Helping People Move Onward by Making a Difference

In an article in USA WEEKEND best-selling author Patricia Cornwell wrote how she was rescued twice in her life by Ruth Graham, the wife of noted evangelist Billy Graham.  The first time she was rescued was when the author's mother wrecked her car on a snowy day and ran into a ditch.  It was around Christmastime and this was the last straw that the author's mother, who was newly single, could take.  Her mother marched her three young children to the Graham's house and told the Grahams that she wanted them to have her children so that the children could be raised "in their kingdom."  The Grahams arranged for foster care for the children with retired missionaries while Cornwell's mother was hospitalized for several months.  Cornwell was very impressed at that time with how nicely Ruth Graham had welcomed complete strangers into her home.

When Cornwell was nineteen she had dropped out of college and she states she had a severe eating disorder, as well as low self-esteem.  She still lived in the same town as Ruth Graham and was very grateful when Mrs. Graham took an interest in her and befriended her.  Graham encouraged Cornwell in her talent as a writer.  When Cornwell returned to college Graham visited her, sent her money, and encouraged her.  Cornwell cites this kindness from Graham as making a great difference in the author's life as well as her success as a writer.  Cornwell went on to write bestsellers such as THE LAST PRECINCT, which is a medical thriller.

Cornwell stated in the article how people do not have to help large "masses" of people in order to make a positive difference in the world.  She stated that if people will simply reach out to a hurting person in their own vicinity then the world could be a better place.  Cornwell also wrote that she wants to leave this world in a better state then she found it.  She believes in justice as well as enlightening people.  This is a mission everyone can participate in.  By doing this people would help others move onward as well as helping themselves.


Cornwell, Patricia; USA WEEKEND, Dec. 15-17, 2000.

New Year!

    At the beginning of the new year I viewed some young peoples new year's resolutions online.  New year's resolutions are very personal and can often sound corny to other people. One young lady, for example, said  her new year's resolution was to use less heat on her hair on a regular basis to avoid damage of it.  What do I think of this new year's resolution?  I think the United States of America is a wonderful country where the young people can be allowed to think of something as simple as improving the quality of their hair instead of having to think of  constant stress and turmoil that some young people have to face in other countries. Indeed, let the children and the young people of this nation be happy while they can!
     It is in human nature for humans to want to strive to improve themselves and improve upon their lives.  That is why new year's resolutions are made even as trivial as some resolutions may seem.  It is comman knowledge that even little changes in your life can make a big difference.  If there are things that are not working out well in your life then make some tweaks and change whatever it is that is not working for you.  If you cannot make major changes in your life then start with just a minor change and try to dispose of whatever is not working in your life.  If you do something as simple as changeing your mind you are changeing your life! Another way this idea has been phrased is along the lines of if you want something different then you will have to do something you never did before.
      Of couse life often doesn't go as we plan it.  Interuptions we did not expect might come in the form of many ailments as simple as a sprained ankle, a heat wave, or an allergy.  As my ex-husband used to say, "We can't always go straight but we can go forward."  So indeed in this new year let us all strive to move forward.  Let us all  keep going onward.