..no longer worthy to be called your son," the father rejected that statement, and instead ordered "the best robe" be brought, placed a ring on the son's finger and "sandals on his feet." The father then ordered a "fattened calf" be butchered, for a "feast" honoring his wayward son's return. This son of mine," the father told his younger son, "was dead and is alive again..." Meanwhile, the oldest son "became angry"

A young couple down the street, both of whom worked at a home improvement center, were able to pick up paint, tools, and supplies at a discount and when the company heard about the project, they donated the lumber to repair Mrs. Maryble's fence and gate, and even furnished her with a new front door. They also furnished new lighting fixtures for her front porch. By the time it was over,

Kindness It may sound cliched, but I believe that kindness is a self-perpetuating cycle. When I take positive steps to improve the lives of others, this can inspire them to go forward and take such steps themselves. In such a way, acts of kindness can grow exponentially throughout a family, community, or nation. I recently had the opportunity to start a chain reaction of kindness when volunteering with my daughter's cheerleading

Kindness At our group discussion on kindness earlier this month (I lead a monthly discussion group on the 10 Steps), we identified three kinds of kindness to focus on as we develop the habit of kindness. I thought I would share this part of the discussion with you. Spontaneous Kindness This is the sort of kindness that is in response to a perceived need or opportunity. You might see a colleague looking

Altruism and Acts of Kindness Random and anonymous acts of kindness are indeed, an excellent way to touch the lives of other people and hence, make the world a better place to live. All it takes to perform such acts is a simple intention. Such acts make you feel good; even contented and satisfied at times. I experienced the feeling last Christmas Eve. It was while standing in my kitchen making

Hard Times and Dickens as a Social Critic As a prominent author of the 19th century, Charles Dickens would be historically contextualized by a time in which the rights of man and the notion of individuality would be rapidly emergent to the collective consciousness. For many authors, this would provide the opportunity to engage in studies of the human conditions by way of a literary tradition that was increasingly and boldly