In his book Peter Pan, author J. M. Barrie wrote, “The moment you doubt whether you can fly, you cease for ever to be able to do it.” But all pilots know that sometimes it’s easier to fly than others. Clear brilliant skies make for easier flights than when the weather […]

There once was a young man who lived in a town renowned for its cutting and crafting of gemstones. He wanted desperately to become a gemologist because those in that profession were well respected and well paid. So, the young man approached one of the local experts and implored him […]

Hermann Hesse was a German poet, novelist, and painter. His best-known works include Steppenwolf, Siddhartha, and The Glass Bead Game, each of which explores an individual’s search for authenticity, self-knowledge, and spirituality. In 1946, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. One does not have to possess a deep spiritual nature to […]

When opportunities arise for us to give freely to others our talent, knowledge, love or compassion, the spirit of true gifting requires that we do not concern ourselves with how much we might receive in return. Still, in the heart and soul of the generous there dwells a certainty that […]

“I don’t need a snowstorm today,” Ellen Gates said when it began to snow one winter day in 1860. “If I can’t go outside, I’ll stay in.” That obvious observation led Ellen, a poet and hymn writer, to a moment of inspiration that created in her mind’s eye the following line: “If […]