Category Archives: Inspirational

Whispers and Mirrors

Inspirational, Personal stories, , , , , , , , ,

It begins softly, like a breeze brushing the edge of a curtain—someone’s name, spoken too easily, carried just far enough to change its shape. Gossip never enters loudly; it slips in disguised as connection, as curiosity, as “just something I heard.” Yet what begins in casual conversation can end in quiet destruction. A life reduced to fragments of rumor. A heart weighed by stories it never told.

We tell ourselves it’s harmless, that sharing makes us part of something, that being “in the know” gives us worth. But every whisper takes from the soul, a small withdrawal from our better selves. When we pass along a scandal, we hold the same shovel that digs another’s hole. The thrill of telling fades fast, and all that’s left is the echo of what we’ve broken.

The Tao says, “What is a bad man but a good man’s job?” I think of that often. How many times I’ve been both—the one who faltered and the one who judged. It’s easy to point a finger; it’s harder to hold a hand. To see the “bad” in someone else is to forget the lessons written quietly into our own scars.

Once, I heard someone laugh, “If a friend’s mad at me, I just say, ‘I have some juicy gossip.’” My heart sank. How sad, I thought, that healing has been replaced by distraction, that love could be bought with cruelty. We trade compassion for a moment of attention, unaware that every careless word widens the distance between us.

When I hear, “I don’t repeat gossip, so listen carefully,” I feel a shiver of shame for all the times I’ve listened too long. Because gossip is not about others—it’s a mirror. What we say reflects who we are, what we value, and what kind of peace we’re willing to sacrifice.

So let’s be the stillness in the noise, the voice that speaks only love. Let’s choose silence when words can wound. In a world eager to talk, may we become the rare souls who listen with compassion, who lift with language, and who walk gently through the fragile stories of others.

Learning From Skip Ross

Better Living, Inspirational, Personal stories, , , , , , ,

This is a tribute to Skip Ross, a wonderful man I had the privilege of knowing 44 years ago. His passing not long ago deeply saddened me, as the world lost someone truly special. Skip was not only admired but loved by everyone who knew him. His kindness, wisdom, and generous spirit left a lasting impact on so many lives, including mine. He will be missed dearly, but his legacy lives on in the countless people he inspired.

One of the saddest things in life is seeing someone with low self-esteem. I understand this pain all too well. When I was in elementary school, I struggled as a slow learner. This label, given to me by my peers, became a heavy burden to carry. It made me question my worth and abilities, causing me to retreat inward and doubt myself even more. Those early years of self-doubt were tough, but they shaped my journey in profound ways.

Although many students at school knew who I was, I didn’t form close connections with most of them. I had one good friend who became my lifeline during those lonely years. Before school, we would wander the halls together, chatting and waiting for the bell to ring. Still, there were moments when I felt utterly alone. At home, I often found solace in talking to our family’s pet goats. That little farm was my sanctuary, a peaceful place where I could be myself. It was my small piece of heaven in an otherwise challenging time.

Looking back, I am deeply grateful for the incredible teachers, church leaders, community members, and, most importantly, my parents. They saw potential in me even when I couldn’t see it myself. Their encouragement and belief in me helped me begin to reshape my self-image. Slowly but surely, I started to become more confident and outgoing, breaking free from the shadows of self-doubt.

My journey toward self-confidence took a pivotal turn when my parents joined the Amway business. At the heart of their business was a focus on personal growth and self-improvement. This is where Skip Ross entered my story in a meaningful way. Alongside weekly product orders, my dad would bring home a cassette tape called “The Tape of the Week.” These tapes were filled with motivational messages from speakers like Zig Ziglar, Rich DeVos, and Skip Ross. Listening to them became a routine, and Skip’s powerful messages resonated deeply with me. His words made me believe that I could rise above my struggles and accomplish great things.

When my parents told me that Skip Ross was coming to town, I couldn’t contain my excitement. To me, it was like going to see a rock star perform. Skip Ross wasn’t just a motivational speaker; he was a beacon of hope, radiating self-confidence, humor, and talent. Hearing him speak live was transformative. Watching him captivate the audience and inspire everyone in the room, I thought to myself, I want to be like that someday—a person who radiates positivity and confidence.

The impact Skip had on me didn’t stop there. My parents also told me about his youth camp in Rockford, Michigan, and I was determined to attend. Saving up $800 on a $3.15-an-hour job was no easy feat, but I worked tirelessly for a year to make it happen. That camp became a defining moment in my life.

It was my first airplane ride and my first time being so far from home, surrounded by strangers. I was nervous but excited. Each day at camp, Skip Ross taught us how to unlock our full potential, weaving lessons of self-love and perseverance into every session. He didn’t just teach us to dream—he showed us how to act on those dreams. Between these lessons, we engaged in activities like swimming, horseback riding, and barn chores that reminded me of home. These moments taught me that growth often happens when we step outside our comfort zones.

