Category Archives: Challenges

Becoming the Kind Of Friend I Wanted To Have

Posted on February 4, 2013 by russtowne

There was a time when I was lonely so I tried to make friends and invite more people into my life. Most people declined the invitation. I simply didn’t have enough positive things to offer to them and/or I had … Continue reading →

Posted in Abundance, Breakthroughs, Challenges, LIfe Lessons | Tagged efforts, Friend, friends, great, Important, invitation, Life, loneliness, lonely, meaningful, time, works | 12 Comments

EVERYTHING I NEEDED TO KNOW ABOUT LIFE I LEARNED FROM A JIGSAW PUZZLE

Posted on February 1, 2013 by russtowne

I used to love putting together jigsaw puzzles. Then I found that writing song lyrics and poetry provided many of the same benefits, challenges, and attributes–and I got to share them with more people–so it has been several years since … Continue reading →

Posted in Challenges, Life, LIfe Lessons | Tagged Jacquie Sewell, jigsaw, jigsaw puzzle, Life, mikeysfunnies.com, puzzle, Robert Fulghum | 8 Comments

A Table and Chairs For Horses

Posted on January 30, 2013 by russtowne

When a farmer was denied a permit to build a shelter for his horses, he built a table and chairs for them instead! (Source: True Activist’s photo)

Posted in Attittude, Challenges, Creativity, Ingenuity, Photos That Touched Me | Tagged chairs, denied permit, farmer, horses, table | 6 Comments

Head Winds

Posted on January 24, 2013 by russtowne

“When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.” – Henry Ford I don’t think I’ve ever seen this quote before, but I like it. It got me to … Continue reading →

Posted in Adversity, Challenges, Growth/Learning, Quotes I Love | Tagged airplanes, challenge, challenges, growth, head winds, Henry Ford, learned, learning, rise, wind | 9 Comments

Why Stop At Lemonade?

Posted on January 24, 2013 by russtowne

“When life gives you lemons make lemonade” We’ve all heard that worn-out phrase before But why stop at making lemonade When we can have a whole lemon smorgasbord? We all get a lot of lemons in our lives from time … Continue reading →

Posted in Adversity, Attittude, Challenges, Creativity, Poetry I Wrote | Tagged bars, coconuts, cookies, create, fun, lemon merangue pie, lemon pie, lemonade, lemons, Life, limes, pineapples, poem, rum, smorgasbord, tarts, time | 12 Comments

It Does

Posted on January 23, 2013 by russtowne

My eyes don’t always get it right And even my heart is sometimes wrong about love So now I trust my spirit more than my heart or sight Because when I don’t know the answers To life’s toughest questions It … Continue reading →

Posted in Challenges, Choices, Love, Poetry I Wrote, Spirit | Tagged eyes, heart, life's, Love, poetry, questions, right, Russ Towne, sight, spirit, toughest, Trust, wrong | 6 Comments

Hallway Torture

Posted on January 22, 2013 by russtowne

(This is a re-post for newer readers.) One of the toughest challenges we had as parents was regarding discipline. We wanted to be firm but loving and fair and for the consequences to be effective, age-appropriate, and child-specific. Unfortunately, it … Continue reading →

Posted in Challenges, Children, Creativity, Discipline & Consequences, Fairness, Parenting, True Stories I've Written, Youth | Tagged child, children, consequences, discipline, fair, fairness, hallway, parenting, torture | 2 Comments

If I Could

Posted on January 19, 2013 by russtowne

Your sorrow shows in your eyes and is etched on your face It reflects a weary spirit that is in a painful place The smiling mask you wear when you say everything’s OK Can’t hide from me the tragedy you … Continue reading →

Posted in Adversity, Challenges, Dealing with Pain & Grief, Forgiveness, Healing, Loneliness, Pain & Grief, Poetry I Wrote, Strength | Tagged admire, carry on, courage, darkness, faith, festered, fire, Grief, Hope, hottest, hurt, if I could, Life, life's, long, night, pain, strength, suffered, suffering, symptoms | 14 Comments

Thank You Indeed

Posted on January 18, 2013 by russtowne

I just read a heart-breaking article that was also inspiring and heart-warming. It included several responses to young women who are living with horrifying traumas of various kinds. Snippets: “In a girls’ bathroom stall at my university, girls have written … Continue reading →

Posted in Adversity, Challenges, Compassion, Dealing with Pain & Grief, Love, Making the World a Better Place, Stories That Touched Me, Youth | Tagged beautiful, brave, cares, courage, eating disorders, enough, horrifying, Love, loved, pain, raped, Reddit, stall, strong, The Lookout, trauma, women's, women's restroom, worthy, Y news, Yahoo, Yahoo News | 6 Comments

Abled

Posted on January 15, 2013 by russtowne

I’ve often found that “disabled” people are some of the most “abled” people I know. I’ve learned much about living and life from people who have been labeled disabled. I’ll bet that many of you have found the same. I … Continue reading →