This past spring I was out for one of my regular bike rides when I noticed that one of the lawns in my neighborhood was sprinkled with fallen leaves. It caught my attention because that’s the kind of thing you expect to see in the fall, not in the …

“One of the famous Greek stories…is the story about the conquering of the city of Troy. Greeks, you remember, laid siege to the city of Troy for over ten years. They were unable to capture it. In exasperation, a man by the name of Ulysses decided to have a …

Mahatma Gandhi wrote: “Your beliefs become your thoughts, your thoughts become your words, your words become your actions, your actions become your habits, your habits become your values, your values become your destiny.” Since the word “habit” is a synonym for pattern, this quote reminds me of the even …

To teach his teenaged son about the dangers of alcohol, a father dropped a worm in a glass of water, and it just kind of wiggled around, the way worms do on your hook when you go fishing. But then he dropped another worm in whiskey, and it promptly …

You’ve probably heard the old saying, “Discretion is the better part of valor.” This Shakespearean expression is said to mean that good judgment is better than rash bravery, and prudence is preferable to careless courage. That’s good advice, wise counsel that many an aged soldier has passed on to …