One memory that stands out was a trip to Lake Michigan. I had the privilege of sitting in the front seat with Skip during the drive. He had a cassette tape of himself singing, and when I asked if we could listen to it, he agreed. That small moment of connection made a lasting impression on me. It reminded me that even someone as accomplished as Skip Ross was still relatable and genuine.

That camp didn’t just teach me how to dream big—it gave me the tools to overcome my self-doubt and take meaningful steps toward those dreams. One lesson in particular stuck with me: “Love yourself, for if you don’t, how can you expect anyone else to love you?” Those words have guided me through many challenges in life, reminding me that self-love is the foundation for all growth and success.

This message has deeply influenced my journey, even beyond Skip Ross’s teachings. I think often about how far I’ve come since my early struggles with self-esteem. Today, I write, teach, and share my passion for essential oils—something I find incredibly fulfilling. Essential oils have become a part of my story, helping me find focus and balance in ways I never imagined. They represent a journey of healing, much like the one Skip inspired in me.

What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail? Would you stay in the same job? Go back to school? Pursue a long-forgotten dream? I believe we’d all live with greater courage, healthier habits, and deeper self-love if we embraced the possibility of success. Skip’s lessons remind me that the greatest love of all is learning to love yourself—because everything else flows from that foundation.

There are so many ways to express love, both for ourselves and for others. One simple but powerful step is to remove the word “hate” from our vocabulary. By doing so, we open ourselves to greater compassion, understanding, and connection. Skip Ross taught me to see the world through a lens of positivity and possibility, and his legacy continues to inspire me every day.

This tribute to Skip Ross is also a tribute to the power of generosity, self-love, and the belief that we all have the potential to rise above our challenges. His teachings changed my life, and I hope they inspire others to dream, grow, and embrace the incredible possibilities within themselves.


Health Proverb

Better Living, Health Proverb, Inspirational, , , , , , , , , , ,

The proverb “In health there is liberty. Health is the first of all liberties, and happiness gives us the energy which is the basis of health” comes from Henri-Frédéric Amiel, a 19th-century Swiss philosopher and poet. Amiel, deeply influenced by his introspective nature and the Romantic movement, often reflected on the relationship between the human spirit, well-being, and freedom.

Amiel lived during a time of profound social and political change, including the rise of individualism and the importance of personal fulfillment. He recognized that true freedom—liberty to pursue one’s goals and passions—depends on good health. Illness or physical limitation, in his view, could constrain not just the body but also the mind and spirit, depriving individuals of the ability to live fully and independently.

Happiness, for Amiel, was closely tied to energy and vitality, which he believed were essential components of health. A joyful outlook on life fosters resilience and physical well-being, creating a cycle where happiness sustains health, and health enables freedom. This perspective reflects Amiel’s broader philosophical themes: the interconnectedness of mind, body, and soul, and the importance of nurturing all three to achieve a life of balance, liberty, and fulfillment.

Make the World a better Place

Better Living, Inspirational, Personal stories, , , ,

When we think of talents, we often think of people who can run the fastest, sing amazingly well, or play a musical instrument. Many talents that people have include having patience, being very positive, or getting along with people easily. Each one of us is blessed with talents to share with others. Who can we reach out to with our talents today?

My daughter Jessie is a very compassionate person. She will help people in need and go out of her way to lighten the burdens of our family and neighbors. One of Jessie’s greatest talents is her ability to sense when someone is in need. She jumps right in without being asked. Her love for little children is heartwarming. We had backyard neighbors who had small children that just loved Jessie. Hunter, who was two, would sneak over to our house and just walk in and ask to play with Jessie.

This world is a better place because Jessie is in it. I believe we all have special talents that only we can use to reach certain people. Let’s make this world a better place by sharing our talents.

Good Timber

Better Living, Inspirational, , , , , ,

 The tree that never had to fight
For sun and sky and air and light.
But stood out in the open plain
And always got its share of rain,
Never became a forest king
But lived and died a scrubby thing.
The man who never had to toil
To gain and farm his patch of soil,
Who never had to win his share
of sun and sky and light and air,
Never became a manly man
But lived and died as he began.

