#666 Imagination as catalyst

- Imagination grows by exercise, and contrary to common belief, is more powerful in the mature than in the young. ~ W. Somerset Maugham

- I imagine that yes is the only living thing. ~ e. e. cummings

-I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, it's a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope. Which is what I do, and that enables you to laugh at life's realities. ~ Dr. Seuss

- How much 'exercise' do you provide for your imagination?
- How does a healthy imagination affirm your life?
- Where can you direct your powers in the near term?

#665 Anything can be

Listen to the mustn'ts child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen child, anything can be. ~ Shel Silverstein

Nine tenths of education is encouragement. ~ Anatole France

The job of an educator is to teach students to see vitality in themselves. ~ Joseph Campbell

- When have you provided children with encouragement and growth?

#664 Apathetic detachment

The opposite of live is not hate, it's indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it's indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it's indifference. ~ Ellie Wiesel

The only kind of dignity which is genuine is that which is not diminished by the indifference of others. ~ Dag Hammarskjold

- To what extent is indifference bad?
- In what issues could you provide more interest?
- In what circumstances around you could you show some genuine concern?

#663 The power of stories

People are hungry for stories. It's part of our very being. Storytelling is a form of history, of immortality too. It goes from one generation to another. ~Studs Terkel

All human beings have an innate need to hear and tell stories and to have a story to live by ... religion, whatever else it has done, has provided one of the main ways of meeting this abiding need. ~William Harvey Cox

No story lives unless someone wants to listen. ~J. K. Rowling

- What vivid stories lie within you?
- How do you express them?
- Whose stories have you enjoyed?

#662 Endless immensity

If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people together to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea. ~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery

- What insight does this allegory provide for leaders, teachers, parents, individuals?
- When were you inspired by someone's enthusiasm and vision?
- What passion (s) do you have which could be kindled in someone?

#661 Life, feeling, and articulation

Life is like a box of crayons. Most people are the 8 color boxes, but what you're really looking for are the 64 color boxes with the sharpeners on the back. I fancy myself to be a 64 color box, though I've got a few missing. It's okay though, because I've got some more vibrant colors like periwinkle at my disposal. I have a bit of a problem though in that I can only meet the 8 color boxes. Does anyone else have that problem? I mean there are so many different colors of life, of feeling, of articulation. So when I meet someone who's an 8 color type...I'm like, hey girl, Magenta! and she's like, oh, you mean purple! and she goes off on her purple thing, and I'm like, no I want Magenta. ~ John Mayer

- How much nuance and subtlety do you observe in the world around you?
- What different colors of life, feeling, and articulation do you see?
- How does your perspective shape your life?

#660 The ultimate test

The ultimate test of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and moments of convenience,but where he stands in moments of challenge and moments of controversy. ~Martin Luther King Jr.

I am fundamentally an optimist. Whether that comes from nature or nurture, I cannot say. Part of being optimistic is keeping one's head pointed toward the sun, one's feet moving forward. There were many dark moments when my faith in humanity was sorely tested, but I would not and could not give myself up to despair. That way lays defeat and death. ~ Nelson Mandela

- When were you tested in a moment of challenge and controversy?
- How did you respond?
- Why is optimism the better option over despair?

#659 A dream controlled

Work and love- these are the basics; waking life is a dream controlled. ~ George Santayana

- Would you agree that work and love are the basics in life?
- To what extent is your life motivated by dreams and goals?
- How can you balance your wishes with the realities in your life?

#658 Live loudly

Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day. You shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Take time to play!
Ask for what you want.
Laugh.
Live loudly.
Be avid.
Learn a new thing.
Be Yourself!
- Mary Anne Radmacher

- To what extent is having some nonsense a bad thing?
- What do you think Emerson meant by nonsense?
- How is the second quote an interesting juxtaposition of the first?

#657 Take care of minutes

Every instant of time is a pinprick of eternity. ~ Marcus Aurelius

I recommend to you to take care of minutes: for hours will take care of themselves. ~ Lord Chesterfield

- How helpful are these quotes for you?
- To what extent is your perspective focused on the present?
- Does living for the moment provide you with the ultimate answer to fulfillment?

#656 The beautiful and good

It seems to me we can never give up longing and wishing while we are alive. There are certain things we feel to be beautiful and good, and we must hunger for them. ~ George Eliot

- What do you long and wish for?
- What do you feel are beautiful and good?
- How can you pursue them with more zeal?

