contribution

When my son was in his early teenage years, he didn’t really manage to keep his room clean, especially when it came to dirty washing which just formed a pile of clothes in the middle of the floor. No amount of “laying down the law” saw any improvement – the pile just grew daily, so…

“Don’t be pushed around by the fears in your mind. Be led by the dreams in your heart” (Roy T Bennett) If ever there was a time for contribution, meaningful acts of compassion, and kindness, it is now! The world is intoxicated with fear and despair – often caused by corrupt or inconsequential leadership that…

When presidents play God, one is reminded of Martin Luther King’s words: “Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men.” At his recent visit to Westminster Hall, London, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine purposefully addressed British members of parliament, not only to thank them for their ongoing support…

“One doesn’t have to operate with great malice to do great harm. The absence of empathy and understanding are sufficient” (Charles M Blow) Don’t we all love ‘position’ – a title, a promotion, status? Yes, even neuroscience affirms that status is a need that we all have, not in the sense of greedy ambition, but…

“Balance is not something you can find; it’s something you create” (ANON) For many, the December holidays and approach to the New Year is not only a time of relaxation and family fun, but also a time of reflection: How did my year go? Was there anything that I could have done differently? Could I…

“The first step toward creating an improved future is developing the ability to envision it. Vision will ignite the fire of passion that fuels our commitment to do whatever it takes to achieve excellence. Only vision allows us to transform dreams of greatness into the reality of achievement through human action. Vision has no boundaries…

“People can attach themselves to something – an idea, another person, a desire – with an impossibly strong grip, and in the case of restless ghosts, a grip stronger than death. Will is a powerful thing. Will – it’s supposed to be a good treat, a more determined and persistent version of determination and persistence….

“You made them hate me,” said Ender. “So? What will you do about it? Crawl in a corner? Start kissing their little backsides so they’ll love you again? There’s only one thing that will make them stop hating you. And that’s being so good at what you do that they can’t ignore you. I told…

“Learning always involves self-transcendence. Learning calls forth what is in us, helping us to move toward authenticity and wholeness” (Karl Rahner) One of the most profound battles of life is becoming your best self – living up to your full potential and contributing meaningfully to society. Because development is recognised as a tough journey, millions…

“I heard approaching footsteps. I reached out my hand, as I supposed, to my mother. Someone took it, and I was caught up and held close in the arms of her who had come to reveal all things to me, and more than all things else, to love me” (Helen Keller, Guideposts) The highest form…

I love mental games – solving problems that require the exercise of logic and the ability to get into the mind of the problem’s creator (understanding the sometimes-obscure reasoning that underlies all the issues related to finding a solution). Crosswords, Sudoku, and the Rubik’s Cube, amongst many others, require one’s mental freedom to be able…