to talk about success — they like to bandy about different definitions for it. Success is this. Success is that. And they’re all usually talking about something as far from failure as you can get. I’ve been reading Alton Gansky’s book Imagination @ Work. (Alton’s a friend and a colleague. I admire him. Even if I didn’t know …
In Others’ Words: Wrinkles
Wrinkles. Yes, I notice them when I look in the mirror. I don’t care for them, but I don’t post whiny comments on Facebook or lament about them in my journal because, well, what am I going to do? Botox? I don’t think so. When I look in the mirror I see me — not my age. But the reality …
In Others’ Words: No Waiting Necessary
I read The Diary of Anne Frank in middle school. I thought Anne was so brave, even as I wrestled with comprehending that she was only one of the children killed during the Jewish Holocaust. What kind of madness destroys the lives of over one million innocent children? Anne Frank penned those words about not waiting to improve the world as …
In Others’ Words: Choosing Mercy
My friend Dee is visiting for a few, too-short hours, thanks to an extended layover. Conversation flowed as I drove south from Denver International Airport (DIA) back home … and so it will continue except for the hours we sleep. One of Dee’s statements reverberates in my heart even now, a couple of hours later: God is so merciful. The …
In Others’ Words: Beyond Happiness
There were years I waited and watched for happiness. Hoped for happiness. And then … well, I wanted more. Happiness doesn’t stick around very long. It’s a minute by minute occurrence. Circumstantial. And I can’t control my circumstances. But oh, I’ve discovered I’ve changed through years of great happiness and great unhappiness — both fleeting. And I’ve discovered I can …
In Others’ Words: In Everything …
Two words stand out to me in Psalm 9:1 — the word whole and the word recount. As I thought through Psalm 9:1, I wondered: Do I ever give half-hearted thanks to God? Or do I ever forget to thank him altogether? And then there’s that idea of recounting … when I took a closer look at what the Hebrew …
In Others’ Words: Talent
There’s something to be said for talent. I do believe talent counts for something — a lot of things. Talent is the first thing that opens doors for us — the first thing that catches someone’s eye. You join a choir or an art class or write a short story for middle school English class … and someone — a …
In Others’ Words: Choice
Was anyone else surprised that Groucho Marx said something this insightful? No disrespect meant towards Groucho — but I think of him as the wisecracking guy with the ginormous eyebrows and the cigar. I admire Groucho’s focus on each new day as it came — his realization that he couldn’t change yesterday or control tomorrow. And I like that he …