Once upon a time, there was a fisherman. He was very successful at fishing but wondered if there was more to life than what the sea had to offer him. He wanted to know of his happiness in advance. The next time he was in port, he visited a fortune teller. The fortune teller waved…
Let’s take a page from the book of any Native American tribe’s philosophy and learn from their example of waste not, want not. Indigenous peoples hold Mother Earth in high regard, one that more people can benefit from learning. Believing that all living things have a soul, respect, and honor were bestowed on all things…
In 1930, Watty Piper wrote “The Little Engine That Could.” The most famous line in the book is, “I think I can. I know I can.” Nearly one hundred years later, the lesson of believing in yourself remains the same. The Little Blue Engine never told herself or let anyone else tell her she couldn’t.…
Fort Collins is home to the only lowland Nordic ski team in Colorado, the Poudre School District Prairie Dogs. In 2017, Kyle Steitz, the coach, was laughed at by the other twelve teams in the state. Everyone assumed a team of Lowlanders didn’t stand a chance. The competition had grown up on Nordic skis. Most…
It takes grit to make it through life. Grit is more than an idea. It’s a practice that can be applied every day, especially the tough ones. Once you know the recipe for grit, there’s nothing you can’t handle. Grit has many ingredients, but there are four main components: God, Resilience, Integrity, & Toughness. The…
One would think a babysitter would be the one to teach kids lessons in inappropriate things, not the other way around. My daughter received an earful while babysitting nine, six, and five-year-old siblings the other day. The lessons she learned were entertaining, wise, and worth repeating, if for no other reason than to humor you.…
New cars come with lots of bells and whistles. Drivers have options to put more and more control in the vehicle itself. Cameras and sensors aid in parking and changing lanes. With the press of a button, cruise control monitors your speed, and can now apply the brakes. As the driver, trusting it is scary.…
Patience and acceptance are lessons I thought I’d learned. Life doesn’t seem to agree with me. That or I need more practice. Situations involving both virtues keep entering my life. Accepting what life gives me is easy when I get what I want. When something happens that I don’t desire, patience and acceptance are more…
Deep down we all want something to believe in. The only way to know that our beliefs are not foolish is to question them. Take the Tooth Fairy or Santa Clause. Parents go to great lengths to keep these beliefs alive. I grew up thinking my Tooth Fairy was a world traveler because of the…