Fun Times!

Thomas and Heidi Bumper Bowling

Bumper bowling with our grandson Thomas and my Beloved (his “Mama”). He’s 3, and it’s his first time. She’s older than 3 and it’s not her first time. But we all had a fun time.

With Love,

Russ

Posted in Children, Family, Family "Fun", Grandparenting & Grandkids | Tagged , , , | 12 Comments

Ahmed Mohammed’s Family Offers Pizza to Crowd of Waiting Media Outside Their Home

Way to go, Zuckerberg, Obama, the Mohamed family, and so many others for helping a 14-year-old boy learn the true lessons to be learned from such a terrible incident. Kindness and compassion can make all the difference.

Kindness Blog's avatarKindness Blog

Thankfully, Texas police have decided not to charge a 14-year-old Muslim boy wrongfully arrested for bringing a homemade clock to school.

Ahmed MohammedOfficials at MacArthur High School in Irving alerted police because they thought the device was a “hoax bomb”.

Ahmed Mohamed’s arrest has been sharply criticised in many quarters

Ahmed told reporters it was “very sad” that his teacher thought his clock was a threat.

“I built a clock to impress my teacher but when I showed it to her she thought it was a threat to her. I’m very sad that she got the wrong impression of it.”

Ahmed’s father Mohamed Elhassan Mohamed, who is originally from Sudan, praised his son’s ingenuity, saying he fixes everything around the house, including his father’s phone and computer.

Ahmed Mohammed“He’s a very smart, brilliant boy and he said he just wanted to show himself to the world,” he said.

News spread quickly across…

View original post 154 more words

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Because I Decided To

I love this post. It is a wonderful reflection of Colleen’s spirit and I hope it is an inspiration for all who do not feel okay today. With Love,
Russ

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

For All Who Grieve and Struggle Just to Get Through Each Day

May healing tears become joyous and wash our eyes so we may see with our hearts all the goodness and greatness within ourselves and others, and the miracles all around us.

With Love,

Russ

Posted in Adversity, Beauty, Challenges, Crying, Dealing with Pain & Grief, Death, Feelings/Emotions, Healing, Heart, Joy & Happiness, Loneliness | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments

This is What a Banking Firm, Decimated on Sept. 11, Did for the Children of Employees That Died

What a great story of compassion and strengthen in the face of devastation. Such actions are shining examples of what can be done when we listen to the whispers of our heart.

Kindness Blog's avatarKindness Blog

On Sept. 11, 2001, 83 employees of the investment banking firm Sandler O’Neill & Partners were in the company’s office on the 104th floor of the World Trade Center’s south tower.

9-11

Sixty-six of those people were murdered by terrorists who smashed a hijacked jet into the tower and caused its collapse. Those 66 men and women, among them, had 76 children.

In the harrowing days after Sept. 11, the leaders at Sandler O’Neill made several crucial decisions. Some of those decisions had to do with resurrecting the firm; others had to do with benefits for the families of murdered employees. One decision particularly fascinates me: The firm helped set up a foundation to pay college tuition for all the children of their murdered employees.

I called the Sandler O’Neill Foundation the other day to talk about those children, and here are some things you should know:

  • 54 young men and…

View original post 572 more words

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

http://www.liftable.com/andreadcombs/two-seconds-left-player-passed-ball-wrong-team-hes-hero/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=RebirthOfFreedom&utm_content=2015-09-10

Hero

A wonderful story that will help wash our eyes so we can see the goodness and greatness in others and in ourselves a little a little clearer.

With Love,

Russ

Posted in Authentic Living, Beauty, Choices, Compassion, Connection/Connecting, Goodness, Joy & Happiness, Kindness, LIfe Lessons, Love, Making Memories, Making the World a Better Place, Teamwork | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Cover Reveal: Touched

I thought my refers of this blog might also appreciate seeing this cover reveal of this re-released and enhanced book.
With Love,
Russ

russtowne's avatarImaginings of a Grateful Man

TOUCHED - 2000 

I mentioned a while ago that I planned a re-release of my book of speculative and flash fiction stories titled Touched with some additional stories, a new cover, and more. It is nearing release and I thought you’d enjoy a sneak peek of its new cover. Please let me know why you think of it.

Cover images courtesy of AntonioGuillem, Canstockphoto, & Joleene Naylor
Cover by Joleene Naylor
With Love,
Russ

View original post

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

We live with miracles around us. Just try to observe.

I have no idea if this story is true or not. What I do know is I want it to be true, and that is good enough for me. It touched me and I believe it will touch many of you.

Read it Loud's avatarA Small Act Of Kindness Can Bring Smile On Million Faces

An eight-year-old child heard her parents talking about her little brother. All she knew was that he was very sick and they had no money left. They were moving to a smaller house because they could not afford to stay in the present house after paying the doctor’s bills. Only a very costly surgery could save him now and there was no one to loan them the money.

When she heard her daddy say to her tearful mother with whispered desperation, ‘Only a miracle can save him now’, the little girl went to her bedroom and pulled her piggy bank from its hiding place in the closet. She poured all the change out on the floor and counted it carefully.

Clutching the precious piggy bank tightly, she slipped out the back door and made her way six blocks to the local drugstore. She took a quarter from her bank and…

View original post 387 more words

Posted in Uncategorized | 4 Comments

I Love this Video

I love this video and I’ll bet most of you will too.

Connecting the Dots

I Love this Video

With Love,

Russ

Posted in Acceptance, Adversity, Breakthroughs, Bullying, Challenges, Choices, Commitment, Courage, Following Your Passion, Growth/Learning, Inspiring, LIfe Lessons, My Beliefs, Opportunities, Strength, Success, Vids & Stories That Touched Me | Tagged , , , , | 9 Comments

A New Idea and Opportunities

I recently attended a home concert that was a lot of fun and featured some amazing performers. It was an intimate social event and helped the performers earn some money doing what they love. I’m planning to create one or more events based on a similar model where perhaps 15-20 writers, musicians, and singers, of a wide variety of genres get together to have a New Book and CD Release/Meet the Authors and Performing Artists/Book Signing/Holiday Gift Show or event in the San Francisco Bay Area probably early in November. (I realize I’ll have to come up with a shorter name!)

I request your help:

I’d love for one or more people in the Bay Area to host such an event at their home. The authors and performers (or I) would arrange for light refreshments and possibly drinks. The host(s) would receive some free autographed books and/or and CD’s, the undying gratitude of participating authors and musicians, and the opportunity to meet additional amazing people.

Your suggestions of other free or inexpensive Bay Area venues, and any contacts or connections you have with and for same.

Your suggestions of Bay Area authors and musicians who you know or could connect me with.

Please also let me know if you’d be interested in helping to create, market, advertise, and/or set up the event on a pro bono basis.

I ask your help partly because I need to exercise my request muscle and largely because I need your help. I’m on schedule to release six more books in the next three months, bringing my total to 20, and I’m looking for more and better ways of getting them into the hands of potential readers.

Thank you!

With Love,

Russ

Posted in Autographed Copies of My Books, Project Updates for Children's Stories/Poems I Wrote | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments