Category Archives: LIfe Lessons

“I will die in the midst of doing what I love to do…”

Posted on April 2, 2012 by russtowne

“I will die in the midst of doing what I love to do and that is using my voice and using my life to try to inspire other people to live the best of theirs.” –Oprah Winfrey As an investment … Continue reading →

Posted in Courage, Creativity, Inspiring, LIfe Lessons, Optimism, Quotes I Love, Random Thoughts | Tagged 101, 101 mistakes, a recipe for success, admired, admit, analyses, business, businesses, die, doing what I love to do, full and rewading life, full and rewarding, generosity of spirit, gutsy, Inspiration, inspire, investment manager, Life, live, Love, mistakes, Oprah, Oprah Show, Oprah Winfrey, OWN, OWN Network, perserverent, rewarding, Success, successful, willing to admit mistakes, words and actions are in alignment, works hard | 3 Comments

“When Grown-Ups Lie”

Posted on April 1, 2012 by russtowne

One of my songwriting collaborators and I are writing a song that we hope will inspire children who are victims of abuse to speak painful truths to caring people who will listen and take action to help protect them. To … Continue reading →

Posted in Courage, Healing, LIfe Lessons, Song Lyrics I've Written or Co-Written, Song Updates, Songs I've Written or Co-Written, Songwriting Adventure | Tagged adults, beautiful ight, Caring, child abuse, educate, harmful, have been hding, hurt, inspire, inspire children, intimidation, lies, powerless, shadows, song, Songwriting, songwriting collaborator, survivors, torment, tormentors, victims, when grown-ups lie, worthless | 1 Comment

Hunger Games

Posted on April 1, 2012 by russtowne

I saw the Hunger Games movie last night. I liked it a lot and felt it captured the tone of the first book well. It showcases the best and worst of humankind. The power of hope, of trust, of love. … Continue reading →

Posted in Courage, Creativity, Friendship, Healing, LIfe Lessons, Optimism, Random Thoughts, Relationship Lessons Learned, Vids & Stories That Touched Me | Tagged beneath the surface, book, divide, dividers, eveil, Friendship, heal, heal a wound, hug, humankind, Hunger Games, kindness, Life, Love, Loyalty, misery of slavery, movie, poverty, power, power of speaking simple truths, rage, rage of injustice, reassure, reassuring, ripples, simmering, slavery, smile, strangers, thin veneer, thin veneer of civilization, Trust, truth, truths, unite, uniters, vanity | 5 Comments

An Infinite Succession of Presents

Posted on March 30, 2012 by russtowne

“To be hopeful in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness. “What we choose to emphasize in … Continue reading →

Posted in Courage, LIfe Lessons, Quotes I Love | Tagged act, capacity to do something, choose to emphasize, compassion, complex history, courage, cruelty, foolishly romantic, hopeful, Howard Zinn, kindness, marvelous, marvelous victory, people have behaved magnificently, romantic, sacrifice, spinning top of a world, tthe future is an infinite succession of presents, victory, Wisdom Quotes | Leave a comment

Lessons in Kindness on Interstate 5

Posted on March 29, 2012 by russtowne

A true short story I wrote some time ago: It was the middle of the night on one of those long and lonely stretches of Interstate 5 between distant small farming communities. My mom and her girlfriend were taking me … Continue reading →

Posted in Courage, LIfe Lessons, True Stories I've Written | Tagged 4-wheeling, beast, big, big beast, blaring horns, consideration, danger, dark, darkness, Disneyland, farming, farming communities, Four-wheeling, glaring lights, headlights, Interstate 5, kind, kindness, lesson, lessons, lessons in kindness, lonely, long and lonely, men, night, scared, SUV, swaying, terror, tip over, top-heavy, Travel-All, wobbling wildly | Leave a comment

Cheer Up! Dare to Be An Optimist!

Posted on March 23, 2012 by russtowne

Author Ridley makes a bunch of compelling arguments why things keep getting better. If you need a dose of emotional sunshine or just like to focus on the bright side, I highly recommend the article from the Reader’s Digest, th … Continue reading →

Posted in LIfe Lessons, Optimism | Tagged article, Author Ridley, compellin$g arguments, emotional, emotional sunshine, focus, focus on the bright side, highly recommend, Reader's Digest, Ridley, sunshine, URL, why things keep getting better | Leave a comment

Speak Softly and Carry a Big Heart

Posted on March 23, 2012 by russtowne

(Below is a re-post of one of my earliest postings to this blog from back in mid-2010. I’ll occassionally re-post something to give newer followers an opportunity to see it without having to wade through many old posts to find … Continue reading →

Posted in Friendship, LIfe Lessons, Quotes I Love, Random Thoughts | Tagged death, Friend, heart, impish grin, legacy of love, Life, live, lived large, living large, Love, Mel, mustache, passed away, speak, speak softly and carry a big heart, students, surf, surfer, tutored | Leave a comment

Follow Your Own Heart

Posted on March 22, 2012 by russtowne

“Follow your own heart, regardless of what others tell you to do. When all is said and done, it’s you who has to live with your decisions and how your heart feels about it.” I don’t know who originated that … Continue reading →

Posted in Courage, LIfe Lessons, Quotes I Love, Random Thoughts | Tagged Anger, decisions, Feel, feels, follow, follow your heart, follow your own heart, heart, Life, regret, resentment, reward, rewarding, sadness, wisdom | 3 Comments

Your Potential

Posted on March 21, 2012 by russtowne

“You are an ocean of knowledge hidden in a dew drop.” –Rumi

Posted in LIfe Lessons, Quotes I Love | Tagged dew drop, hidden, hidden in a dew drop, knowledge, ocean of knowledge, potential, Rumi, wondered, you | Leave a comment

The Barefoot College

Posted on March 19, 2012 by russtowne

I just heard a “45 year love story” about the Barefoot College. It is a fascinating, enlightening, and inspiring TED talk presented by Bunker Roy. The school is only for the poor and reflects only what the poor think is … Continue reading →