Author: By The Foundation for a Better Life
-
‘Jungle Book’ author was more than a great storyteller and Nobel Prize laureate
The enchanting stories of Rudyard Kipling owe their imaginative settings to the place he grew up: India. Born in Bombay in 1865, young and quite privileged, Kipling spent his youth inspired by the vibrant colors and customs of colonial India. His voice rose out of the people he met, the jungles he explored, and the…
-
From the cold wilderness of Alaska to the inner workings of the heart, Preston Pollard is helping kids rethink how they approach life
Preston Pollard grew up in Alaska. Not exactly the mecca for skateboarders. But Pollard isn’t one to follow in anyone else’s footsteps. After high school, Pollard moved to Los Angeles and became a professional skateboarder. Unlike the typical introvert who thrives in the art of motion and solitude of ramps, Pollard also became a motivational…
-
The secret to an improved life
Learning how to get along seems elementary to most of us. Conflict is unnatural and unwanted, but it seems to be the default when we feel threatened. If not defused, the conflict can widen, and we all suffer the consequences. “The tenor of our dialogue has decreased,” Marianne Viray says. “And the way things are…
-
In portrait of Elizabeth Winthrop Chanler, we discover the strength of a woman who has suffered tragedy and developed great character.
John Singer Sargent was born in the mid-1850s in Florence, Italy, to American parents. His elevated position in society allowed him to pursue the arts, not as merely a decorator, but as a painter determined to capture the essence of his subjects. He was endlessly fascinated with the physical expressions of inner emotions. His most…
-
How Moko the dolphin led a disoriented mother whale and her calf through a treacherous channel and back out to sea
Dolphins have long been recognized for their good deeds in the ocean, often rescuing stranded sailors or playfully surfing the waves behind fishing boats. Many cultures view dolphins as symbols of good luck and protection. Ancient sailors believed that spotting a dolphin swimming alongside their ship was a sign of a smooth and safe voyage.…
-
Journey from shoeless schoolboy to education pioneer began with a two-mile walk to school
As a young boy, Mustapha’s father gave him a choice: The little money they had could go to a pair of shoes or to school fees. Mustapha chose school, and every day he walked 2 miles to class, barefoot. In the early 2000s, Sierra Leone was struggling to recover from a devastating civil war that…
-
Cellist Vedran Smailović risked death to fill the air with music as war raged in Sarajevo
In 1992, the country of Yugoslavia was being torn apart. Warring factions created chaos in Sarajevo, an otherwise beautiful city. On May 27, an explosion rocked a bakery in the city, killing 22 people and wounding 108 more who were in line to buy bread. The horrors of war were suddenly made manifest. The following…
-
Judging by appearances misses the most beautiful part of life: friendship
In our TikTok, filtered-reality world, it’s easy to get caught up in comparisons. Do I look as good as her? Are my cheekbones high enough? But these questions only narrow the lens through which we see the world. There is no divine standard by which we should all be measured. We all look different, speak…
-
Ludwig Van Beethoven wrote some of his greatest works when he couldn’t hear a note
While America was struggling to define its independence in the late 1700s, the upper echelons of European society were exploding with creativity. In a small Austrian town, a young musical prodigy was performing in the court chapel. The boy was studious and serious. He was taught by his father until the age of 11, when…
-
Cowboy chuckwagons were manned by veteran cowboys who cooked, sewed, repaired equipment and acted as mediators when tempers flared
The iconic chuckwagon seen so often in movie Westerns came about shortly after the American Civil War. As the country expanded, cattle ranchers moved their herds along the Chisholm trail to Abilene, or across Texas to Dodge City, where cows fetched a good price and could be shipped to faraway markets. Beef was the mainstay…