From George Washington: Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire, called conscience. Also, one too many leaders have forgotten: It is better to offer no excuse than a bad one. #OneADay #PresidentsWithoutPolitics #UntilElectionDay
Great quotes
Presidential Quote #15: James Buchanan
James Buchanan was not one of our greatest presidents ever. But he was one that I learned about in grade school–since he was from Pennsylvania. What we learned: He was a lifelong bachelor. (We didn’t talk about sexuality in the early 1970’s. We learned that he drank a bit too much. And that someone once called…
Presidential Quote #14: John Quincy Adams
When I realized that my main character, Ari Fish, loved the presidents and was inspired by them, I spent a lot of time reading speeches and quotes by our country’s leaders. Since then, I have thought a lot about leadership–and talked to a lot of kids about it, too. Right now, we are encouraged to…
Presidential Quote #13: John F Kennedy
In 1960, Richard Nixon and John Kennedy participated in the first general presidential debates. So today, let’s quote John F Kennedy! So many good ones: As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. Or this, from the 1960 debate: I…
Presidential Quote #12: Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter was the first President I voted for! He spoke often about the separation of Church and State. After last night’s news, I thought we could all use a glimmer of what we always expect from our Presidents: empathy. Soul. Inclusivity. Human rights is the soul of our foreign policy, because human rights is…
Presidential Quote #11: Harry S. Truman
I love this quote! I don’t think I need to explain why! America was not built on fear. America was built on courage, on imagination and an unbeatable determination to do the job at hand. #OneADay #UntilElectionDay
Presidential Quote #7: Andrew Jackson
Sometimes the Presidents say very specific things about everyday people. Sometimes, they address them directly. This one feels like writing advice. It feels right for Rosh Hashanah. It was also advice Ari needed in Beyond Lucky. Take time to deliberate; but when the time for action arrives, stop thinking and go in. Do you have…
From the newsletter: Using memories
July 4, 2016 Memory is a passion no less powerful or pervasive than love. What does it mean to remember? It is to live more than one world, to prevent the past from fading and to call upon the future to illuminate it. It is to revive fragments of existence, to rescue lost beings, to…
From the Newsletter: Writing Resolutions
Dear Writers, It’s that time of year! This week, many of us will make New Year’s Resolutions! (I LOVE LOVE LOVE setting goals. I evaluate them at least every 3-6 months.) Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right. -Oprah Winfrey Let our New Year’s resolution be this: we will be there for…
Timely and timeless
“I learned a long time ago that life introduces young people to situations they are in no way prepared for, even good girls, lucky girls who want for nothing. Sometimes, when you least expect it, you become the girl in the woods. You lose your name because another one is forced on you. You…