You can’t exist as a human being in isolation Desmond Tutu We in the west have a lot to learn from our African brothers and sisters. One of the strengths of their culture is the value they place on community. In the west, we sometimes put the good of the individual over what’s best for […]
Sometimes in life, we find ourselves in situations unplanned, dark and without hope. We feel a lot like one particular donkey who found himself down in his circumstances and fighting for his life. How he responded to his despair and hopelessness is a lesson worth pondering. The Donkey’s Choice One day a farmer’s donkey fell […]
You might be in a storm right now, have a storm on its way, or see your storm in the rear-view mirror. Regardless of the relationship you have with adversity, your attitude towards it makes a world of difference. Since adversity is unavoidable, why do we have such a hard time accepting it as the […]
The story of Nelson Mandela is a story of courage, tenacity, and transformational leadership. His book Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela is a journey describing both his formative years and his long struggle to bring freedom and equality to his people and to the nation of South Africa. One theme that […]
Ol’ Fred had lived a good life and was now lying in a hospital bed near the end of his life. The family was gathered around along with their pastor who had come to say a few words and offer some encouragement. As the pastor stood next to the bed, Ol’ Fred’s condition appeared to […]
The slinky first came out in 1945. I received my first one several years after that and remember coaxing it down the stairs until it eventually started to move on its own. I watched in amazement as the shiny coiled spring moved effortlessly down the stairs without my help. Imagine the slinky as a metaphor […]
A proud young man came to Socrates asking for wisdom. He walked up to him and said, “O great Socrates, I come to you for wisdom.” Socrates, recognizing a pompous fool when he saw one, led him down to the sea and took him chest deep into the water. Then he asked him, “What did […]
There is a battle that rages whenever we try to do something great – something significant – something to move us forward – something beyond what seems possible – something noteworthy. When the goal is progress the battle will be with Resistance. The “R” word came to mind today because I’m in the middle of […]
This week I read a story of a boy who showed some qualities I want to have in my life. The story goes like this: A boy was leaning against the wall outside a barber shop. He dialled his phone and began speaking to a lady on the other end. The barber was listening in. […]
This week we heard the tragic news of murder charges laid against Oscar Pistorius, famously known as the “Blade Runner” from South Africa. He runs on two prosthetic limbs and competed in the 2012 London Olympics and Paralympics. I refer to him not because I’m declaring him guilty (the courts need to make that decision […]