#655 Live out loud

If you ask me what I came into this life to do, I will tell you: I came to live out loud. ~ Emile Zola

- What is your chief purpose in life?
- How do you pursue it?
- To what extent do you want to show more passion and enthusiasm?

#654 Different roads to fulfillment

People take different roads seeking fulfillment and happiness. Just because they're not on your road doesn't mean they gotten lost. ~ Dalai Lama

I consider myself a Hindu, Christian, Muslim, Jew, Buddhist, and Confucian. ~ Gandhi

- What road leads to fulfillment and happiness for you?
- How knowledgeable are you of the different paths?
- To what extent would you consider a synthesis of the different paths?

#653 Life instructions

Instructions for living a life.
Pay attention.
Be astonished.
Tell about it. ~ Mary Oliver

- What have you really noticed lately?
- When have you been truly astonished?
- How do you tell your story?

#652 The world is all gates

The world is all gates, all opportunities, strings of tension waiting to be struck. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

- What gates await for you to open?
- What opportunities?
- What challenges you can meet with confidence?

#651 Every day a miracle

People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don't even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child -- our own two eyes. All is a miracle. ~Thich Nhat Hanh

- What miracle did you experience yesterday?
- Today?
- What might you expect tomorrow?

#650 Life as artistic expression

Life is your art. An open, aware heart is your camera. A oneness with your world is your film. Your bright eyes, your easy smile is your museum. ~ Ansel Adams

As one of America's most recognized nature photographers, one can appreciate the metaphorical dimensions of this quote.
- How open and sensitive are you to nature's wonders?
- How enthusiastic and friendly?
- How can you nurture life as an artistic canvas of your individuality?

#649 Your own palace

Be thine own palace, or the world's thy jail. ~ John Donne

- To what extent are you content with your life?
- To what extent are you bound by worldly cares?
- What steps can you take to live with more personal peace?

#648 Doing your best

Always do your best. What you plant now, you will harvest later. ~ Og Mandino

- What have you done well today?
- What have you planted?
- What may you harvest later?

#647 Create a new model

You never change the existing reality by fighting it. Instead, create a new model that makes the old one obsolete. ~R. Buckminster Fuller

- With what reality have you disagreed?
- How did you respond?
- What new, more visionary model could take its place?

#646 On the shoulders of giants

If I have seen farther it is by standing on the shoulders of giants. ~ Isaac Newton

- What several people (in life, in current events, in literature,...) have inspired you?
- How have they extended your vision?
- How can you nurture their example in practical ways in your life?

#645 Inspiring Ideals

The ideals which have lighted me on my way and time after time given me new courage to face life cheerfully, have been Truth, Goodness, and Beauty. ~ Albert Einstein

- What ideals have motivated and inspired you?
- Where have you seen truth, goodness, and beauty?
- How can you cultivate your ideals?

#644 Learn from experience

Ask the experienced rather than the learned. - Arabic proverb

- In what sense is this proverb ironic?
- Why should experienced people be respected?
- From whom in your acquaintances can you gain some valuable insights?

#643 The obstacle is the path

The obstacle is the path. - Zen proverb

- What obstacle(s) have confronted you?
- How did you meet them?
- Why are they integral to life?

#642 Responsible Advocacy

We are more connected than ever before, more able to spread our ideas and beliefs, our anger and fears. As we exercise the right to advocate our views, and as we animate our supporters, we must all assume responsibility for our words and actions before they enter a vast echo chamber and reach those both serious and delirious, connected and unhinged. ~ Bill Clinton

- To what extent has the Internet and social media enhanced societal values?
- How can you contribute to its positive role?

#641 Expectation

Expectation is the root of all heartache. ~ William Shakespeare

- How much do you expect events to happen?
- How can expectation impact one negatively?
- What is the better alternative to expectation?

#640 Growth more important than perfection

Everything that grows holds in perfection but a moment. ~ William Shakespeare

- Where are you experiencing growth?
- Why is perfection transitory?
- Why value growth over perfection?

#639 True to self

This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man. ~ William Shakespeare

- How true are you to yourself?
- How true are you to people around you?
- How much can you cultivate your authenticity?

#638 Doubts as traitors

Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt. ~William Shakespeare

- How much do you doubt your abilities/actions?
- How have these doubts compromised what you might have accomplished?
- What resolution can you make to overcome a doubt?