Category Archives: Personal Growth

Never cry over anything that can’t cry over you

Posted on December 5, 2013 by vincentsmithauthor

When Sophia Loren, broken hearted, sobbed to movie director Vittorio De Sica over the theft of her jewelry, he gave her this advice: “Listen to me, Sophia. I am much older than you and if there is one great truth … Continue reading →

Posted in Appreciation, Bible, inner peace, Inspirational, Life's journey, Living Life, Personal Growth, Riches, satisfaction, Spiritual Insight, Sympathy and Support, Trials and testings, wealth, Wisdom | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

It’s not how much you have

Posted on November 30, 2013 by vincentsmithauthor

A friend who grew up in Japan told me that in traditional Japanese society it was considered preferable to own one thing of beauty rather than many, because if you own one thing you will look at it and truly … Continue reading →

Posted in emptiness, Inspirational, Life's journey, Living Life, Personal Growth, pilgrimage, satisfaction, Spiritual Insight, thankfulness, Wisdom | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

God Shaped Holes

Posted on November 2, 2013 by vincentsmithauthor

Sigmund Freud thought that religion is not about people finding God but people creating God. God, he claimed, is a projection of our needs and insecurities. Commenting on the bleakness of this view Freud said “I can offer people no … Continue reading →

Posted in Faith, God, inner peace, Inspirational, Life's journey, Living Life, Personal Growth, Religion, Spiritual Insight, Spirituality | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

It’s not about where we are, but where we’re heading

Posted on October 22, 2013 by vincentsmithauthor

Oliver Wendell Holmes said: ‘I find the great thing in this world is not so much where we stand as in what direction we are moving. We must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it. But we must … Continue reading →

Posted in direction, Encouragement, Faith, God, Hell, inner peace, Inspirational, Journey, Life's journey, Living Life, old age, Personal Growth, pilgrimage, Spirituality, Trust in God, Wisdom | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Our Expectations and Our Reality

Posted on October 10, 2013 by vincentsmithauthor

Megan Gressor said that the happiest person she’d ever met operates a pedicab in Saigon. He’d fought on the losing side in the Vietnam War, spent ten years in a re-education camp, had married late and now had a little … Continue reading →

Posted in Encouragement, inner peace, Inspirational, Joy, Life's journey, Living Life, Personal Growth, relationships, satisfaction, Spirituality, thankfulness | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The difference is in the looking

Posted on October 5, 2013 by vincentsmithauthor

I used to visit a hostel for aged people situated on a headland overlooking a magnificent stretch of coastline. I remember saying to the nurses how fortunate they were to work in such an environment. But they surprised me when … Continue reading →

Posted in Encouragement, Faith, God, inner peace, Inspirational, Life's journey, Personal Growth, Religion, Spiritual Insight, Spirituality, Wisdom | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Lucky

Posted on October 2, 2013 by vincentsmithauthor

Johnny Carson, host of TV’s famous Tonight Show, got a big laugh when he read this item from the lost-and-found column of a small town newspaper: ‘Lost dog, brown fur, some missing due to mange, blind in one eye, deaf, … Continue reading →

Posted in Faith, God, inner peace, Inspirational, Living Life, Luck, Personal Growth, Spirituality, Trials and testings, Trust in God | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Miracle Fruit

Posted on August 5, 2013 by vincentsmithauthor

I read somewhere that miraculin – sometimes known as miracle fruit – is a small berry with a citrus taste. But the miracle is not what it tastes like, but what it makes everything else taste like. So, for example, … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Deceit, Inspirational, Personal Growth, pilgrimage, Righteousness, Spirituality, Wisdom | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Controlling Our Moods

Posted on July 31, 2013 by vincentsmithauthor

One of the hardest things in life is to understand and control our moods. When we’re feeling good everything around us looks good and is good. But when we get into a dark mood that same world becomes miserable and … Continue reading →

Posted in Faith, God, inner peace, Inspirational, Moods, Personal Growth, Prayer, Spirituality, Trials and testings, tribulation and trouble, Trust in God | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Spiritual Furniture

Posted on July 21, 2013 by vincentsmithauthor

The eminent psychologist Martin Seligman said that we need to ask ourselves why our grandparents, when they were thwarted, when the people they loved rejected them, when they didn’t get the job they wanted, and when their children died, didn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in emptiness, Encouragement, Faith, God, inner peace, Inspirational, Life's journey, Living Life, Loneliness, Neurosis, Personal Growth, pilgrimage, Prayer, quietness, Religion, Spiritual Furniture, Spirituality, supportive community, Trials and testings, tribulation and trouble, Trust in God | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment