A reader sent the following colorful email the other day regarding forgiveness written by one of my heroes John Wayne. Mr. Williamson, someone recently sent me what he said was a quote from John Wayne that might fit your stress in your recent Word for the Day entry. “You should forgive your enemy but never forget the bastard’s name!” Hopefully it should bring laughter to you to reduce your stress. I did get a chuckle out of it but fear the “Duke” was wrong about this one . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/2025/02/wat-john-wayne-was-wrong-2/

One time I tried to help a disillusioned young man who was working on my house with a construction crew. He’d broken up with his girlfriend, quit his job, started drinking and (of all things) had begun smoking cigarettes. He’d moved to the Florida Keys (which is about as far south as someone who is trying to escape their problems can go and still remain in the United States) and was all alone. He was very clean cut and seemed out of place with the other workers and looked as if he should be working on Wall Street instead of on a construction site . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/2025/02/you-cant-get-there-alone/

I was watching the DVD, “The Last Waltz” with the Band yesterday and Bob Dylan sang the song, “Forever Young”. He looked really young in the video and I couldn’t help but muse that the aging process has not been kind to him; he’s as ugly as an iguana nowadays. Too bad he couldn’t have stayed forever young . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/2025/02/staying-young/

Friday I had a nerve study conducted. I walked in and the doc told me he had heard me speak one time. I felt good that my doctor wouldn’t be a complete stranger and would be extra careful with me. The test consisted of him attaching some electrode clips to various places on my fingers and then he brought out a cattle prod looking device, and he began jabbing me with both prongs and shocking me . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/2025/02/painful/

I had an uncle who was a classic binge alcoholic. He would not drink during the week but started drinking heavily beginning Friday afternoon after he got off work. He would continue to drink literally until late Sunday night. This uncle raised bees for a hobby . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/2025/02/the-dog-that-bites-back/

When I began my first business it was truly a step of faith on my part. At the time I had a good job and made a high salary and benefits, but I did not have any savings. Leaving all of that and starting my own business without adequate funding meant that it would necessitate that I hit the ground running and would need to make money as soon as I came out of the gate or face financial disaster. I was confident that I could do it, but no one else thought it was a good idea. My wife was livid about it and did not want me to quit my high paying job as a plant manager. In fact when I resigned she would not speak to me for two weeks . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/2025/02/faith-5/

I recently had my 54th anniversary. I wonder how I accomplished such a feat. Hmmm . . . For one thing I enjoy my wife’s company. She has a heart of gold, or she never would have put up with me for so many years. Our marriage was never “perfect,” but we remained resolute that we would never get a divorce. Guns, knives, clubs, or water pistols, we vowed to use rather than mention the word divorce. I have said it a couple of times but immediately regretted it . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/2025/02/divorce/

Lately I’ve run into more and more people who are discouraged. I decided to send out a rerun of a Words for the Day that I first sent out nearly two decades ago that should instill some confidence in you that things can and will turn around, even when things may seem their worst . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/2025/02/sky-is-falling/

One day when I was a young man I was relaxing around the swimming pool at the apartments where I was living and a little boy about 12 years old fell in the deep end of the pool and sank like a rock. He didn’t even flutter. I quickly dove in and swam to the bottom and retrieved him and brought him to the surface. Just as we emerged, his screaming 250 lb. mother jumped right on my head and back, (nearly breaking my neck in the process) . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/2025/02/250-lb-bobcat/

It is very interesting watching the news these days and seeing prophecies that were foretold two thousand years ago and longer, unfold before our very eyes. Jesus said that in the end there would be wars and rumors of wars – yep we have that. He said that there would be pestilence – HIV, anthrax, smallpox, yep we have that. He said that towards the end it would be a time of great learning – yep. He said that many nations would arise against Israel– oh yeah that one is happening . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/2025/02/mother-of-all-wars/