Good timber does not grow with ease
The stronger wind, the stronger trees
The further sky, greater length;
The more the storm the more the strength
By sun and cold, by rain and snow
In trees and men good limbers
Where thickest lies the forest growth.
We find the patriarchs of both.
And they hold counsel with the stars
Whose broken branches show the scars
Of many winds and much of strife
This is the common law of life

Douglas Malloch

What Children Think About Love

Better Living, Inspirational, , , , , , ,

 The problem is;
We look for someone to grow old together,
While the secret is to find someone to stay a child with!
(Charles Bukowski)

What does Love mean to 4-8 year old kids?
Slow down for a few minutes to read this…

A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, ‘What does love mean?’ The answers they got were broader, deeper, and more profound than anyone could have ever imagined!

‘When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn’t bend over and paint her toenails anymore… So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That’s love.’  Rebecca – age 8

‘When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.’  Billy – age 4

‘Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.’  Karl – age 5

‘Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.’ Chrissy – age 6

‘Love is what makes you smile when you’re tired.’ Terri – age 4

‘Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.’  Danny – age 8

‘Love is what’s in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and just listen.’  Bobby – age 7 (Wow!)

‘If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate.’ Nikka – age 6  (we need a few million more Nikka’s on this planet)

‘Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it every day.’ Noelle – age 7

‘Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.’ Tommy – age 6

‘During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that.  I wasn’t scared anymore.’ Cindy – age 8

‘My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don’t see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.’ Clare – age 6

‘Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.’ Elaine – age 5

‘Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.’  Chris – age 7

‘Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.’ Mary Ann – age 4

‘I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.’  Lauren – age 4

‘When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.’ (what an image!) Karen – age 7

‘Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn’t think it’s gross…’  Mark – age 6

‘You really shouldn’t say ‘I love you’ unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.’ Jessica – age 8

And the final one: The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman’s yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, ‘Nothing, I just helped him cry.'(this made me cry!) Now, take a few seconds and post this for others to inspire and spread Love like butter! And then go be a child again today!

Myself

Better Living, Inspirational, , , ,
I have to live with myself, and so I want to be fit for myself to know, I want to be able, as days go by, Always to look myself straight in the eye; I don’t want to stand, with the setting sun, And hate myself for the things I have done. I don’t want to keep on a closet shelf A lot of secrets about myself, And fool myself, as I come and go, Into thinking that nobody else will know The kind of a man I really am; I don’t want to dress up myself in sham. I want to go out with my head erect, I want to deserve all men’s respect; But here in a struggle for fame and pelf I want to be able to look at myself. I don’t want to look at myself and know That I’m bluster and bluff and empty show. I can never hide myself from me; I see what others may never see; I know what others may never know, I never can fool myself, and so, Whatever happens, I want to be Self-respecting and conscience free. Edgar A. Guest

Life’s Greatest Surprises.

Inspirational, Inspirational short films, Personal stories, , , , , , , , ,

    When I reflect back on my life, I would say I have had several unique and wonderful surprises. Looking back even the opportunity to grow up with lots of animals on a small farm was a great surprise. Getting to experience the miracle of life and even death was an experience that has helped form me into the person I am today.
    Some of the surprises in my life have come because of my families lack of even simple pleasures such as a television. When I was ten and my brother was eleven my mom answered an add in the newspaper. The add was requesting children that did not watch television on a regular basis to come to the University of Utah, so people could do some experiments hooking up electrodes on our head to measure how certain short movie clips effected our emotions. I remember watching four short clips, one was a movie about boxing and another one was of cars racing. I forget what the other movies were about. At the end of the experiment my brother and myself were given $10 dollars. We thought we were so rich. I think my mom talked us into getting some clothes with part of the money and the rest we could spend on what we wanted. I just remember how excited we were to get so much money.
    On another occasion our family was the recipients of sub for Santa from our church. Back in the late 70s the big craze were these 15 in one game boards and we got two of them. In my mind I was thinking why couldn’t we get something cool like a television or even a new Monopoly game. I was not being very thankful.
    When our kids were little, it was Christmas Eve when we got a knock on the door and we were surprised with a visit from Santa. A kind neighbor Glen Nelson dressed up like Santa and gave our kids a memory they would never forget. We were all excited that night for the kindness of wonderful neighbors.
    Two more surprises I am saving for last. When Cassie and myself had only been married for 15 months we became the foster parents of two children. Rick was 5 and Stephanie was 4. We went from being Aunt Cassie and Uncle Leonard to mom and dad on a Friday; that coming Monday was the first day of school for Rick.
    Rick and Stephanie have been wonderful additions. Five years after becoming their foster parents we were able to adopt them into our family. The three younger children would have been devastated if their older siblings had to go to a different home. They always looked up to them and loved doing all the family activities together. Our family would be empty without them.
    Finally, on the day I was driving with my parents to get married we looked over and we saw Cassie driving with her parents on the freeway to get married. For me this was a huge relief and a wonderful sign that Cassie really did love me and wanted to marry me. Of all the many delightful surprises I am glad Cassie gets to experience many of them with me.